The “Unfinished” portraits are works of decisive brush work, color with a purpose, and omitting the unnecessary.    While “finished paintings” often give the viewer all the information, they tend to give too much information, leaving the viewer’s imagination little to add to the painting.  With an unfinished look, the collaboration between the artist and the viewer becomes paramount and a story can unfold in between the painter’s brush marks.  Unfinished is the equivalent of a literary cliffhanger.  When the imagination has room to play, the painting becomes more personal.

For the artist, simply the act of painting is one of the most exciting and beautiful experiences.  Painting from the live model is beautiful even if it is simply an excuse to put paint on the surface.   Painting quickly with little planning and even less preliminary drawing doesn’t always work out, but the process is exhilarating.