Self Portrait at 37, oil on canvas, 26x20in (10x71⁄2cm)
Each year I do a self-portrait. Some are just quick, onesession studies; others are more conceptual pieces, introspective and full of ideas and thought. Falling into that category is Self-Portrait at 37 (left). My positioning in the portrait is one that I thought carefully about: being a little slumped gives the indication of being weary. My expression is one of honesty. Although not a 100-per-cent likeness, I believe I captured myself better than in any other of my self-portraits to date. It is the emotions that come to the surface of the face that make it for me. There is almost a blankness to my expression which, I suppose, comes from deep concentration.
Planning