Oil on canvas
2024

This portrait was painted from a photograph taken by my wife during our honeymoon in Japan. I am caught in the act of eating a skewer of dango, an affordable and delicious Japanese street food. The photo itself was taken candidly, capturing my honest feeling during the moment I first bit into the dango.

As an artist I am interested in observing quotidian life. I believe there’s something truly interesting in the fleeting moments of raw emotion found in simple pleasure of the everyday.

In this painting, I have stylised myself through the use of thick unblended paint strokes, accented with dark outlines for an almost graphic quality. Through the softly and loosely painted background, I want to draw more attention to the subject.

My creative practice often involves quick sketches of strangers in public spaces as well as paintings taken from candid photographs of close acquaintances. Through these, and in my self portrait, I hope to encourage appreciation of the little joys in life and the paradoxical complexities of these simple pleasures.