Oil on Linen

26cm by 31cm by 2cm

2026

This study explores the relationship between portraiture, cultural memory, and the spiritual presence carried within an individual. The work is inspired by the enduring traditions of the Quechua people and the figure of the shaman as a mediator between the human, natural, and spiritual worlds. Through the portrait, I am interested in looking beyond physical likeness to suggest a deeper sense of identity and presence. The face becomes a meeting point between personal experience and collective history, while the surrounding visual language evokes the connection between people, landscape, ancestry, and ritual.

I explored the face through the limitations of the Zorn palette, using only yellow ochre, cadmium red, ivory black, and white. Restricting the colour range allowed me to concentrate on the underlying structure of the face rather than becoming distracted by an abundance of colour. The skin was built through careful shifts in value and temperature, mixing warm ochres and reds for the illuminated planes while introducing black and cooler mixtures into the shadows. This limited palette created a natural harmony across the face, allowing subtle changes in colour to describe the turning of the forms. Rather than attempting to reproduce every variation of skin colour, I focused on simplifying the face into connected areas of light, shadow, warmth, and coolness. The process became an exercise in observation and restraint, using a surprisingly small range of pigments to create depth, character, and a sense of presence within the portrait.

Rather than attempting to define or explain another culture, the painting is an exploration of observation, respect, and the mystery of human experience. I am drawn to the tension between realism and symbolism, using the figure to create a sense of stillness and contemplation. The work ultimately asks the viewer to consider how portraiture can hold stories that extend beyond the individual.