Portraits

A coloured pencil portrait of a Maasai woman, created during my high school years in 2002. The artwork incorporates decorative feathers and beads, adding texture and dimension. Over time, the colours have faded and some of the embellishments have become loose, showing the natural ageing of this early piece.

Inspired by a photograph in a local newspaper shortly after Christmas. The man looked scruffy and troubled, yet he was wearing a festive Christmas hat. I was drawn to the contrast between his weary expression and the cheerful symbol of Christmas.

An art teacher once insisted that I should shade using lines running in a single direction. I preferred my scribbles. When I refused, he suggested it was because I couldn't do it. This portrait of Marius Weyers was my response. I could do it. I simply preferred my own way of drawing.

A pencil portrait of Beyoncé, inspired by her appearance in Tommy Hilfiger's True Star perfume advertisement. The original magazine photograph caught my attention, and I recreated her face, focusing on the eyes, expression and soft shading.

A pencil portrait inspired by an Eva Mendes perfume advertisement. I loved the original photograph, particularly her expressive eyes and relaxed pose. Unfortunately, my interpretation didn't quite do her justice, and an unsuccessful attempt at shading her hand, without an eraser to rescue me, certainly didn't help! Still, it's part of my artistic journey, imperfections and all.

Created for an art exhibition, this ink artwork features a collection of unrelated faces viewed from different angles. Each portrait explores a different perspective, expression and character, brought together in a single composition.

A commissioned portrait created as a personal birthday gift. A meaningful piece intended to capture cherished family memories and create a lasting keepsake.

A commissioned portrait created as a birthday gift for a couple whose love story began during the COVID-19 pandemic. A personal keepsake celebrating their relationship and the unexpected connections that can emerge during difficult times.

A gouache portrait of a young Buddhist monk, created as part of my coursework at Inscape. The study explores facial features, colour and light through the use of opaque gouache paint.

A personal portrait of my youngest son, Erick. A special addition to my portrait collection, capturing a familiar face through my own artistic interpretation.

A personal portrait of my eldest son, Ryan. Part of my family portrait collection, capturing his features and personality through my own artistic interpretation.

A playful gouache painting created during my year at Open Window. Not every artwork needs a deeper meaning or purpose. Sometimes it's simply about enjoying the process of painting and experimenting with colour.

A live portrait painting of a woman adorned with flowers, created during a school women's breakfast event. The painting had to be completed within the event's time limit. Although I wanted to make one final adjustment to an eye, time ran out and the artwork was handed over as it was.

A watercolour portrait created as a practice exercise from a How to Draw Manga book. An opportunity to explore the distinctive features, expressions and proportions of manga-style characters while experimenting with watercolour techniques.

A portrait of my youngest son, Erick, as a baby. A personal artwork capturing a precious moment from his early childhood.

The first stage of a painting created for an exhibition that challenged artists to reinterpret a master's work. My initial interpretation was soft, delicate and intentionally understated. I was ready to submit it as it was, but the gallery owner felt the figure looked too ghostly and encouraged me to develop it further. Looking back, this remains my favourite version.

Following feedback, I attempted to modernise the original composition by portraying the woman taking a selfie. The extended arm introduced foreshortening and a contemporary element to the traditional portrait. Unfortunately, the revised version still didn't meet expectations, particularly regarding the pale figure and decorative feathers.

The completed painting after several revisions for the exhibition. What began as a delicate personal interpretation gradually transformed through attempts to accommodate external feedback. Although the final result was more developed, it had moved away from my original vision. An experience that reminded me how easily an artwork can lose its identity when trying to please everyone.