Approximately one year ago, I wrote a post on finding focus. It was about being intentional to reach the goals of your art career. I spoke on not having my focus designated on a singular style or source of income. Oddly enough, it was only one month after writing this that I began to heavily focus on a few avenues. I found it hard deciding what things were not in alignment with the way I desired to communicate with the community or I my time was better spent else where.

Over the last year, I shifted away from my cloud paintings to paint portraits of the wise, the famous, and intriguing figures through out time. I have focused my hand to rendering portraits; Following the path of the cranial bends and curves. Studying the orbital process and the mandible. All while learning how color tonalities shape my style and the painting's emotion. I have continued pursuing mural work around Texas. I have been bestowed to work on multiple walls in Texas, from Plano to Houston. While I still teach painting classes during the week, I have narrowed my artistic endeavors to amass my first series of portraits as well as continue to learn how to paint looser and with a more abstract brush stroke.

I had advise from my teacher, Roxanna Tuff, a good friend of painter, Paul Wright, helped me to focus on loosening up an finding the tonalities with focus instead of guessing and overworking an area. In some aspects, I felt the way I was approaching things was okay as I was studying certain aspects of different brush strokes and sizes. But I definitely dove into the idea that I could be painting better with a higher confidence and attention to the overall development. I feel I truly pushed my handling with the brushwork of my latest self portrait yet I am always compelled by the future. For now, I hope I can stay focused and find something truly special in my portraiture.