Self Imagined
Self Imagined – A self portrait of desired possibility.
Behind The Scenes
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About “Self Imagined”
Self-portraiture has always been a fundamental part of being an artist. While I cannot speak for others, for me, its greatest power lies in its authenticity. It asks the question: How deeply can we truly see and represent ourselves?
Traditionally, self-portraits focused on capturing physical likeness along with the emotional expressions revealed through the face and body. My own artistic journey has been an ongoing exploration of the interplay between traditional drawing and painting with photography, and how these mediums can merge with others, such as sound and motion.
My first exhibition, Soul Train, was held in a train caboose turned gallery. Every piece was a portrait created through my meditative “flow lines” process. I have always called them “soul portraits” because they aim to capture something beyond the physical: the formless, inner essence of a person, what many refer to as the “soul.”
I do not use the word “soul” in a strictly religious sense. It simply points to the unseen, unique, and potentially eternal aspect of each individual. Even identical twins, who may look the same on the outside, are utterly distinct in this inner dimension. No two souls are alike, across all of time, past or future. This inner essence is our true signature. The physical body serves as its vehicle, its vessel, its avatar.
My work has therefore always been a form of portraiture that reflects this inner reality. Rather than being dictated by outward form, my lines and colors are guided by energy. They seek to express the living presence of the person at the moment the portrait is created.
“Self Imagined” takes this approach one step further.
In this self-portrait, I introduce a new dimension: a conscious projection shaped by imagination, wish, prayer, and aspiration. It blends the present self with the dreamed self, the ascended self, or what is often called the “higher self.” This is the version of us that already exists as potential and can be called into being.
If we think of a person as a “human being,” the “human” is the visible physical form, while the “being” refers to the inner essence or soul. “Self Imagined” is therefore a portrait of our aspiration to fully become our highest potential, the human being fully realized.
Creating this work is both a personal ritual and an invitation. Whether I am painting myself or a commissioned portrait for someone else, the process is the same: We begin by imagining and articulating our highest vision of ourselves. These thoughts and words then flow into the artwork as a living, emerging energy.
The halo I drew around the figure is universal. It symbolizes the elevation of human consciousness into higher states of light and awareness. Above me to the right, I reveal a dove of peace whose wingbeats release hearts of love. Surrounding the portrait are musical instruments, gods, goddesses, and powerful archetypes that awaken love and truth within. As I move forward through life, these elements unfold and expand on the left side of the image, an ever-growing expression of the infinite potential within.
Ultimately, this self-portrait becomes a trajectory, a path set by inspired imagination. When we release fear and limiting beliefs, art becomes a shamanic form of therapy. Through it, we call forth our highest potential. In doing so, we each contribute a unique piece to the greater puzzle of humanity.
This is how we make the whole more beautiful, from the inside, flowering outward.
