Self Portrait at 33

3/05/2011

My annual self portrait for 2011. I worked on a few other portrait sketches that didn't feel right. I finally started to hit my stride with this piece, though I feel have more left in me, and I'm hoping I can find just a bit more time to play it out.

I laughed a bit when I realized that this piece seemed similar to the concept and technique I used for my self portrait at 31. Since I started my design career about ten years ago, I think I've continually fought a battle of expression vs. essence; rich and layered life vs. concise minimalism. That struggle has become a theme in all aspects of my life. The desire to find the point of balance between the two seemingly contradictory philosophies drives me, and often frustrates me more than anything else.