Since childhood, I have had a deep interest in people: in their stories; in what it is that makes one person unique from every other; in the interplay of relationship between and among individuals. That interest, a lifelong love for art and a talent for capturing a likeness led me to portraiture as the profession I have enjoyed for more than thirty years. A portrait is the result of an interaction between subject and artist. More than simply a rendering of the physical likeness of a sitter, it should also reflect the artist's understanding of that person's character and personality. The most successful portraits have an immediacy about them, a sense of familiarity. At best, they will not only become cherished heirlooms for future generations, but are powerful works of art, engaging the attention and imagination of all viewers, conveying the essence of their subjects to strangers as well as to friends and family.