Head Study of Matthew Innis

Head Study of Matthew Innis is a portrait of the Editor-in-Chief of Underpaintings Online Magazine, fellow painter, and one of my closest friends. This painting is infused with inside jokes from our conversations, emails, and texts over the past sixteen years - an homage to a friendship rooted in art and steeped in twisted humor. I’ve painted serious portraits of Matthew many times. This painting was made for myself without any expectation that it might be embraced by anyone other than us. In truth, I have enough material for many such paintings. I laughed so much while creating this and doubt that I will ever be able to look at it without laughing out loud. I’m so grateful for such a friendship and I'm pleased to share this peek into "our normal" discussions that shape my painting process.