For me the study of the figure is an ongoing, compelling process, especially when painting from life. The self is the ever-present “model.” For this reason, I often return to self-portraiture, using a mirror. It is that freedom of time which allows me greater opportunity to get to the essence underneath the surface. In this relatively life-size self-portrait, I experiment with the amount of the figure I will paint. I challenge myself to do almost full body-size. The figure is cropped, she can’t be contained by the boundaries of the canvas. She stands bold and powerful.