In portraiture, there is a tradition of biography; that is, including visual clues to the chapters in the subject’s life. This approach resonates with me depending on the type of person I’m painting. I am a storyteller by nature, and many of the people I paint have stories to tell. The process of the portrait becomes collaborative between the artist and the sitter. Together we discuss the story until the details of the composition, gestures, milieu of the portrait become elements of their narratives.