American Portraits
Oil and collage on canvas
"As a child, I drew the profiles of my classmates because that was all I could see from my seat. Later, in art school, I sketched faces but the models' bodies interested me more. I carried a sketchbook in the subways and sketched as I rode back and forth from school or work. But I never thought seriously about straightforward portraiture until I took notice of a teenage girl's offbeat clothing. She seemed so free, so original. I was intrigued and looked further. In some faces I saw confusion or conflict. Some people seemed not sure of who they were anymore- their roots in conflict with America's expectations. I wanted to capture American faces in the context of America's vision of them." - Renée Rosen
