Abby by Julie Bell

“I love solving puzzles.  To me, a portrait that I paint, whether it is of a human or an animal, is what I perceive as the solution to the puzzle of that unique being.   In a living face, we observe not only that being's entire history played out in every shadow and curve, but also the lives of their ancestors for generations back.  Although I don't really specialize in portrait art, I would still say that at the core of all my paintings of both humans and animals is, in fact, a portrait.  I read faces and expressions, and then write, with paint, the thousand words that tell that being's story. That is why I paint.”  - Julie Bell