I wanted to paint a strong profile of a woman, defining beauty in her uniqueness. Part of my process is viewing photographs of faces. I found a woman with a prominent nose and an abundance of dark hair. With her exquisite beauty in mind I began this painting. She was my inspiration, but this was never to be her portrait. As I painted, she evolved into a woman reminding me of Sappho, whose name remarkably continues to be recognizable after more than 2500 years. I am inspired by her essence continuing to influence us although mere fragments of her poetry survive. What has traveled the ages is a remembrance, a commemoration, of her words as admired by ancient scholars for her ability to lyrically portray beauty through love. In a celebration of beauty, I contribute this portrait of Sappho to my series Revelations.
