The most "me" - nine self-portraits on my birthday

Les Lunettes - acrylic on panel - 24x24 - 2012.

Since it's my birthday today, and since my Friday post happens to fall on this particular day, wouldn't it be rather odd if I just ignored the fact? No? As an artist who so frequently uses the self-portrait as a basis for his work, I often get asked about the significance of that, if I feel very attached to these paintings because they're of me, etc. I use the form to express all sorts of things, and I rarely feel any attachment to the work since, to me, it's really only about the story I'm telling, the pictorial elements I'm trying to work out. That said, there have been a very few pieces that I - do - feel more of a connection to. People who know me personally, know me well, can find elements of my character in any number of my paintings, I'm sure. But in a few "portraits of the artist", the artist actually recognizes something of himself; I get the rare experience of coming face to face with something very real, some truth about myself. It's rather intriguing - I'm always drawn to those paintings - if often more than a little disconcerting.

No other self-portrait has surprised me as much as this one continues to do. I've caught some sort of reflection that I can't quite recognize.

Judith et Holopherne - acrylic on panel - 36x24 - 2010.

L'Expérience - acrylic on panel - 12x12 - 2012.

L'Innocence - acrylic on panel - 12x12 - 2012.

Les Perruches - acrylic on panel - 30x24 - 2012.

La Légèreté délicieuse de la grandeur - acrylic on panel - 24x18 - 2012.

La Pesanteur du luxe - acrylic on panel - 12x12 - 2012.

Venus Cosmeticus - acrylic on panel - 24x24 - 2015.

Monsieur le prince - acrylic on panel - 12x12 - 2009.

Painted seven years ago, now, I still feel like this one reveals me more than any other; people who know me have said the same.