Portrait of Paul Tuller
$5,000.00 (Available)
36" x 32" Oil & wax painting. Painted pine frame.
Paul is a woodworker in NH who specializes in Japanese woodworking techniques and hand tools. My work is heavily inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and I have a deep interest in woodworking and hand tools so I was very excited to start this commission and looking forward to the challenge. When I arrived at Pauls shop to take a photo- to work from- he spent most of the time showing me old hand tools and how they worked. We walked through his space and looked at family portraits, shared stories, techniques and talked politics. No time to fix his hair or adjust his outfit, just a small sliver of time in between projects to snap a photo and get back to work. I wanted to make a portrait of Paul that not only captured his dedication to his craft but also somehow shows his modesty or gentleness. So I arranged the composition to show off his work and tools. I didn’t want the portrait to be overbearing or looming. I included elements that have special meaning to Paul. A hand plane, Sumitsubu, the first tool box he ever made. I try to pay close attention to the small details that sometimes get overlooked. I managed to get Paul to look up for a second from his work and caught the smallest hint of a smile.
