Conversational Portraits
(Portrait/Self)

(Written in August 2022 in Co. Clare, Ireland)

"Throughout my experience this past month, my driving inspiration has been people. The people I meet along our travels give a soul to the place. Our excursions are wonderful and the sights are jaw-dropping, but without the people to inhabit them, all these places are just a bunch of locations. This project has allowed me to connect with people that otherwise would have been total strangers. I go from being a standard tourist taking way too many photos to making real connections with the community… while also taking way too many photos. The warmth and brightness of all the people I have met have welcomed me to a speed and way of life that I had never experienced. 

The Burren has been molded by generations of people. Fields, walls, forts, and endless settlements and communities have come and gone, shaping the place we now know as the Burren. There is a character to this place, and by drawing enough of the people in it, I hoped to capture something about the area itself. 

By drawing people while I talk with them, I learn more about their life while also examining their appearance. Since they are never still, I piece together bits of expressions to make a portrait in the way I perceive the person and their character, not just their direct appearance. Using charcoal as my medium allows me to stay loose and sketchy while also being able to focus on the small, essential details of their face. More than anything, it has just been so fun to meet and get to talk to so many amazing people, so here’s to you, Ballyvaughan!"