A Japanese woman smiles shyly through a close cropped aperture. Her head dipped respectfully as she gazes at the viewer.

Painted in thick layers to create texture, her face emerges from the paint like a friendly face in a crowd of people.

Influenced by Japanese Daruma dolls, bright gold within the jet black hair imitates their decorative brushmarks. The portrait aims to share a feeling of connection, the sensation of seeing a person that might become a friend.

Yukiyo Kusakabe has been my friend since we met 5 years ago. She sends me news of her lovely family each Christmas through beautifully chosen and decorated cards. An illustrator in her own right she has an amazing gift of kindness in all she does and a lightness of touch. I consider myself very lucky to have seen her friendly face in the crowd.

50 x 70cm