I don’t consider myself a researcher. I see painting as a way to document my life as it unfolds, through the people I paint, the places I depict, and the fleeting moments I capture. Many of my works are straightforward observations — moments I’ve lived. Others are subtly staged, yet always rooted in real experience. In all of them, I try to shape a version of reality that feels more beautiful or more emotionally charged than the original moment. That’s why I don’t aim for realism: the real world already exists. Painting allows me to create something else — a heightened image, through color, composition, or gaze. Recurring themes in my work include love and personal growth — particularly how...