#Iamhere

A current popular trend is the "selfie," a self-portrait taken by the viewer of themselves with their cell phone and quickly shared on social media. A painted portrait, like the selfie, wants to be noticed because a part of us wants to be valued, appreciated, and included in the groups that matter to us.

For the past 6 months I have been collecting selfies from friends, families, and strangers on Facebook and twitter. In contrast to the instant satisfaction of taking multiple photos and uploading them, I approach the painted selfie portrait in order to slow down the gaze.