This oil painting, "Sunglass Reflections." This 8 by 10 inch piece is a close-up portrait focusing on the interplay between a face and the scene captured within large yellow sunglasses. The lenses reveal a calm seascape with a sailboat drifting on blue water beneath a soft sky, while warm tones and textured brushstrokes shape the features of the face. I wanted to explore how reflections can create a personal connection to a place—combining the intimacy of a portrait with the restful mood of a summer ocean view. Painting people isn’t always my go-to, but this work challenged me to capture that quiet moment of contemplation through both expression and environment.