Allow myself, to introduce, myself. I’m delighted to share the first painting of 2016… A self portrait… my first since 2010.

If you’d like to see the entire process in 90 seconds, narrated by yours truly — do enjoy the video. If you prefer the picture-text combination, read on.

Ah, the self portrait — a time-honored artistic tradition. Since going professional in 2009, I’ve created one… this colorful 36″X48″ canvas in 2010. As the voice over says, “in a time before time lapse videos…”

The 2010 version was based on a selfie taken in Milan. I was there to deliver the first two paintings I sold as a professional. The medium? New York Post headlines and acrylic paint.

My 2016 version was based on a self-snap taken in Jackson Hole… the place we will be calling (almost) home soon. The medium remains the same… but the style has changed quite a bit.

The process begins by identifying the collage materials. Once I make the selections, I trim them into form and place them parallel to the canvas for pasting. When I am commissioned to create a portrait, I provide a list of materials and their meaning… as this is the first post on the new Borbay.com — I’m going to share the secret sauce below.

The collage map, indicating where each element will be pasted. The process of trimming the materials and creating this map is time-consuming, but worth it. Over the years, the creative process has become akin to a soothing, warm blanket. Whenever you get lost, you rely on the process. I’m typically a Blick man — but I used a hand stretched French Canvas for this boy — and it was glorious. Excellent surface, extremely well built.

As promised, here are the collage materials explained, beginning with the headlines, top-to-bottom, left-to-right:

• Villa: We spent much of our time traveling and living in Villas in 2015.
• 36: My age as of September 2016 — looking to the future, and the climb to 40.
• King: If you aren’t the master of your own domain…
• American Dream: This is a shout to Hunter S. Thompson and Fear and Loathing… this also feels particularly prescient considering the dream is dying a swift, and public death.
• Road: Where we’ve been living, and what we are about to hit once again.
• Out West: Following our trip to Jackson, this is where the heart is. Manifest Destiny feels alive.
• Bowled: I’ve gotten back into bowling here in Minneapolis with the boys, and just bought a ball called Bad Ass.
• Daddy: Being a Father has changed my life greatly, and I’m proud of my family.
• Village: It used to mean East and West, now it means Teton.
• Jackson Action: Another shout to Jackson Hole… I’m learning not to refer to the area as “The Hole”, or myself as a “Jack Holer”.
• It’s Art Of The Deal: Good business really is the best art, a little appropriation from Warhol.
• New Ace In Town: I’ll let you paint the picture on this one.
• NYC’s Most: I was Time Out Magazine’s Most Creative New Yorker, a title I still use despite its age (7).
• Going Gonzo: This past year, being “luxuriously homeless” with two kids… and another shout to Hunter.
• To Be Famous: That’s not what being an artist is all about, but it doesn’t hurt the bottom line.
• Hustle B: How I paint for a living.

And now for the images in the shoulders, beginning with the left:

• Empire State Buildings: A still strip from Warhol’s film, Empire — a ? ?  disasterpiece, according to IMDB.
• Bob Dylan: Mostly because he is tying his shoes and smoking a cigarette (which I don’t do)… really, because when I paint in the studio, Coraline joins me to draw and always requests, “Bob Dylan Daddy”.
• Hunter In The Flag:  HST ran for sheriff in Aspen (1969)… shortly thereafter, he shaved his head to refer to his “long haired opponent”… plus, I’m moving to a ski town…
• Max Beckmann Painting: From the triptych “Departure”, the figures are crossing a river… the same thing I did, leaving Manhattan.
• Guggenheim: I paint this baby every year, so how could I not?
• Me and Coraline: Standing in front of a Moose in Jackson.
• Erin and Vega: My other lovelies doing the same.

And now for the right:

• Vega Smiling: Just love this picture of our little cherub.
• Western Movie Still: Always feel like I’m staring down two opponents, only my gun is a brush.
• Erin, Coraline and Vega: Taken at The Four Seasons in Jackson Hole, my family visiting me at the office.
• Sassy Coraline: Looking like a movie star.
• Daddy and Vega: Kissing my youngest at the Mangy Moose.
• Self Portrait: Going meta… my first self portrait made of New York Post Headlines, was then printed in the Post, and collaged into this portrait featuring New York Post headlines.
• Casino: From a book by Mario Puzo, I’m a huge Vegas fan, and frankly, being an artist can feel like a gamble at times.
• Hendrix: Love his music and vision.

The orange underpainting, and a glimpse of the Minnetonka studio late in the evening.

I decided on an orange wash over the facial headlines… this serves the dual purpose of a creating lively ground, and providing a second layer of gel medium for archival purposes.

Carving into the form, shadows first. This helps nail down the key identifiers in a portrait…

And now the march to light begins. I didn’t use any pure black or grey from the tube on this painting… they were all mixed with Cadmium Red Medium, Pthalo Blue Green Shade, Hooker’s Green and Titanium White. RGB… it’s real.

This is how I look at three-AM after a hockey game, followed by a session at Jake’s.

Beginning to feel some weight. I always debate on the timing of the background… as it is important for a cohesive tonal balance.

Children of the corn eyes. Here, I realized some additional shadows were required to create dimensionality.

With the eyes and face sculpted, it was time to paint the background. This step, which usually takes four hours, required a week and five coats… our entire family got sick, and the schedule was a casualty.

Once the background was completed, I polished the hair and stitched the shirt. Portrait is done, man.

Unkempt, yet, dare I say, stylized?

Look closely for shoulder love.

Studying one’s own nostrils? A bizarre and frightening experience.

Two peaks race the forehead, conspiring to meet in the middle — no follicle is safe.

May 4, 2021: If you are contacted to purchase this painting, please contact me to discuss.