The Waitress (2016) Original Oil Painting by James Henry Johnston

This is one of a series of portrait paintings I painted recently which use local Swansea people as my models. The people are everyday people who work in shops, the post office, cafes or people I meet on the street and simply want to paint as I like their faces.
I love the idea of painting common people as much portraiture traditionally is associated with the famous, rich or with status.
I liked to debunk that idea and make the ordinary, extraordinary.
I loved the reaction of the people painted when they saw their portraits. After all, it is not everyday than an artist paints one’s portrait. I hope I caught the essence, the inner dignity of all my subjects, of the beauty within us all. It was a special project.
The delight at watching a person’s face as hey first gazed on their own portrait made it all the worthwhile. I loved the incongruity of it.

This is a painting of Miranda, a lovely looking English waitress who was working in a local coffee house in Uplands, Swansea, Wales, UK.

Materials used:

oil on cotton canvas

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 50 x 60 x 2cm (unframed)
• Ready to hang
• Signed on the front
• Style: Urban and Pop
• Subject: People and portraits