{"title":"Self-Portrait Explorations","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCreated decades before selfies became part of everyday life, Kent Alexander's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e uses the artist's own image not as documentation, but as a way to investigate a timeless question: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHow do we know who we are?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Rather than creating traditional self-portraits, these paintings explore the many roles, identities, and inner dialogues that shape a lifetime.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBuilt from photographs the artist takes of himself and transformed through expressive layers of oil paint, each work exists between representation and abstraction. Though deeply personal, the paintings invite viewers to find their own meanings—often revealing as much about themselves as they do about the artist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"ode-to-narcissus-oil-on-canvas-48x71-5-unframed-2005","title":"Ode to Narcissus, oil on canvas, 48x71.5\", unframed, 2005","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOde to Narcissus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I place multiple versions of myself within a single scene, each figure occupying a different emotional and psychological space. Some engage with one another, some remain isolated, while another appears only as an image within the painting itself. Together, they form a visual dialogue about identity, self-awareness, and the many roles we inhabit throughout our lives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe title references the Greek myth of Narcissus, yet this work is not about vanity. Instead, it asks what it means to truly see oneself. By using my own image repeatedly, I explore the complexity of the self—not as a fixed identity, but as a collection of memories, perspectives, and experiences that continually evolve.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51983961424088,"sku":null,"price":8500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/OdetoNarcissus_48x71.5_oil_unframed_2005_8_500.jpg?v=1783973902"},{"product_id":"disconnect-oil-on-canvas-unframed-2005","title":"Disconnect, oil on canvas, unframed, 2005","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDisconnect\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I portray four versions of myself reaching, gesturing, and reacting to one another, yet never quite making contact. Each figure occupies the same physical space while remaining emotionally isolated, creating a visual tension between the desire for connection and the barriers we often place between ourselves.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting reflects on communication, misunderstanding, and the fragmented nature of identity. Although each figure is a self-portrait, they represent familiar moments we all experience—hesitation, vulnerability, frustration, and the longing to be understood. The work asks whether the greatest disconnects in our lives exist between ourselves and others, or within ourselves.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51983962013912,"sku":null,"price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/Disconnect_30x42_oil_unframed_2005_3_600.jpg?v=1783974691"},{"product_id":"artist-and-models-oil-on-canvas-30x24-unframed-2004","title":"Artist and Models, oil on canvas, 30x24\", unframed, 2004","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtist and Models\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I blur the line between artist, subject, and observer. Multiple versions of myself inhabit the studio simultaneously—painting, posing, studying, and becoming the artwork itself. The painting reflects the cyclical nature of the creative process, where the artist is never simply the maker, but also the model, the critic, and the perpetual student.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this work examines the many roles an artist occupies in pursuit of understanding. By repeating my own image, I explore the relationship between creation and self-discovery, suggesting that every painting is, in some way, a portrait of the person who made it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51983969583320,"sku":null,"price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/ArtistandModels_30x24_oil_2004_3_600.jpg?v=1784056069"},{"product_id":"mt-rushmore-oil-30x42-unframed-2005","title":"Mt Rushmore, oil, 30x42\", unframed, 2005","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMt. Rushmore\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I bring together two versions of myself in a moment of quiet exchange beneath one of America's most iconic monuments. One figure presents a camera while the other responds with uncertainty, transforming an ordinary travel gesture into a conversation about memory, identity, and how we choose to preserve our experiences.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting reflects on the relationship between personal history and cultural history. The monumental faces carved into the mountain become a backdrop for a more intimate question: What do we choose to remember, and what ultimately shapes the stories we tell about ourselves?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51983975317720,"sku":null,"price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/MtRushmore_30x42_oil_unframed_2005_3_600.jpg?v=1783975239"},{"product_id":"ego-oil-30x24-unframed","title":"Ego, oil, 30x24\", unframed","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEgo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I stand holding a simple cloth that conceals an unseen object, inviting viewers to consider what lies beneath the surface. The hidden form becomes a metaphor for the ego itself—something we carry, protect, and often allow to define us, even when its true nature remains obscured.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting reflects on identity and self-perception. By reducing the composition to a single figure and a single gesture, I invite the viewer to question what we reveal, what we hide, and how much of ourselves is shaped by the stories we tell about who we are.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51983995109592,"sku":null,"price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/Ego_30x24_oil_unframed_3_600.jpg?v=1783975436"},{"product_id":"dancing-with-my-shadow-oil-48x48-unframed-2005","title":"Dancing with My Shadow, oil, 48x48\", unframed, 2005","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDancing with My Shadow\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I confront another version of myself at the threshold between light and darkness. One figure stands bathed in warm light while the other emerges from a stormy landscape, suggesting an encounter between opposing aspects of the self. Rather than conflict, the exchange becomes a dance—an acknowledgment that growth comes from embracing both our strengths and our shadows.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting reflects on the lifelong process of self-acceptance. It is about recognizing that identity is not singular, but shaped by the continual dialogue between who we are, who we have been, and who we are becoming.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51983997665496,"sku":null,"price":8900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/DancingwithMyShadow_48x48_oil_unframed_2005SOLD_ee086166-5dad-460a-9c09-db2289c2961d.jpg?v=1784056047"},{"product_id":"the-committee-oil-24x24-unframed-2003","title":"The Committee, oil, 24x24\", unframed, 2003","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Committee\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I portray five versions of myself, each expressing a different thought, emotion, or state of mind. Together, they become the internal voices we all carry—the optimist, the skeptic, the dreamer, the critic, and the one simply trying to make sense of it all.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting reflects the constant dialogue within us as we navigate everyday decisions and life's larger questions. By giving each voice its own presence, I invite viewers to recognize the complexity of self-awareness and the many perspectives that shape who we are.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51984001925336,"sku":null,"price":3600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/TheCommittee_24x24_oil_unframed_2003_3_600.jpg?v=1783975683"},{"product_id":"seaside-discussion-oil-36x48-2004-unframed","title":"Seaside Discussion, oil, 36x48\", 2004, unframed","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSeaside Discussion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I bring together several versions of myself, each absorbed in a different role—questioning, observing, reading, creating, and retreating into solitude. Though they share the same space overlooking the sea, each figure inhabits a distinct state of mind, suggesting that our most meaningful conversations often take place within ourselves.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting reflects the creative process as an ongoing dialogue between curiosity, reflection, doubt, and imagination. The open horizon serves as a quiet reminder that every answer leads to another question, and that self-understanding is not a destination, but a lifelong conversation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51984003301592,"sku":null,"price":7000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/SeasideDiscussion_36x48_oil_2004SOLD.jpg?v=1784056023"},{"product_id":"meeting-in-the-woods-oil-42x42-unframed-2005","title":"Meeting in the Woods, oil, 42x42\", Unframed, 2005","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeeting in the Woods\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, three versions of myself gather in a quiet clearing, each engaged in a different form of communication. One whispers, another listens, while a third gestures from a distance, suggesting the many voices that shape our thoughts and decisions. Set among slender birch trees, the landscape becomes a place of reflection where the boundaries between memory, intuition, and reason begin to blur.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting explores the inner conversations that guide us throughout life. By placing multiple versions of myself within a single moment, I invite viewers to consider the dialogue we all carry within—the one that continually shapes our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51984028401880,"sku":null,"price":6000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/Meeting_in_the_Woods_42x42_oil_Unframed_2005_6_000.jpg?v=1784055993"},{"product_id":"curiosity-and-delight-oil-36x36-unframed-2005","title":"Curiosity and Delight, oil, 36x36\", unframed, 2005","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCuriosity and Delight\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, two versions of myself pause to examine a tiny bronze figure standing between them. One leans in with childlike curiosity, while the other watches with quiet amusement, as though rediscovering something easily overlooked. The small sculpture becomes a reminder that meaning and inspiration are often found in the simplest moments of observation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePart of my \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSelf-Portrait Explorations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e series, this painting celebrates the importance of remaining curious. It reflects the idea that creativity begins with paying attention—that wonder, playfulness, and discovery are not reserved for childhood, but are essential parts of the artistic journey and of living a thoughtful life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent Alexander Artist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51984028958936,"sku":null,"price":6000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/files\/CuriosityandDelight_36x36_oil_unframed_2005_6_000.jpg?v=1783976174"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/2874\/0312\/collections\/OdetoNarcissus_48x71.5_oil_unframed_2005_8_500.jpg?v=1784152246","url":"https:\/\/kentalexanderart.com\/collections\/self-portrait-explorations.oembed","provider":"Art by Kent Alexander","version":"1.0","type":"link"}