By a certain kind of magic, a painting can convey emotional truth that even a photograph may not capture. I cherish the craft of the masters before me and strive in my own painting for the highest standard of quality and beauty. As a figurative painter I specialize in portraits and other human forms. My work tends toward classical realism, but with strong painterly aspects. For me, three elements are involved in every successful painting — great design, accomplished technique, and the uncanny ability to evoke human emotion.

The process I use to deliver these results might seem a bit laborious, but it’s based on techniques that have produced enduring oil paintings for over 500 years, so I choose to honor this process rather than tamper with it. And because it brings me much joy, I want to share it with viewers. It begins with a compositional drawing in black and white on toned paper — a “value study” to determine the range of dark and light over the entire composition. Next, I do color studies. Color choice establishes mood, and is key in communicating with a viewer. I then move on to underpainting on a prepared canvas, using tones of brown that correspond to the dark areas in my value studies. Color application is next, and for this I use two techniques. depending on whether I want pale, matte areas or deep and luminous color, I “scumble” — softly brushing on layers of light, opaque color, or I “glaze” — thinly brushing on translucent color. In everyday life, we may perceive dark as obscure and light as clear, but in rendering light, classical painters like me build it up gradually, layer upon ever-thicker layer, rendering our shadowy areas in veils of thinly applied paint. This process is anything but common in today’s art world, but the care I take translates directly into the emotional impact I seek.

An indispensible element of my art is my relation to the subject, my relationship with the person in the picture. My connection with the people on my canvases is not limited to the visual, but involves perspectives ranging from the psychological to the poetic. In other words, I try to connect with all layers of the human person.

My art grows organically out of who I am. I feel very, very lucky to be able to live by doing what I love. For me, living is giving. A gift of translating beauty was given to me and I like to pass it on to others. I can’t imagine a finer existence than enlarging lives through art. My late grandmother always said, “Working with my hands makes me excited about waking up the next day.” This is what I do with my brush.

—Frank Interrante