[Clive Fullagar]

Hi, everyone.

Just wanted to introduce myself and post an example of my work. I will also post this portrait in the Critique section, so forgive the duplication.

It is only recently that I have returned to painting. I am especially interested in figurative and portrait oils. Please feel free to comment on the painting below. I am a psychologist by profession and it is easy for me to find a reason to deny any criticism that is too harsh or diagnose the critic with an appropriate psychological disorder. Joking aside, I would welcome any comments.

The first portait that I would like to submit is an oil painting of my eldest son, entitled "Captive Son." The dimensions of the piece are 31" x 22". Anyone who has grown up with a sixteen-year-old son will understand the pose and the expression. This is one of the things that I really like about the portrait, the way it captures the moodiness and attitude of teenage-hood.

I have incorporated several metaphors in the painting. On the artist's easel is a self- portrait of myself dressed in Indiana Jones-like apparel. (Trust me, I do not usually don this kind of attire.) The point I am making here is that as fathers, we all try to act the hero for our sons, which is a role that is often difficult to fulfill. The fruit in the foreground is symbolic of my three children. (The fruit of my... well you get it).

The son portrayed is my middle son, hence the color connection between the middle apple and the shirt. There are other symbols, like the "burning bush" in the background, but I have said enough. I am really looking forward to being a part of this Forum.