Alex,
Thank you very much for your warm welcome! I consider that your comments on threads are always constructive, so I appreciate you took some of your time to welcome me
I had a look at your website, and I wish I could see the originals of your artwork. I am sure the expression of your figures and portraits are strikingly rendered.
There indeed seems to be differences between the U.S. portraits and those in other countries. I think all kinds of portraits are fascinating to create and to study. This is one reason why I find this forum so valuable. Not only can we learn from each other, but it is a great source of inspiration too!