Self portrait

[Jean Kelly]

Linda, I find the phrase "brutal honesty" to be very intriguing. As a portrait artist, do I have to choose whether I create fantasy, wishful thinking, or true realism? Brutal honesty seems to cover the entire range of the soul itself. All the pain and ugliness, all the joy and beauty. What a profound experience. Can a portrait artist realistically portray this in a single work? And would one even want to "bare the soul" to such a extent?

Jean