I was recently asked if I would sit for a portrait, in Leather and for a painting that reflected me and was a story shared through that medium. Of course I said here, and here is the finished piece:
I love it! And I know the artist is incredibly proud of it, the way he has captured the leather is fantastic and the amount of detail is just incredible.
This is much more then just a painting of a guy in leather in his Dungeon. For me a portrait isn’t just a snapshot of the person, it should reflect them as a person and tell their story. So some of the elements of this that are important to me as were part of my journey as a Leatherman – my first leather shirt, my first piece of dungeon furniture, the first bit of gear I bought from Mister B in Amsterdam. Something from my very first visit to San Francisco and the Mr S Leather store, that is now quite important for leather history and culture, and probably quite rare now. Things that have inspired me, things that I have used in sessions, items that contain deep emotional significance for many subs (male and female) that have visited me.
There are also elements that are deeply personal, shared only between myself and the artist – some things have deep hidden meanings.
The traditional image of a leather man is both featured and updated for a more modern look that I feel more confident with. Here I am sat with my Nasty Pig Baseball Cap rather then Muir Cap as many would expect. For me the baseball cap is sexier, it gives me more confidence, it feels more a part of me.
I feel absolutely honoured to have been asked to sit for this, and am so proud of the result.