Peri Dobrin

For my self-portrait, I was inspired by the work of Jamie Wyeth, especially his sketches of the Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev. I really liked how expressive and detailed his drawings were, even though they were done with simple materials. There’s something really personal and emotional in the way he captures his subjects, and I wanted to try and bring that into my own work. I used colored pencils, like Wyeth often did, and sketched myself holding my stuffed-animal bunny. It represents my childhood and a more innocent, vulnerable version of myself. I thought using softer materials would help match the mood I was going for. Overall, I wanted the portrait to feel personal and reflective, while also experimenting with some of Wyeth’s techniques.