Current Work

Gina Payne in her studio in Henderson, NV

Over the past few months, I've spent time painting residents and caregivers at a senior living community while continuing to develop my broader figurative practice. As the paintings accumulated, I began to notice a shift in both what I was looking for and how I wanted to paint.

While a strong likeness has always been important to me, I've become increasingly interested in the painting itself—how brushwork, color, and surface can communicate something beyond a faithful representation. I'm continually searching for that balance between observation and expression, where the paint has a voice of its own without losing the individuality of the person.

Those ideas have continued into portraits of family and friends. Although the subjects have expanded, the questions I'm asking in the studio remain much the same: how to create a painting that feels both observed and alive.

I've recently added several of these paintings to the Current Work section of my website. If you'd like to explore where the work is headed, I'd love to share it.