Mike Callahan portrait 

Joshua LaRock painted this oil on canvas portrait of Mike Callahan. LaRock comes from a tradition of portraiture, a genre historically reserved for the elite. Portraits were symbols of status, power and legacy, but here, the artist engages with more democratic ideals, immortalizing Callahan through the painted image. The direct gaze and confident posture speak volumes about the sitter’s presence and self-awareness. There's a kind of assuredness suggested by the gold watch and the carefully chosen attire. The portrait provides an intimate study of an individual, carefully rendered with a deep understanding of light, shadow, and form. While firmly rooted in classical technique, LaRock’s contemporary approach to portraiture invites us to reconsider who gets remembered and how. This portrait becomes an intersection where personal identity meets the broader narrative of representation. It highlights both the universal and particular aspects of the human experience.