Behind the Paint
I get asked a lot about how my paintings come together—how I go from an idea to a finished piece that ends up on a wall, in a gallery, or in someone’s home. So today, I want to break down my process, give you a look behind the scenes, and share where you can see the newest work first.
The Starting Point: A Feeling, A Flash, or a Dream
Some paintings begin with a concrete image. Others start as a feeling, a phrase I can't shake, or a dream I had the night before. I actually use a kind of lucid dreaming to plan out many of my compositions—it’s a method artists like Dalí and Edison famously used, catching that space between sleep and wakefulness where images get weird and wonderful.
From Dream to Visual Reference: The Photoshoot
Once the idea is clear, I find a model who fits the vision and stage a photoshoot to bring the image to life. This is one of my favorite parts of the process—translating something abstract and emotional into something physical. These reference images aren’t just for anatomy or likeness—they’re the visual foundation I build everything on. The way the body twists, how light bends across skin, the quiet tension in a hand or jawline—all of it becomes part of the story I’m trying to tell.
Design First, Then Paint
Before I pick up a brush, I go digital. I use Illustrator to trace out the shapes of color I see, using the curvature tool to build the bones of the painting. Then I print those outlines onto canvas. It’s not traditional, but it lets me approach oil painting with the structure of a designer and the emotion of a painter.
The Finish Line: When to Stop?
Finishing is about restraint. The last 10% takes the longest. I sit with it, live with it, and wait for the moment it feels like the piece doesn’t need me anymore.
Want to See the Work?
You can browse current available paintings and limited edition prints on my website here. I also post new works, studio process, and collector features on Instagram at @kenz123. Or you can come see my work in person at VFA Gallery in Soho, NY.
If you’re a collector or curator and want a private preview of new work before it hits the public, subscribe to my substack—I'll be starting private collector updates soon.
And if you're reading this and you're an artist, I'd love to hear about your process too. What part of making do you love the most? What part do you hate? Let’s open the comments up and talk about it.