Dready s ‘The Portrait of 5 Minutes before the Portrait’ – Original on Canvas 28 x 18

once upon a time there was this family portrait i had to do; is an old, well known jamaican family, with a regal matriarch, and an entrenchment in society going back back back in time and i know them from time, my father, my grandfather …

so, i had this idea for a ‘royal’ portrait – but with a twist; it was to be ‘those moments just before a royal portrait’.

what would people be doing? how would they look?

so people are having a drink, there’s a cigarette burning on the mantelpiece, mother hasn’t decided where she’s going to stand or sit, the cat’s under the sofa, dad is lounging in his seat, everybody’s chatting, somebody is pointing out at the camera-man, they’re waiting for instruction … but soon, soon they’ll be posed and poised …

we’ve caught them in a moment.

smile!