I am primarily, a self-taught painter. I became interested in this form of art, after receiving an oil painting set as a gift. Although I had experimented with various forms of art since childhood, I had not found the medium that I felt passionate about until I began using oils. The brilliancy, depth and richness of the colors, the smell of linseed oil and spirits, and the lush feel of the paint flowing from my brush captivated me. My favorite subjects to paint are the human head and figure (which seems particularly fitting, as I am a psychoanalyst by profession). In my experience, being both a psychoanalyst and an artist, interact and further accentuate each other. Painting opens the channel to my unconscious, which helps me to understand the deeper layers of experience in others and myself. The experience of painting is like oiling my internal gears; helping me to be more flexible, and open to different ways of understanding people. This helps me personally and professionally.