Thomas Dietrich Self-Portrait

In this self-portrait, the artist appears intelligent, diligent, and dedicated to his art. It is interesting to see how he transforms his own reflection on the canvas. In this work, Dietrich includes his paintings of American life, suggesting their importance to the artist. The color of his shirt coordinates with the palette of the paintings showing how closely they are tied to his identity. The large branching tree may represent the reaches of his artistic mind. The blue-striped board he is painting on in the mirrored reflection has become the final framed work you see here.