The Essence of the Pirate: Creating the Portrait
A Dialogue of Souls
(Artist’s Statement)
“Working on Jon’s portrait was far more than just an artistic task for me. We are bound by a deep friendship and a rare kinship of spirit — that unique connection where two creators, even from opposite ends of the world, inspire and sustain each other through life’s darkest and brightest moments.
In creating this piece, I sought to capture Jon’s unyielding Irish spirit, his 'pirate' nature, and his profound inner freedom. I placed a ship in the background as a symbol of his eternal voyage through the ocean of words and meanings. I wanted to catch that specific, contemplative gaze — the look of a man entirely focused on the world within himself, the place where his stories are born.
I was over the moon with joy when Jon chose this work to be the official author portrait for his new book, ‘The Stranger.’ It was a tremendous honor. But the most precious reward was his response. When he told me, ‘You have captured my essence perfectly and preserved it for eternity, ’ I realized that through art, we truly have the power to touch another’s soul.”
“Darling, Yuliya: You have captured my contemplative nature perfectly. Behind my face, one can see a profound sorrow… rooted in the Artist’s lifelong disappointment with our species.
You have also perfectly caught the Artist’s struggle to understand and somehow redeem, to his satisfaction, what is perhaps noblest about us, which artists, like yourself, render when their work is at its best, most honest, and true.
I salute you, Yuliya. Your journey as an artist is taking you toward an almost indefinable place in the Cosmos that will forever change the course of your life. I am overjoyed that I lived long enough to see it unfold.”
Much love, always
Your Irish pirate
