Every painting I do is a self portrait. It is made of brushstrokes that create an image that only I can paint. They are recognizable as my brush strokes, and the painting will be something that only I can create.
The top layer, the visible layer, is what your eyes can see. The other brushstrokes lay hidden under layers of paint. They are still contained on the canvas, and their influence made the visible layer possible.
I don’t think of it that way while I’m working on an image. I’m communicating something that I want to share with you. The subject or theme could be anything. Could be trees. With or without fish in their branches. It could be a street scene or portrait of a person or an animal. Whatever it is, it is something I chose to paint. Does the image look angry? Frustrated? Peaceful? Chances are I was feeling that way when I applied the color.
We don’t control everything we say. Our body language will give away the truth, and so will the marks we make on a surface.