Schleif describes his artwork: ” I am a non-traditional portrait artist. Through my work, I try to communicate more than just a visual interpretation of my subjects. So many elements in the painting have some sort of meaning that is directly related to my subject; the medium, any text incorporated into the work, the color palette chosen, and often times even the size and shape of the canvas itself.

In creating these pieces with such intellectual, contextual, and emotional depth, I am trying to give the viewer a sort of “visual biography” of my subjects. I dive very deeply into the lives of my subjects, allowing their story to completely consume me; and it is that connection I form between them and myself that feeds my inspiration. Each of these pieces is indeed a painting of someone else, but at the same time each is also a very detailed portrait of me. “