In 2020, First saw several small-scale portraits made by artist Annan Affotey which caught his eye.  Affotey came to Los Angeles in October of 2021 when COVID-19 restrictions abated somewhat.  There, he painted glorious large-scale portraits of people with dogs in a series he called his  “Companion Series.” It was an ideal pandemic reflection of society’s acute need for love and  connection that fit the mood of that moment in time perfectly. The painting Green Woods depicts a  friend of Affotey’s who he met via Instagram. Affotey is represented by De Buck Gallery and Gallery  1957.