 He quotes Alba's own observation,“These portraits go beyond merely a record of the subject,” and convey “a deeper meaning or vision of the sitter, through their art.”

For these portraits Alba began by choosing an assortment of backdrops, props, and costumes that would accentuate the sitters’ personae.These would subtly highlight the artist's contributions to the cultural landscape.In an interview with Jane Ursula Harris, Alba discusses the goal as being not just to document the artists in a straightforward manner or depict their working studios but to tell a story.