Word of these portraits has spread so far that Stewart already has a waiting list of people who want similar paintings. But he is reluctant to take on more than one or two portraits like this a year. For one thing, it takes away from his own watercolor and Sumie painting. But even more than that, he says,” While I’m doing these, it takes a toll. I take time with each person to decide what flower is right. This is a melding of art and psychology.”

However, eventually, Stewart would like to set up an online gallery to display these portraits anonymously. He doesn’t charge for the paintings. But if any are posted on the blockchain like “We See You, Butterfly Bush” and sold, the profits are distributed three ways in agreement with the survivor. Part goes to the survivor. Another portion is kept for posting additional portraits in the series, and a very small amount is used to buy more paper/paints and goes to the artist, who makes a modest living teaching English abroad.

The success and uniqueness of this project have prompted some observers to ask Stewart if he’d like to collaborate with a larger organization to expand this work. So far, he is adamantly against this. “I’ve always remained independent,” he says. “I don’t want
this to require giving out personal names or details. I want to continue it on my terms. Besides, I’m a limited resource.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is not the only cause-related project Stewart, only 40, has led over the past few years. Soon after moving to Laos, he began accumulating supplies and food to take to a school in a village north of him in the mountains.