Driven by a need to understand herself and those closest to her, Gay Block’s early work in portraiture began with her family and then expanded out to her close friends, many of whom were part of the Jewish community in Houston in which she grew up. These early portraits often emphasize familial relationships and show the sitters in their homes or businesses, posing plainly for the camera. This emphasis on self-presentation would become an element that Block would explore throughout her career, aiming to pull back the facade and reveal the character within.