2nd Quarter Journal 2023

From time-to-time people ask me, “Who and what is the Portrait Society of America?” My go to answer is: “We are a non-profit organization formed to foster and enhance fine art portraiture and figurative work. We accomplish our mission through 32 programs and publications that educate and celebrate portrait art.”

But after returning from celebrating our 25th anniversary of hosting The Art of the Portrait, where a spirit of generosity filled the air and we spent four days exchanging information, I feel the need to amend my answer. What I found during those four days was a team of faculty artists willing to give of their time and share their talent, attendees open to new information and offering to share their own experiences, and art manufacturers that demonstrated their products and materials – all with a spirit of giving to each other. Right after the conference, one of our long-time members wrote about a particular moving experience: “Thank you for a wonderful conference and especially for allowing me to model for the Face-Off.  It was such a privilege. I wanted to try and bring home one of the portraits painted during the event, and I started off bidding on all three, with a budget limit I had determined before the event. I had to let Max Ginsburg’s go fairly early, and I focused on Daniel Keys’ pastel. As I was bidding myself up without thinking about it, a man took a big jump in the price, and as I contemplated if I should keep going up, he said, “You know, I am doing this for you.” It took me a full five minutes to realize he and his wife were buying it for me! We had never met before. Their generosity, indicative of the giving nature of so many Portrait Society members, is one example among many.”

Another member wrote after the conference expressing these sentiments perfectly: “I found there wasn’t a nature of hidden secrets and guarded techniques, but a spirit of great openhandedness that moves us all collectively into greater purpose, deeper meaning and soulful portraiture. I was so amazed and grateful to be a part of it, to have learned and benefited from living masters, whose own lives had been made richer by the great artists who came before them. To be among passionate companions in the arts was thrilling. I am so proud to be a member of this organization, its purpose and its path.”

So now when someone asks me, I think I’ll share – the Portrait Society is really about people working together with a shared vision and love of art, and that’s our legacy!

Board Members

Michael Shane Neal, Chair, Nashville, Tennessee

Dawn Whitelaw, Vice-Chair, Franklin, Tennessee

Wende Caporale-Greene, Treasurer/Secretary, Woodbury, Connecticut

Quang Ho, Denver, Colorado

Mary Whyte, Charleston, South Carolina

Executive Director

Christine Egnoski

Advisory Board

Sam Adoquei, New York, New York

James Gurney, Rhinebeck, New York

Robert Liberace, Vienna, Virginia

Dean Mitchell, Tampa, Florida

Rhoda Sherbell, N.A., Westbury, New York

Burton Silverman, N. A., New York, New York

Jennifer Welty, Santa Cruz, California

Staff & Newsletter Contributors

Kim Azzarito, Assistant Director

Amanda Oliver, Membership Director

Allison Gilliard, Special Programs and Outreach

Kerry Vosler, Writer, State Ambassador Coordinator

Mailing address: Portrait Society of America P.O. Box 11272 Tallahassee, FL 32302

Shipping address: 1109 S. Magnolia Ave. Tallahassee, FL 32301

Toll free Telephone: 1-877-772-4321

Fax: 850-222-7890

Web: www.portraitsociety.org

Christine Egnoski Executive Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 New Works: Kristen Yann, Wendy Wagner, Kim Bernadas, Sharon Sprung

4 Cecilia Beaux Forum: Ann Manry Kenyon by Emma Sims

6 A Day in the Life: Wende Caporale-Greene

8 The Art of the Portrait Conference: Kate Orr

11 International Portrait Competition Finalists

16 Step by Step: Sookyi Lee

18 State Ambassador Report: Kerry Vosler

19 Business Side of Art: Scott Jones

20 Portrait Society Member News

22 New and Renewing Members: March, April, May

24 Upcoming Events and Programs

William F. Draper Grand Prize Winner

Paul Newton, Selfportrait in Lockdown, 34x33.5”, oil on linen

The Art of the Portrait® Newsletter is published quarterly by the Portrait Society of America. All contents copyright Portrait Society (unless otherwise noted). No part or whole of this newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in any form unless prior express consent has been given. Please send submissions to the editor at the Portrait Society.

Design

Charity Myers I THE CREATIVE POOL DESIGN charity@thecreativepooldesign.com

new work from members

Wendy Wagner, Upward, 16x20”, red chalk on paper

Sharon Sprung, Sian Beilock, President of Barnard, 48x36”, oil on panel

Kristen Yann, Generations, 24x30”, oil on panel

Kim Bernadas, St. Landry, 54”x34”x36”, bronze

ANN MANRY KENYON

Ann Manry Kenyon’s portraits have something special about them. At first you think it’s the luscious and loose brushstrokes, or the sensitive and soft vignettes. Or, perhaps the alluring expression in each of her subject’s eyes which is an indescribable vision that’s created distinctly by her hand.

Internationally known and award-winning John Howard Sanden said it perfectly when talking about the beauty of Ann’s portraits: “I have been a fan of Ann Kenyon’s work since I first saw her beautiful paintings in New York in 1980. Her portraits are lyrical and poetic, rich in color and elegant in design. Ann’s portraits of women are particularly charming, and her portrayals of children are among the very best. Ann Kenyon is one of the most creative portrait painters active today.”

Ann is an 86-year-young great-grandmother with a palpable zest for life. Today, she can be found working on portrait commissions in her bright studio on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. She’s been a figurative artist for over 70 years and has cultivated a rich career in portrait painting.

Her lifetime of education by learned painters began in 1947 with British artist Harold Hilton. She would take the bus every Saturday morning to get to his studio in downtown Jacksonville, where she spent five and a half years using only charcoal. When she received her first set of oil paints in 1952 at the age of 13, she painted her mother. After high school, she furthered her education at Huntingdon College and Jacksonville University, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction. Her training with internationally renowned artists, in workshops and institutions like the Art Students League, have sharpened her fundamentals into recognizable mastery.

Throughout her career, Ann has painted every type of commissioned portrait, from twinkling little girls to staunch state governors. “[Her artwork] is, like her, both strong and soft at the same time. She finds beauty in her subjects and beautifully expresses it on a two-dimensional surface. I can spot an Ann Kenyon portrait from a mile away. She paints in her own style and seeks always to be a better Ann Kenyon painter rather than to paint like someone else,” said portrait artist Chris Saper.

In Ann’s coffee table memoir, Memories, Method, and Mastery, Ann’s life and career in portraiture is unveiled much like a celebrated portrait. Between the dust covers are stories of life, loss, and love, all accompanied by a robust printing of her lifelong portfolio. A self-portrait painted in words, it’s an intimate timeline illustrating Ann’s professional and personal experiences that shaped her into the portrait master she is today.

By Emma Sims

Ann Kenyon in her studio that overlooks the St. John’s River.

Emma, 19x25”, pastel on paper

Her writing talks about the difficult year her beloved husband, Dana Kenyon, and her father, both passed away. During this time of agonizing sorrow and grief, she painted portraits. She says it kept the days from blending in with the nights. “After Dana’s death, I didn’t think I can even take a breath. It feels like a vice grips my chest, wraps around my back and claws at my shoulder blades. It is grim. Days are spent at the easel where a list of twenty future commissions demand my hand. Brushes beg for color. The canvas calls for paint. And paint, I do.”

Ann’s discipline, built on fundamentals from her childhood drawing teacher, became not only a tool of livelihood but also a method of therapy. Portraiture for Ann Kenyon is like an essential organ — the heart that pumps in joy and peace during life’s hardest tests.

Renowned pastel artist and writer Harley Brown said, “A likeness is always a hope in portraiture but bringing real life to the subject is a rare talent. Let me add Ann’s verbal descriptions about the world around contain the same drama with added surprises; all that a fascinating life allows.”

The sparkle in Ann’s paintings must be her spirit; the spirit of a passionate and creative woman who’s lived a life of art. Ann is a woman of refined talent, energetic life, and sensitive creativity. She can sparkle up any room and any portrait with her glowing spirit. As her granddaughter, I can say that with rock-solid certainty.

Audrey, 24x36”, oil on linen

Noo Kumar, 24x30”, oil

Max, 12x19”, pastel on paper

Lance Ringhaver, 30x40”, oil on linen

A DAY IN THE LIFE

The enchanted home and studios of Jennifer Welty is the incarnation of a perfect, inspiring environment. It exudes the warmth of the artist as she virtually leads me from her beautiful rose-filled gardens along the path to her home and lower-level studio. It is in this smaller studio where the artist keeps her drafting table to do sketches, a desk and printer for photos in a cozy corner where she does her paperwork. This utilitarian studio is also where the artist stretches her canvases and stores her drawings. On the wall is a blackboard covered with specifics regarding her current and recently completed commissions; she laughs when she reveals her relief in crossing them off her list.

Jennifer and her husband, Phil, a musician, have been in their Santa Cruz home for nearly 40 years. I had the pleasure of seeing Jennifer at the recent 25th Portrait Society Conference in Reston, Virginia and she shared with me that after the conference, she and Phil traveled for sittings in North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and in Virginia, covering nearly 2000 miles over 18 days.

When she’s home, Jennifer’s goal is to paint 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, barring interruption. This is interspersed with time with her two daughters and grandchildren. She begins her days with a 6:00 am cup of coffee, and she often feels that she has begun her working day since portrait reps will call her, having forgotten that she is in a different time zone. Jennifer has set herself the task in the morning of reading the Bible, a Psalm, and a Proverb, encompassing both the Old and New Testament, within the course of a year. She prays for focus, guidance, and strength in the hope that she can sustain her rigorous schedule.

Jennifer takes me outside virtually through her beautiful gardens to the studio on her property that was built shortly before their first daughter was born (the couple has two daughters). She dreams of enlarging the space with the intention of teaching a small group of students in the future when she cuts back on travel. This studio came about as an exchange for her artwork; Jennifer shares that she also had the opportunity to barter with a surgeon who performed her knee surgery. Getting back to Jennifer’s daily ritual, she admits to getting a later start in the studio now that she’s getting older. Her morning walk is a ritual she has embraced, recognizing the need to do some sort of exercise. She enjoys gardening, watering her plants early in the morning, then briefly straightens the house before beginning work in the studio. She prefers to have order and admits that the only time that her home may be in a chaotic state is when she has a tight deadline. That being said, Jennifer acknowledges how very supportive Phil has always been and continues to be; driving and facilitating meetings with clients, carrying her materials, and when they are home, washing dishes and preparing meals.

By Wende Caporale-Greene

The couple enjoys entertaining friends, Phil in particular, handing her a glass of wine in the evening when she leaves her studio so she can relax and read a gardening magazine while he finishes preparing their dinner.

In the virtual tour of her studio, Jennifer explains her setup with a perch for her computer and another for her palette. Several drawing studies are on the wall beside her easel. The artist has multiple commissions in the queue and indicated that she completes 10 to 12 paintings per year. She enjoys listening to podcasts, particularly about artists, and music while she works. Employing the ritual of squeezing out fresh paint frequently during the day since she doesn’t like when the paint gets sticky, she is apologetic about being seemingly wasteful. Earlier in her career, she taught a small group of children in her studio and that led to teaching adults, which she continued for about five years. Jennifer modestly said she did not feel prepared to teach but acknowledged that she learned a great deal in the process and would be inclined to go back to teaching when she has the time.

The trajectory of Jennifer’s career began with the study of interior design, but she recalls that she always enjoyed drawing. At the age of 14, she had the opportunity to illustrate four children’s alphabet books and was paid the whopping sum of $1,500 for the assignment. She attended interior design school and married young. With the support of her husband

Jennifer painting Liesel, her 97-year-old neighbor, from life. This portrait was the cover of a book Liesel wrote during Covid of her experience as a holocaust survivor.

who encouraged her to find work she enjoyed, Jennifer started to focus on portraiture painting using friends and their children as her subjects. Jennifer realized, however, that she reached a roadblock when it came to color. It was in a workshop with Daniel Greene that she found the information she needed and has continued to use his palette. Jennifer confesses that her original objective was to be a wife and mother and to eventually own a house; that was the motivation she needed to sell her work. She states that she is basically a shy homebody and could not originally imagine herself traveling and meeting so many people. However, her warm, generous spirit naturally ingratiates people to her. She originally found inspiration in her garden and landscape painting and later sold these works through a gallery in Carmel, California. Later she worked for the Bradford Exchange doing collector plates while her daughters were in private school, which taught her how to work faster to meet a deadline. In was in the early 2000’s that Jennifer’s future found a firm trajectory; she was one of the top ten finalists in the Portrait Society’s International Portrait Competition which, along with being recruited by Portraits, Inc., catapulted her into the field of portraiture.

When asked what she plans to do with her art in the future, Jennifer indicated that she would enjoy doing more work for herself that she can ultimately sell in galleries. This would include the inspiration from her garden and landscapes as well as still life paintings that include china, silver, and various food items. She also envisions creating paintings of the interior rooms of her home that she and Phil lovingly built and shared with their family to create a record for their grandchildren. She refers to this as “the house the Lord built.”

The rare times that Jennifer is not in the studio, you will find her working in her gardens and spending time with her daughters and grandchildren. She refers to these mid-week excursions of leisure as her “put in days;” “putting back in” so she can “give out” in her work. These times include visits to museums and garden centers. Ultimately, Jennifer is doing the work she greatly enjoys and has no plans to retire.

Wende Caporale-Greene is an award-winning artist and nationally known teacher of portraiture. She is a Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America and serves on the boards of the Artists’ Fellowship, Hudson Valley Art Association, and the Portrait Society of America

Jennifer on location in Cape Cod for a photo shoot with four children.

Jennifer’s walkway and garden where she enjoys her morning walk.

Jennifer’s studio, where she takes care of paperwork, completes sketches, stretches canvases, and keeps track of progress on the chalkboard.

Jennifer and her clients at an unveiling.

art of the portrait conference

PORTRAIT SOCIETY OF AMERICA CONFERENCE

In May 2023, hundreds of artists gathered at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Reston, Virginia for the annual Portrait Society of America Conference. For me, this is a highlight of the year.

This is the fourth time I’ve attended the conference, thanks to the generosity of scholarships from friends and from the Portrait Society.

Of the four wonderful years I have attended, this has been the best yet. With over 3,000 entries in The International portrait competition and a ballroom full of hundreds of artists, the excitement was palpable. An outstanding faculty of artists poured their hearts and knowledge into each breakout session and demo.

The exhilarating Face-Off kicked off the conference Thursday evening. With internationally recognized artists clustered in small groups of three, it was fascinating to watch as their processes unfolded. You see so much variety in medium, application, color, and decisions. Seeing how there are so many different approaches, each creating a beautiful piece of art, encourages me to feel the freedom to use a process that I love!

The Next Generation demos followed directly, with Kyle Ma and Stephanie Paige Thomson in one room, and Jared Brady with Celia Liberace in another. It was thrilling for me to go between the two rooms watching my friends accomplish fantastic pieces as their first demonstrations as Portrait Society faculty. As soon as the demos finished, people flooded forward to ask questions and see their art up close.

The best part of the evening was getting to reunite with so many artist friends. It gave me so much joy to see people who I only have the opportunity to spend time with at the Portrait Society conference each year, and it was just as wonderful to talk with friends I can visit with more often. Once you begin coming to the conference, every year feels more like a family reunion.

Friday was a flurry of presentations, discussions, and demos. Adrienne Stein and Anthony Ryder started the day with so many helpful insights and incredible demos: Adrienne’s bursting with color and Anthony’s capturing both structure and character.

By Kate Orr

Portfolio Critiques and Book Signings had lines trailing down the halls with attendees eagerly anticipating to speak with the respective artists.

Breakout sessions with Louis Carr, Dawn Whitelaw, James Gurney, Susan Lyon, Jennifer Gennari, and Rick Casali made you wish you could be in all five sessions at once!

Of course, Friday wouldn’t be complete without the 6x9” Mystery Art Sale - an event you could hardly weave through, it was so packed with people excited to buy a gem.

Breakout sessions were packed yet again, and I can tell you Suchitra Bhosle and Scott Burdick made a dynamic duo. They shared stories about traveling, described their favorite travel tips and materials, and responded to questions from the audience. Both of their paintings were rich with color and movement.

Robert Liberace and Mary Qian showed their dynamic approaches to painting the figure, and two rooms were opened for live drawing. After seeing so many paintings of him, I was delighted to have a chance to draw the model, John Carrasco. Drawing from life is always a challenge, but when you are surrounded by artists and have a model so full of character, it was a terrific experience.

Saturday was just as enthralling as the day before. James Gurney, Michael Shane Neal, and Mary Whyte shared a panel discussion moderated by Wende Caporale-Greene, answering questions about capturing moving targets and, in James’ words, ‘painting in the wild.’

Rose Frantzen and Jeff Hein playfully bantered as they painted Judith Carducci, quipping with quick wit and lots of laughs shared by their audience. We watched as Jeff sculpted her features from large masses of color and value, and as Rose danced her brush across the canvas with bright, twirling lines. It was fascinating to observe their individual approaches to form and likeness.

The Gala and Awards Ceremony glittered with artists of all ages and backgrounds, dressed to the nines and conversing in a chorus of enthusiastic voices. Cheers and jubilation arose in waves as awards were passed out, culminating with the Draper Grand Prize awarded to Paul Newton! Everyone stood in ovation as Paul accepted this incredible award, joy lighting up faces everywhere you looked. The excitement carried well into the evening, with artists flocking to see the award-winning works again in the gallery.

After this uplifting presentation, Quang Ho and Ron Hicks delighted artists with their beautiful demos. Both discussed the balance between representationalism and abstraction. To watch as faces emerged from their abstract marks on their canvas perfectly illustrated their concept. They also shared their philosophies in art and personal experiences.

The conference came to a close with remaining attendees heading two ways, either for self-guided tours of the National Portrait Gallery or Mary Whyte’s guided tour of her ‘We The People’ Exhibition at the Army Museum.

As I flew back home to Indiana, reflecting on the last few days filled my heart with gratitude and joy. Memories made, epiphanies shared, and new friendships begun, it’s hard to believe so much can happen in such a short time. Whether you have considered attending for years or have only just discovered the Portrait Society, I cannot recommend enough investing in such an incredible experience. The joy, education, and inspiration it will bring you is matched only by the beautiful friendships you will find there.

By attending the conference, not only is your life deeply enriched in countless ways, your art improved, and your career cultivated, you are also helping to secure the future of fine art and portraiture. It is an opportunity you will never regret and forever treasure.

Sunday morning, attendees gathered to hear Kevin Macpherson’s presentation, ‘About Face,’ where he shared his insights, experiences, and humor. Listening to his words, one thing that struck me particularly was his encouragement to ‘paint your life.’ Paint what you love and what interests you; it will inform and inspire your work.

INTERNATIONAL PORTRAIT COMPETITION AWARDS

WILLIAM F. DRAPER GRAND PRIZE WINNER

1. Paul Newton NSW, Australia

Self-portrait in Lockdown, oil on linen, 34x33.5”

Sponsored by: American Art Collector, Jack Richeson & Co., Portrait Society of America and Silver Brush Limited

FIRST PLACE PAINTING

2. Alex Venezia Virginia, United States

Autumnal Hymn, oil, 37.5x29”

Sponsored by: American Art Collector, International Artist Magazine, Portrait Society of America and Silver Brush Limited

competition awards

FIRST PLACE DRAWING

3. Shane Wolf Missouri, United States

Distanciation, charcoal, sanguine, chalk, and pierre noire, 54.33x39”

Sponsored by: Airfloat Systems, American Art Collector, Artefex, Artwork Archive, Natural Pigments, Portrait Society of America, Portraits, Inc. and Silver Brush Limited

FIRST PLACE SCULPTURE

4. Jie Liu Hebei, China

Hsin P. Soh, stone sculpture, 11x10x26’’

Sponsored by: American Art Collector, Jack Richeson & Co., Portrait Society of America, Rosemary & Co. and Silver Brush

Limited

SECOND PLACE

5. Frances Bell Northumberland, United Kingdom

A Portrait Painters Painter, oil on canvas, 25.5x29.5”

Sponsored by: Blick Art Materials, FM Brush Company, Jack Richeson & Co., Masterworks Frames, Natural Pigments, New Wave Fine Art Products, Portrait Society of America and Rosemary & Co.

THIRD PLACE

6. Ron Hicks Colorado, United States

Auroral Continuum, oil, 39.75x23.75”

Sponsored by: Gamblin Artists Colors, Jack Richeson & Co., New Wave Fine Art Products, Portrait Society of America, Rosemary & Co. and Scottsdale Artists’ School

FOURTH PLACE

7. Jennifer Welty California, United States

Harriet in the Garden, oil, 40x30”

Sponsored by: Ampersand Art Supply, Artefex, Fabriano, Golden Artist Colors’ Williamsburg Oil Colors, Jack Richeson & Co., New Wave Fine Art Products, Portrait Society of America and Winsor & Newton

FIFTH PLACE

8. Matteo Caloiaro Florida, United States

Mom, oil, 24x36”

Sponsored by: Ampersand Art Supply, Holbein Artist Materials, Natural Pigments, New Wave Fine Art Products, Portrait Society of America, Raphael, and Silver Brush Limited

1ST HONOR AWARD

9. Chung Wei Chien Taiwan

A Lonely Man’s Self-Portrait in 2022, watercolor, 20x14”

Sponsored by: Artefex, Natural Pigments, Portrait Society of America, Rosemary & Co., Silver Brush Limited and SourceTek

2ND HONOR AWARD

10. Scott Burdick North Carolina, United States

Garden of Creation, oil, 36x36”

Sponsored by: FM Brush Company, New Wave Fine Art Products, Portrait Society of America, Rosemary & Co. and Silver Brush Limited

SPONSORS

The 25th annual International Portrait Competition was made possible by the generous contributions of a variety of organizations that joined us in supporting the arts through our educational mission. Our sincerest thanks to the following sponsors.

DIAMOND

American Art Collector

International Artist Magazine

Jack Richeson & Co.

Silver Brush Limited

PLATINUM

Artwork Archive

GOLD

Artefex

Blick Art Materials

Fabriano

FM Brush Company

Gamblin Artists Colors

Michael Harding Handmade Paints

Natural Pigments

Plaza Art

Portraits, Inc.

Raphael Raymar

Rosemary & Co.

Sennelier

SILVER

Blue Ridge Oil Colors

Golden Artist Colors

Masterworks Frames

New Wave Fine Art Products

PanPastel Artist Pastels

SourceTek

The DaVinci Studios

Williamsburg Oil Colors

BRONZE Airfloat Systems

Ampersand Art Supply

Chelsea Classical Studio Fine Art

Materials

EdgeProGear

Holbein Artist Materials

M. Graham & Co.

RGH Artists’ Oil Paints, Inc.

Scottsdale Artists’ School

Winsor & Newton

AWARDS OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT

1. Rick Casali Maryland, United States

Portrait of an Artist, bronze, serpentine marble, 25x17x10”

Sponsored by: Blue Ridge Oil Colors, Gamblin Artists Colors, Portrait Society of America, and Raymar

2. Joseph Daily New York, United States

Rev. W. Andrew Waldo, oil, 40x45”

Sponsored by: M. Graham & Co., Masterworks Frames, Portrait Society of America and Silver Brush Limited

People’s Choice Award

3. Ruth Fitton West Yorkshire, United Kingdom The Abduction of Time, oil on linen, 36x48”

Sponsored by: Masterworks Frames, New Wave Fine Art Products, RGH Artists’ Oil Paints, Inc., Portrait Society of America and Silver Brush Limited

4. Hiroshi Hayakawa Ohio, United States Vanitas 23, graphite on paper, 23.5x18”

Sponsored by: Blue Ridge Oil Colors, EdgeProGear, Plaza Art and Portrait Society of America

5. Fengshi Jin New York, United States Years, oil, 40x30”

Sponsored by: Blick Art Materials, Fabriano and Sennelier, Masterworks Frames and Portrait Society of America

6. Pramod Kurlekar Maharashtra, India His Nurturer, oil on linen, 43x31”

Sponsored by: Masterworks Frames, Natural Pigments, Plaza Art, Portrait Society of America, Raymar and SourceTek

7. Sean Layh Victoria, Australia

Farewell the Trumpets, oil on board, 55.9x44.8”

Sponsored by: Michael Harding Handmade Paints, Portrait Society of America and The DaVinci Studios

8. Janvier Rollande Maine, United States Dreaming on the Edge of Time [Leo], graphite, 12.5x14”

Sponsored by: Golden Artist Colors’ PanPastel, Michael Harding Handmade Paints, Plaza Art and Portrait Society of America

9. Jamie Routley London, United Kingdom Ivy age 4, oil, 26.3x46”

Sponsored by: Golden Artist Colors, Michael Harding Handmade Paints, Plaza Art, Portrait Society of America and Winsor & Newton

10. Robert Strickland Ontario, Canada Sadé, oil on linen, 48x36”

Sponsored by: Blick Art Materials, Chelsea Classical Studio Fine Art Materials, Plaza Art and Portrait Society of America

STEPS TOWARD AN ENRICHED PORTRAIT IN PASTEL

By Sookyi Lee

I approach pastel paintings in a couple of different ways. One possibility is to put the colors and values in distinctive shapes directly over a rough sketch. An alternative is to mix colors from dark to light values layer by layer. I used this latter method for my painting here.

I first choose the background tone, typically in a different color scheme or distinct value compared to those of the subject. This helps balancing the color intensity between the subject and the background. In addition, I often leave some parts of the background untouched, and the bare tone should be in harmony with the subject to make this possible. Of course, it all depends on the overall atmosphere one intends to create.

I sketch with some simple, light lines to place the figure on the paper and block in large shapes with a light layer of charcoal. Then I spray fixative to prevent the charcoal from getting mixed into “dirty” colors when I apply pastels over it.

I start from the dark values and go up to mid tones layer by layer. During this stage, I focus on building three-dimensional shapes with proper value changes, rather than applying various colors.

I choose saturated colors boldly at this point, knowing that some of them will peep through the layers on top. When applied on paper, the color of a pastel often looks different from how it looks in the pallet box, and its perceived color also differs depending on the colors next to it. For this reason, I often test out how each color shows on my work, checking the exact color temperature, hue, and even value.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

I add lighter tones and build mid-tone transitions to differentiate values between light and shadow. I use natural skin-tone pastels to blend in the mid-tone area. I do not use my finger or a stump to blend. Instead, I blend with Nu pastels with light hatching lines until the skin looks flawless, especially on female portraits.

Stage 5

In the reference, the model wears a vibrant magenta gown. But this might result in too much warm colors in the overall painting. Hence, I changed the color of the gown to dark blue. Despite this color change, however, the magenta color can serve as a good bridge between the warm tone on her face and the cool tone on her cloth. So, I put a few layers of purple on her gown and her face’s shadow area to make them communicate.

Stage 7

Stage 6

I also add some details on the gown that are quite plain in the reference. I sketch in some floral patterns, while keeping the dark part simple on the cloth, so that it will not compete with the complex patterns.

Once most of the design and colors are settled, I start refining the details. I now apply more colors and use a variety of strokes. Among the many colors I tried in the previous stages, I picked the right key colors for the painting. I try to keep a good value structure, the right amount of contrast, controlled flow edges, and harmonized color temperatures throughout the whole painting.

Final Stage

To finish the painting, I add lighter values in the background and make the figure stand out. The colors stay simple in the background to help emphasize the subject’s shape. With some abstract touches, I make the painting look more expressive and loosen up the overall atmosphere.

The model and the overall atmosphere are very calm. To enrich the painting beyond this, I chose to develop strong contrasts in color and add some floral details on the gown to enhance her features. Of course, everything should look natural, so I keep asking myself whether I need to diverge from the reference for a better result throughout the painting process. Changing things is not always the right answer; I spend a lot of time testing and pondering about this for a painting. I finish when I feel as if the last puzzle piece snapped into its place. Blue Robe, 12x16”, pastel

Sookyi Lee is a contemporary realism artist born in Seoul, Korea. She earned a BFA from Hong-Ik University in Korea and her MFA from Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She received many awards including First Place in Drawing awards at Portrait Society of America’s 2017 and 2019 international competitions and Haynes Gallery Award at the Art Renewal Center’s Salon International competition in 2019. Sookyi actively teaches in the U.S. and Singapore while working as a full-time artist.

Blue Robe, 12x16”, pastel

Post-pandemic has seen a rise in online communities for artists, and more in-person events are coming back in full force. Our ambassadors are busy bringing artists together through their many activities and programs both stateside and abroad.

Artists who gather regularly tend to also grow together in skill, knowledge, and improved painting practices over time. Through the ambassador program, the social interaction and camaraderie artists have experienced has proven to be invaluable. A robust arts community can have a big impact on entire regions. When artists are engaged with one another, urban areas thrive and prosper on many levels.

Here are just a few of the upcoming events to watch out for in the coming months.

Dianna Porter (Indiana) is planning a regional member exhibit, with the opening reception on Friday, August 11, 2023. Hancock County Arts is sponsoring Portrait Society members to paint radio celebrities, “A Face for Radio,” on August 12, 2023.

Catherine “Cat” Nunn (Vermont & New Hampshire) will be providing New England members with a quarterly newsletter and list of figure and portrait workshops in their area.

Carol Fairlie (Texas/New Mexico) will be hosting a Face-Off and portrait en plein air painting event over the Labor Day weekend 2023.

Mary Hull (Texas) is planning the annual face off at Chandor Gardens again this fall. Stay tuned for more details to come.

Nicole Troup (Pennsylvania) planned an upcoming event in Philadelphia on August 11 and 12, 2023, where members can meet for the weekend. They will have a drawing session at Studio Incamminati and then visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

And a hearty welcome to Billy Seccombe, who will be transitioning with Nanci France-Vaz as our new State of New Jersey Ambassador.

Kerry Vosler National State Ambassador Coordinator

The ambassador program embodies the spirit of community.

State Ambassadors gathered together at the 25th anniversary celebration of The Art of the Portrait conference this past May.

Front row, l to r: Rachel Mindrup, Linda Harris Reynolds, Donna Catotti, Christine Egnoski, Luana Winner, Nanci France-Vaz, Jeanine Jackson

2nd row, l to r: Melanie Harding Bates, Nicole Troup, Katherine Cook, Cathy Kline, Allison Gilliard, Janis Casco Blayer, Shari Lyon

3rd row, l to r: Littleton Alston, Lisa Betteridge, Debby Bird, Crystal Despain

Back row, l to r: Marlene Steele, Suzanne Beck, Alisha Joy, Janelle Hatherly, Patricia Boes, Cat Nunn

BUSINESS SIDE OF ART: FINDING YOUR TESTIMONIES

After returning from the incredible 25th anniversary of The Art of the Portrait conference, I had the chance to reflect on the conversations I had with many different artists. Here are three points that stood out to me as a long-time art collector and art sales consultant.

1. Will I ever be good enough? I recall driving to a coffee shop to see a show by an artist I had previously met. When I walked in, the artist’s response was not at all what I expected. Rather than excitement or surprise, she exclaimed she was “embarrassed” that I was seeing her paintings on display in a coffee shop. The shop was full of people enjoying her work, and many of her paintings had sold. I admonished her to be proud of her show and learn from it. Despite her unease, I enjoyed myself. And yes, she was excited to have me attend her first gallery show 18 months later. I recognize the unique challenge artists have in putting their work on public display for all to praise or criticize. Be courageous and take opportunities. That could mean being bold enough to ask Jamie Wyeth to sit for you when the opportunity presents itself. This boldness resulted in this 2020 Finalist Painting, Maine Man, by Stephanie Paige Thomson. We often hear it is okay and even necessary to fail or fall short, but do we believe it? I know I struggle with that.

2. I made the comment during one of the painting sessions that I have my own definition of “young artist.” I include every 50 and 60+ year old artist who makes the decision to be the artist they always dreamed of being. I have seen their determination and success: architects, graphic and product designers, animators, illustrators, engineers, code writers, interior designers, high school art teachers, mothers, and even an attorney or two. My gallery represented a truly remarkable Western pencil artist. A collector came into the gallery one day all excited to show me one of Bob’s earliest drawings. He pulled out of his bag a beautifully framed original drawing of brassieres from the Sears Catalog. It was a great drawing! You don’t have to be 17 or 25 to start. It’s not too late!

By Scott Jones

3. I had a wonderful discussion with Signature Status member Barbara Hack in the airport. She posted a quote (source unknown) that sums up my third thought of the conference: “People don’t become artists. In time, artists become themselves.” I’ve worked with and watched so many wonderful artists over the last 18 years, seeing them constantly questioning and evolving in what is meaningful to them as expressed though their art. I was fascinated and deeply touched listening to Mary Whyte recount her experiences at the museum exhibition of her “We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America”. I was profoundly impacted by attending the opening of David Kassan’s “Facing Survival” exhibition and watching and hearing the emotional reactions of the Holocaust Survivors to their paintings. I am always moved seeing Anna Rose Bain paint such meaningful and creative paintings of her children. I treasure the wildlife and places I may never see but can experience through the paintings and bronzes in my home. I could go on and on with more examples of art providing testimonies of stories and events that need to be heard, seen, and preserved. The perception may be of you as an artist isolated and toiling alone in your studio, when in fact, your personal interactions with your subject and its surroundings are paramount to good outcomes. Find your testimonies to be told.

If you would like to submit questions pertaining to the business side of art that I could address in the future, please email me directly at scottjonesfineart@gmail.com.

Scott Jones has been a passionate art collector since the age of 16, and after a successful exit from the business world, shifted his focus to his passion, selling art. He is currently a Sales Consultant for Cole Gallery in Edmonds, Washington and serves as State Ambassador of Washington for the Portrait Society.

1. Stephanie Paige Thomson, Maine Man, 40 x 30”, oil

2. David Kassan, Love and Resilience, Portrait of Louise and Lazar Farkas, Survivors of the Shoah, 46 x 42”, oil

1. Jared Brady was awarded with Best in Show for his painting Sunlit Garden at the Oil Painters of America National Exhibition and Convention in March 2023.

2. Marco Campos was awarded Third Place in the Oil Painters of America Spring Online Showcase for his painting, Grief.

3. Robin Damore received official word that her painting Live, Long and Prosper of Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura at 84, has been approved by the Board of Acquisitions at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery for purchase.

Nanette Fluhr was the recipient of Manhattan Arts International’s “Outstanding Woman Artist Achievement Award” for HerStory 2023. She was awarded this for both her work and for her contributions to advancing the status of women artists.

Tina Garrett’s painting Dream a Little Dream of Me won an Honorable Mention Award during the Oil Painters of America Spring Online Showcase.

4. Aparajita Gopal received the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation’s All India Merit Grant Award 202223 for Emerging Artists of India for her charcoal drawing, Infinite Horizon. Her award-winning work was showcased as part of the Kalanand exhibition at the 100-year-old CSMVS museum in Mumbai, India.

5. Anthony Hedrick’s 11x14” soft pastel portrait, Joseph Zellers, won first prize in the Portrait/ Figure/ Animal category of Pastels in Paradise, The Left Coast Pastel Painters Society Online Exhibition 2023.

6. Susan Hotard’s painting, Jared Alla Prima, was accepted into the Oil Painters of America’s Master’s Show which will be at Illume Gallery West in Philipsburg, Montana from August 3-31, 2023.

7. Dean Mitchell won Second Place in the International Watermedia Exhibition for Angel in the Window, watercolor on paper, 22x30”.

Alexandrea Nicholas-Jennings has two pieces that were juried into the Annual Members Exhibition and Sale at the Salmagundi Club in New York where she won the “Gwynne Lennon Prize” in the Drawing Category.

8. Mary Reilly’s official portrait of Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, the first woman and first AfricanAmerican to be mayor of the City of Manassas, was unveiled during Manassas’ 150th Birthday Celebration.

9. Luis Alvarez-Roure is delighted to share the news that the impresario, philanthropist and patron of the arts, Guillermo Martínez of Puerto Rico, acquired his portrait of maestro Justino Díaz for the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (Museum of Arts of Puerto Rico) and his Draper Prize Winner painting Masquerade (Pagliaccio) for his private collection.

Andrea Steinbauer’s oil painting Impression of Anna won the silver award in the Faces 2023 international juried painting competition by Camelback Gallery.

10. William Suys was awarded the status of Master Signature Member from the Oil Painters of America.

exhibitions

1. The Prix de West International Art Exhibition and Sale is on view until August 6, 2023, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Portrait Society artists featured include Scott Burdick, Teresa Elliott, Daniel Gerhartz, Quang Ho, Daniel Keys, Susan Lyon, Sherrie McGraw, and Dean Mitchell Visit pdw.nationalcowboymuseum.org for more information and to see their artwork. Pictured: Susan Lyon, Desert Wanderer, 26x28”, pastel

2. “MASTERWORKS” is on view now through December 31, 2023, at 33 Contemporary Gallery in Chicago, IL. Portrait Society artists featured in the exhibit include Heather Brunetti, Arina Gordienko, Manu Saluja, Patricia Schappler, and Terry Strickland. Visit www.artsy.net/ partner/33-contemporary to see all works. Pictured: Manu Saluja, The Dust of Everyday Life, 36x28”, oil on canvas

workshops

4. Abigail McBride is teaching “Using Rhythmic Relationships in the Portrait” workshop at Studio Incamminati, August 7-11, 2023. This workshop introduces students to developing a charcoal portrait drawing using organic rhythmic relationships. Learn more and register online at studioincamminati.edu.

3. David Michael Salerno has completed the oil paintings for an exhibition titled “Together, A Portrait of Americans”, that includes forty painted portraits of citizens of a small southeastern city and eleven ancillary items. The exhibition has been accepted for display at six venues in the southeastern United States, beginning in July 2023 through February 2024, and then from July 2024 through August 2024. More exhibit locations are being sought throughout the United States.

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entitled

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Artists’ School on October 20-22, 2023. Dominique will demonstrate a portrait painting process while drawing inspiration from the late Irish poet John O’Donohue, her chosen model. Register online at www. scottsdaleartschool.org/events.

teaching “Romantic

in

workshop at Scottsdale Artists’ School on October 23-26, 2023. The workshop will cover fundamental lessons on design, gesture, proportion, structure, anatomy, and form. Learn more and register online at www. scottsdaleartschool.org/events.

6. Charles Miano will be

Portraits

Sanguine”

5. Dominique Medici will be teaching

workshop

“Painting at the Wellspring”

Scottsdale

Patrice Hudson, WI

Janet Kingan, FL

Claudia Lang-Pitts, GA

Michael Martonick, WA

Ruby Mason, GA

Palmyra McAllan, NJ

James R. Michie, UT

Randy New, FL

Mary Peterson, TX

Carol M. Platt, FL

Gretchen Pravaz, FL

Ron Primm, VA

Tom Quaid, LA

Emilie Rhys, LA

Sharif Sadiq, NY

Andrea Schneider, NJ

Deborah Scott, WA

Dorothy R. Skeans, TX

Stephy Sunny, NY

Dan Warner, NY

Archelle Wolst, WI

General

Richard Arnemann, TN

an aspen, OH

Jan Avery, CA

Christen C. Benat, TX

Elizabeth Benusis, SD

Mike Brewer, VA

Susan Brunson, GA

Priscilla Budik, MN

Mary Jane Bugh, OH

Mary Carew, NY

Lindsay Carroll, NC

Nanette Catigbe, VA

Gary Cooley, NC

Danielle Day Damson, AL

Kelly Fawaz, FL

Teresa Ferronato, OR

Carol Fors, LA

Patricia Fritz, NJ

Clydetta Fulmer, AL

Peter Gillespie, IL

Anna Gustafson, MN

Julian Hartzog, FL

Yuko Hays, AK

Aaron F. Henderson, GA

Maria Bennett Hock, NC

Amy Huis, MI

Keith Johnson, MO

Arthur B. Jones, GA

Debra Keirce, VA

Rebecca Kemmerer, GA

Laura Kemmerling, NY

Kathy Kitzmiller, GA

Catherine Koon, CA

Kimmel Kozak, MD

Laura Lawson, TX

Ji Hoon Lee, WA

Meng Li, NY

Shari Lyon, UT

Susan Neese McKinney, MO

Lori Meyer, NC

Roger Michael, M.D., ME

Jessica Michaelson, UT

Margie Milne, NJ

Dwayne Mitchell, GA

Sallie Day Mogerman, MO

Jean Ignatz Morris, AL

Kathy Morris, GA

Shayna Newsome, OR

Connie Hargitt Nobbe, IN

Heather Thomas Olson, ND

Bradford Ross, MD

Denise Sagan, AR

Ronda Saldana, TN

Vito-Leonardo Scarola, FL

Katherine Schuber, GA

Laura Schuler, SC

Beverly Schupp, AK

Michael Shank, FL

Kathleen Simko, FL

Emma Sims, FL

Mary Stovall, NM

Jim Stovall, NM

Scott Sullivan, MD

Sue B. Thomas, TN

Nicole Troup, PA

Jean Wagner, WA

Wendy Wagner, FL

Samuel Walter, CT

Daniel Walters, OK

Linda A. West, CT

Linda Wharton, MD

Maria Willison, TN

Val Wolf, CA

Rosanne S. Wolfe, PA

International

Anne Crisell, Canada

Rhonda LeGrove Garton, Canada

Linda Jakobsson, Finland

Jia Liu, Canada

Bing Lv, China

Sergey Malina, Canada

Stephanie Mills, United

Kingdom

Ann Morton-Campbell, Australia

Raelene Sharp, Australia

LingJiang Zheng, China

NEW MEMBERS

A WARM WELCOME to our new members that joined in March, April, May

MARCH

Patron

Barbara Tyler Ahlfield, MD

John Coppola, CA

Keith Donaldson, FL

Kris Krava, GA

Melissa Kuzma, MD

Suzi Olson, UT

Tracy Peltier, CA

Mason Pott, OR

Colleen Regan, VA

Douglas Reynolds, MA

Donna Pomponio Theis, RI

Lauren Tuma, CA

Rachel Wimpey, OK

General

Maria Battista, CO

JoJean Beller, AK

Marcus Bradshaw, NE

Lynda Brill, IN

Kamen Chalakov, NV

Joy Chu, TX

Shannon Cockett, DC

Amber Conrad, NC

Kathy Daniel, NJ

Matt Dennebaum, CT

Joni Emily, CO

Felicia Feldman, CT

Barbara Garrett, MT

Lexi Hannah, NY

Edd Tokarz Harnas, HI

Julieanne Harris, PA

Jane Haverty, FL

Jed Helmers, OH

Ashley Hendrix, VA

Dan House, FL

Catherine Jackson, FL

Edward Knight, MD

Julie Korsmeyer, AK

Meghan Lacey, GA

Ava Lambert, MN

Ruizhe Liu, MN

Jim Luckern, NH

Barbara Novak, MD

Ted Nuttall, AZ

Melanie O’Keefe, AL

Paula Saneaux, MD

Mami Shimomura, WA

Vicki Siegel, FL

Wende Szyperski, VA

Nicholas Thorp, NC

Chiachen Wang, CA

Guy Zoller, VA

International

Anthony Foss, Canada

Maria Noemi Manalang,

Indonesia

Karen Sinclair, Qatar

Sargent Circle

Sarah Perot, TX

Student

Lunjia Hu, CA

APRIL

Patron

Asmus Conermann, DC

Guy Kiernan, PA

Catherine McLean, CA

Michelle Sousa, NH

General

Sunmisola Banjo, MN

Phyllis Brady, CA

Sandra G. Davis, FL

Carol DeMumbrum, TN

Debra Destoppeleire, IL

Gowen Dicker, TN

Nina Ellsworth, MD

Stacey Emerick, ME

Jean Fisher, CA

Amy Gibson, NC

Gary Godbee, NJ

Connor Hoehn, DC

Heidi Hoffer, NC

Phoenix Kooper, TX

Iris Kwak-Mozayan, CA

Renee Lachman, MD

Misia Landau, MA

Christopher Lang, ME

Julianna Lazio, CA

Shakuntala Makhijani, MD

Michael Margherone, IL

Diane McDonald, IL

Ryan Mills, VA

Olesya Orlova, HI

Doug Stephen, IL

Jean Yang, IL

International

Rosanne Pomerleau, Canada

Athina Soultani, Greece

Laura Venhuizen, Canada

MAY

Patron

Nathan Bertling, SC

Deborah Brown, UT

Sujesh Chandran, Kuwait

Linda Cope, OH

Danny Frazier, KY

Melissa Jackson, GA

Eric Marts, WA

Andrew Moody, United Kingdom

Emily Traczyk, VA

General

Sonny Abesamis, CA

Areej AlQaysi, VA

Tony Armendariz, IL

Jessica Bravo, VA

Francisco Catigbe, Jr., VA

Joel Cook, TN

Jenny Davis, VA

Patrick Dynes, VA

Paul Ferney, NY

Bebe Flynn, TX

William Harbinson, IL

Kristine Hargreaves, MN

Tim Hodge, TN

Hilda Kurtz, GA

Peggy Mackay, AZ

Grant Merrill, KS

Gail Morton, MS

Roderick Nasbe, CO

Stan O’Dell, MS

Edwina Orndoff, VA

Mark Owen, CO

Trey Peaden, AL

Victoria Quick, VA

Andrew Sjodin, MN

Leeann Sproul, TX

Jeffrey Wilkerson, TN

Duncan Young, LA

International

Mehrnosh Kaecker, Germany

Dr. Guenter Schwarz, Austria

The Portrait Society of America

P.O. Box 11272

Tallahassee, FL 32302

PORTRAIT SOCIETY OF AMERICA Upcoming Events & Programs

The Portrait Society of America has several upcoming events and competitions. We invite you to participate either by attending an event or sharing your work.

MONTHLY WEDNESDAY WEBINARS

Online monthly educational content offered live by faculty artists with question-and-answer sessions at the end of the evening.

MEMBERS ONLY COMPETITION

Entry Deadline: November 2, 2023

Recognizing Portrait Society members’ artworks in five categories: Commissioned Portrait, Non-Commissioned Portrait, Outside the Box, Landscape and Animals as the Subject.

INTERNATIONAL PORTRAIT COMPETITION

Entry Deadline: February 5, 2024

Showcasing the very best in fine art portraiture and figurative work.

26TH ANNUAL THE ART OF THE PORTRAIT CONFERENCE

The annual portrait and figurative artists’ celebration in Atlanta, Georgia from April 25-28, 2024.

SIGNATURE STATUS

Entry Deadline: September 1, 2023

Signature Status recognizes those practicing and accomplished artists who are dedicated to the educational mission and high aesthetic standards of the Portrait Society of America.