The Portrait Society of America Chairman’s Letter.
This year the Portrait Society of America celebrated its 20th year of operation, which is a milestone for any business, but it is particularly significant for a nonprofit fine art organization. It felt appropriate during my opening welcome to share the inspiration that led to the founding of the society. Quite a few years ago, I learned that good public speakers capture and hold onto their listener’s attention through the power of storytelling. The story that I shared Friday morning occurred over 41 years ago but I can remember it like it was yesterday.
I was just a few years out of college and trying to find a path to becoming a self-supporting artist: a goal that had burned inside of me ever since I can remember. To put it more distinctly I felt if I could not find a way, I wouldn’t be able to breathe. Many in the crowd nodded in understanding.
I had built a small, 260-square-foot studio on the edge of some Florida wetlands where I enjoyed the natural diversity of the wildlife in the area. It was not surprising one day when I walked out my door and came face to face with a barred owl sitting on the fence a few feet away. I moved to within an arm’s length and still this approximately 18-inch bird did not fly. But when it turned its head toward me, I saw that the usually deep brownish-black eyes were clouded and a smoky gray color, immediately I knew the bird was blind. With the assistance of a Florida wildlife officer the bird was caught, and together we took him to a local veterinarian who found thorns in her eyes. That evening, I found myself standing outside my studio door with a bag of antibiotics, a wild bird in a cardboard appliance box and a grinning wildlife officer who as he drove away yelled back, “You better get a book on falconry!”
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Esta historia es de la edición August/September 2018 de International Artist.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Fresh Eyes
Anna Rose Bain discusses the passions of being an artist and helping students transform their own work
The Next Level
Jacob Dhein uses a wet-into-wet technique to create painterly depictions of a variety of subjects
Wild Spirit
Alternating between broad glazes and fine details, Claire Milligan captures the intricacies of the animal kingdom
The Bridge Between
Watercolorist Thomas Wells Schaller delves into the nuances of observation and imagination
The Color Continuum
Catherine Hearding demonstrates how she utilizes color to enhance the mood of her landscapes
Points of Precision
A strong focal point and attention to detail make Nicola Jane's artwork jump off the page
BE YOURSELF
Harley Brown's fascinating things no one else will tell you
JEFFREY T. LARSON
Expertly Putting the Pieces Together
Hot-Blooded
Blending elements of realism and surrealism, figurative artist Anna Wypych’'s paintings are dominated by vivid reds
Adam Clague Incandescence
Adam Clague’s masterful understanding of contrast allows him to paint subjects that seem to glow from within