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Laura No.1 30”x24” Oil

Laura, a charming young woman, and a great model sat for us this morning for the three-hour figure painting session. 

As I have mentioned many times, in the three-hour figure painting sessions the outcome is unpredictable. I have always said to myself that I can never be a true portrait artist. To be one, the artist needs to be disciplined; he or she needs to take time to adjust and readjust every tiny area of the picture, leaving no chance for tentative appearance even if it took months to finish. Having said this, many portrait artists are not rewarded with gratitude by the sitter. The model has a clear picture of his or herself and many times it’s not what they see in the portrait. That part is the prerogative of the artist, and that’s where the problem lies.

I say I am not a portrait artist and will never be. Having said this, I love to do these challenging three-hour figure paintings. And I rarely dwell on them beyond that short period.  I do these truly for myself. They have no monetary value as dos landscape or a still life. “Who would want someone else’s portrait on their walls?”  one may ask. Nevertheless, in most cases the only individuals who acquired my figurative work were other artists. They are the only ones who saw something in them that is not seen in a still life or a landscape. And that means a lot to me.