Elsie Owens, one of our sales associates in Columbia, South Carolina, has been in the portrait selling business for 28 years, but she’s been in the portrait loving business her entire life.
Art is a lifelong love for Elsie, and she grew up in a family of not only art lovers and collectors, but also artists. She majored in Art History at the University of South Carolina and went on to study interior design in Washington, DC at The International Institute of Design.
Portraiture has always been important to her family and has been passed down from generation to generation. In her home, Elsie has a combined 17 portraits in a variety of mediums from pencil to oil that range in completion date from the mid-1700s to 2012. A portrait of her youngest daughter is being painted now. She takes great pride in the fact that her family has always valued portraiture and sees them as precious family heirlooms.
This passion for portraiture is always shared with Elsie’s clients. She loves interacting with clients and artists and knowing that she is helping others create their own family heirlooms. She quickly establishes that she truly believes portraiture is one of the most wonderful things a family can do to preserve their loved ones for eternity.
When it comes time to choose an artist, Elsie tells clients to take the price sheets out of their portfolios and really look at the artists’ work. It’s helpful to spread the photos out all over the dining room table or floor and choose whichever one really jumps out. If they are torn between a couple of different artists, she recommends putting their favorites in prominent places in their home. After days of walking by, they typically know which they like best.
Elsie learned from the best, including Portraits, Inc. Executive Partner, Ruth Reeves. Ruth was a mentor to Elsie, and discovered her when Elsie’s father commissioned a portrait of her when she was 35 years old. Ruth was their sales associate and ended up asking Elsie to work with her. For years, they worked together, which allowed Elsie to learn the business and gradually begin working on her own. Today, Elsie is mentoring three younger associates in much the same way, helping to create and shape the next generation of Portraits, Inc. associates.
Portraits, Inc. was founded in 1942 in New York on Park Avenue. Over its 70-year history, Portraits, Inc. has carefully assembled a select group of the world’s foremost portrait artists offering a range of styles and prices. Recognized as the industry leader, Portraits, Inc. provides expert guidance for discerning clients interested in commissioning fine art portraits.