By Jeanie du Pont, Sales Associate
A few weeks ago, Portraits, Inc. was contacted by Michael Gormley from the National Arts Club in New York. He was organizing a panel about the practice of portraiture and thought we might have something to offer.
As a Portraits, Inc. associate living and working in New York, this was the perfect opportunity for me to share my expertise. I was in good company on the panel with three top portrait artists: Burton Silverman, Patricia Watwood and Joshua LaRock. We had a lively discussion, and the audience seemed quite interested and participated as well.
With Mr. Gormley acting as Moderator, I spoke first about the process of commissioning a portrait from an associate's view: how I represent both the artists and the clients, how one goes about finding the right portrait artist and about the whole process in general from start to finish.
Then the artists gave their individual perspectives on creating portraits, how they got started in their careers, and their opinions on the art world today. It was fascinating to hear directly from them about how they each work and then to see samples of their paintings. Although I’m familiar with many portrait artists and know a lot about the process, it never ceases to amaze me how different they all are in the way they work and their final finished portraits.
It was great to see so many people at the National Arts Club who were interested in fine portraiture. The audience included around 50 people who were mostly club members and patrons, artists and photographers. I enjoyed being part of the event and speaking on a topic I love.
About the National Arts Club:
The Club’s mission is to stimulate, foster and promote public interest in the arts and educate the American people in the fine arts. Founded in 1898, the Club is located in the historic Tilden Mansion at 15 Gramercy Park. Built in the 1840s, the Tilden Mansion is both a designated New York Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Run by volunteers, the National Arts Club hosts some of the most exciting events in New York—art unveilings, award dinners, film screenings, lectures, dances and more.
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.