Thursday, February 27, 2014

Three Days in Manhattan

Early Sunday morning after the CSOPA event, I was rescued from the confusion of public transit by Joel Spector, who was leaving CT at the crack of dawn to travel to the Art Student's League of New York, where he paints each week with Max Ginsburg. I kind of elbowed my way in and was lucky enough to  find an empty easel and Max's OK to paint with the group.  My life study of Rachel ...


My artist friend Kerri Gibbs graciously welcomed me into her home and we had couple of days to play in the big city...my first trip to the Frick Museum (wow), and I was so completely delighted to spend a couple of hours in the studio of one one my lifetime heroes, Burton Silverman - as direct and elegant as the man himself. Burt will be one of the artists I will paint as part of my Artists Portrait Project.

Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists' Faces of Winter 2014 Symposium

Earlier this month, I was privileged to join the CSOPA members and faculty at what can only be described as a world class event. CSOPA founder and President Jeanine Jackson and her staff put together an amazing event with 83 portraits exhibited, and a faculty/content that knocked my socks off.

Below the opening night - the theme was Valentine's Day so you'll see lots of red:) The opening reception was packed, despite near zero temps, icy streets and lots of snow. Jurors Robert Alexander Anderson and Lea Colie Wight judged an extraordinary show...artist Harry Burman took a prize for his excellent self portrait.

 Below, one of my entries, "Kirk Larsen: American Artist"; I am flanked by portraits of living greats Nelson Shanks and MaxGinsburg, both of whom were present this weekend.

 Below, Leo Mancin-Hresko - seriously he gave a lecture on the nature of white paints and it was spellbinding. Hard to understand if you're not an oil-painter, but it was riveting.
 Below, sculptor Oscar Garcia's amazing life sculpture of Joel Spector. The crowd was on its feet!

The event continued...demos and lectures by painters Max Ginsburg, Igor Babailov, Lea Colie Wight..Peter Trippi (Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine), Fred Ross (Art Renewal Center) John Howard Sanden, and the recipient of the Society's Lifetime Achievement Award, Nelson Shanks.

On the opening night, artists GraceDeVito, Joel Spector and Jesus Villarreal painted from the live model, beautiful demos, all!