Portrait Society of America, Reston, VA 2014

Every year we say that the staff at the PSA outdoes itself and every year is better than the last. But it actually is:) There is SO much going on, and everything of so much interest to portrait painters that I wish I could have been in three places at one, for the entire three days.

The program opened on Thursday night with the always-anticipated Face-Off, where fifteen artists and 5 models take over the Grand Ballroom and paint from life for 2 1/2 hours. Attendees can wander from easel to easel to watch the progress - there were some really fabulous painters and equally fabulous results. Below, icon Max Ginzburg shows his techie side as he watches three artists at work.

Below, David Jon Kassan and Quang Ho at their easels:

Juliette Aristides's beautiful piece, below:

Friday began with a bang - a packed day of demonstrations, panel discussions, culminating in the 6x9 Mystery Sale, where 100+ invited faculty and artists' small donated works are 'bid' on in a frenetic 30 minute event...the panels are signed only on the back so very often the buyer doesn't know the artist until after the panel is purchased.

Here's one small treasure that I brought home, painted by my friend, Richard Broderick.

Here is the piece I donated:

On Saturday morning, my three - artist panel spoke on various aspects of Promoting Your Art in the 21st Century - you can catch up with some of the details here on the Cecilia Beaux Forum Blog.

I dashed from the EARLY discussion to the Exhibitors' hall for my demo of fellow artist Oscar Peterson, using Gamblin Colors, Rosemary Brushes and the New Wave hand-held art palette.

Here are some pics from the demo:

For those of you who have attended the PSA conferences in the past: I think you'll agree that that they fly by just like this, as photographed and edited by artist Garth Herrick: