LUCKY 13: Expedition & Beyond Opening this Friday Evening

13 is a significant number (lucky, too), at the Principle Gallery this Friday. Not only is the date April 13th, but also 13 artists are featured in a group show called Women Painting Women: The Expedition & Beyond. I'm honored to be part of this group, and excited to be in this show.

The 13 artists are: Diane Feissel, Linda Tracey Brandon, Terry Strickland, Rachel Constantine, Sadie Valeri, Alia El-Bermani, Shannon Runquist, Mia Bergeron, Catherine Prescott, Kate Stone, Stefani Tewes, Cindy Procious, and I.

Each artist will be exhibiting three paintings: one small study done on location during our original week-long painting trip to Charleston, SC, and two paintings completed since the expedition.

The only distinction I can claim is of having the only painting of a 1) man and 2) an elderly woman in the entire show. Here they are:

Elemental Balance, oil on linen, 46" x 42"

Hot Enough, oil on linen, 36" x 36"

Hot Enough, detail

My third painting is a plein air study, painted at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston SC. I became fascinated with the southern plants, especially live oak trees--their forms, and the colors and textures of bark and mosses growing on them.

Live Oak and Monument, Magnolia Cemetery, oil on paper on board, 9.5" x 11.75"

You have probably already seen some of the work by these artists online, but I encourage you to come see the show if you are able to get to Alexandria. I saw some of it when it was being delivered, and it is VERY DIFFERENT (much better, IMO) in reality. The impact of the size alone is unexpected, and the color is often quite different, plus the paint quality and texture are usually invisible in an image, but significant when you see the real painting.

All the artists in the "Expedition" hope you can make it to Principle Gallery on Friday!

I'll be on the Faculty at the Portrait Society of America Conference

I'm happy to announce that, this year, I'll be on the faculty at The Art of the Portrait, the annual conference of the Portrait Society of America.

This means that you will see me around a lot, participating in several events:

1) Face-Off: A unique program in which fifteen leading artists gather to paint from models. Attendees will vote on their favorite artist, who will then demonstrate on Saturday afternoon for the plenary session. Second, the completed paintings will be part of a silent auction during the weekend, so you will have a chance to collect a painting by an artist you admire. Participating artists: Casey Baugh, Ryan Brown, Ellen Cooper, Michelle Dunaway, Stephen Early, John Ennis, Rose Frantzen, David Jon Kassan, Robert Liberace, Bart Lindstrom, Susan Lyon, Tony Pro, Alexandra Tyng, Mary Whyte, and Lea Wight.

2) Beyond the Face: New Works by Daniel Greene, Alexandra Tyng, and Mary Whyte I will be showing examples of my figurative portraiture and discussing my process and the way in which I develop the ideas and symbolism of each work. Mary Whyte and Daniel Greene will also show their amazing new work--this should be awesome!

3) Lunch and Learn If you want a relaxed, informal time to ask questions and discuss art with me (or certain other faculty members), and you don't mind if we're all chewing while we talk, sign up ahead of time for this event.

4) Portfolio Critiques You don't need to sign up for this, just show up at the critique session with your portfolio.

The Annual Art of the Portrait Conference will take place in Philadelphia this year, on Memorial Day Weekend. Come see the winning paintings and sculpture on display at the conference. The weekend is packed full of events--painting demonstrations, panel discussions, talks, and power-point presentations. Art vendors will be selling a dazzling array of products. You might even win a top-of-the-line, super-duper easel!

The Portrait Society of America, founded in 1998, is a national 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization to further the tradition of fine art portraiture and figurative art.

For more information, or to register, click here.

You can also read about the Conference and participating artists on the Portrait Society's blog.