Second Honor Award

Sponsored by: Portrait Society of America, Vasari Classic Artists’ Oil Colors and Rosemary & Co.

Erin Anderson Riegelsville, PA, USA The Healer, oil on copper, 36 x 30" (91 x 76 cm)

Inspiration: This portrait is one in a series of paintings from Erin’s last solo show, Object. The show stood to contradict the objectification of women by showcasing them in authentic moments and allowing them to retain their autonomy. It was important to her that this work conveyed fundamental aspects of the sitter as a person and fellow woman. Drawing on the Roman tradition of carving headstones with names and life roles in equal prominence, each painting in this series was named according to the sitter’s occupation or role. Erin drew on aspects of Pat’s personality—her nurturing and calming energy, her grounding presence, her mentorship of young women especially those who came from troubled background—and settled on The Healer.

Artistic Path: Erin’s first memory of wanting to draw realistically was in kindergarten. Given an assignment to color a picture of planet earth, she remembers feeling very competitive and wanting hers to be the best in the class. She credits her mom with nurturing her talent, and when she was 7, she enrolled her in small-scale art classes taught by Page Cattier. She had them drawing master copies and learning traditional techniques at a very young age, and Erin credits her for giving her an important foundation to build on.