Words of Wisdom from the 2020 Faculty
Every year, over 800 artists from all over the country gather at our annual The Art of the Portrait conference for an unforgettable four- day experience of learning from renowned artists. This year, on April 16-19 in Orlando, Florida, a variety of demonstrations, panel discussions, drawing workshops and so much more will be presented by our 29 faculty artists. Even though we are celebrating our 22nd year hosting this inspiring event, we are committed to presenting fresh and new programs and faculty. I recently interviewed five new and returning faculty artists— Anna Rose Bain, Dean Mitchell, Paul Newton, Mary Qian and Dawn Whitelaw— and asked them to share their artistic background and experiences. We urge you to register early for our program as we expect another sold- out event this year.
When and how did you realize you wanted to be a professional artist?
Anna Rose Bain: I don’t remember how young I was when I began talking about someday becoming a professional artist. My parents recognized my potential early on and handled it with a loving balance of encouragement and regular reality checks. My mom would be cooking dinner, and somehow, she put up with the smell of turpentine wafting upstairs from my makeshift studio in the basement. My dad would give constructive criticism of my artwork and urged me to keep practicing (there was no coddling in my family!). He would often interrupt the hours and hours I spent drawing to make his kids stack firewood or rake leaves. Though I resented it at times, I look back at those formative years with gratitude because it shaped my love for beauty and built a strong work ethic— essential qualities for becoming a successful artist. Like most children, I was interested in a lot of things, but no matter how distracted I got, drawing and painting were what captivated me the most and kept me coming back to art. When I went off to college, I had a strong portfolio but was still undecided. My art professors convinced me I would be wasting my talent if I chose a career in any other field, so by the middle of my freshman year, I had made up my mind to pursue art full time.
Dean Mitchell: I realized I wanted to be a professional artist when I was in high school after attending several local art fairs that highlighted the work of both professional and high school students.
Paul Newton: As a young child, my greatest pleasure was to draw and paint, and I did so incessantly. However, during my school and university years, I pursued academic studies, and it wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I turned my attention to the study of art. At the time, I didn’t quite know what to expect; it seemed so foreign after years of science and pure mathematics studies. However, when I arrived at the art school ( The Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney, Australia) and walked through the front door and saw the dusty white-washed plaster figures and drapes, still life arrangements, the smell of oil paint and gum turpentine in the air, and the array of disheveled, eccentric characters who inhabited this world, I really felt like I belonged! After years of fruitless searches, this was finally a homecoming. From that moment on I knew where my future lay.
Mary Qian: I guess it depends on the definition of a professional artist. In my mind, that probably means that your career is art and at some point, it becomes self-sufficient.
I have always been driven by the desire to paint and have geared my training and early work in that direction. From studying art technique in school to an early job in animation, I always knew my goal was to make the jump to full-time “artist.” About a decade ago, I was able to reach that plateau. Not only am I now able to paint full time, but I am able for the most part to choose my subjects and continue to grow through continuing study and hours of painting everything from flowers to figures from life.
Dawn Whitelaw: The year after graduation from college with a BA degree, I started working as a graphic designer. It was not until a dozen years later that I began a career as a professional painter. At that time, I was married and had a 5-year- old daughter. Three things were in my favor: a great passion for painting, stamina and a very encouraging husband. I was learning about the business and the craft all at the same time. During the first years, I still did some freelance design work to supplement the family income, and I was teaching part time at a local college. After my first workshop
with Everett Raymond Kinstler, I was hooked. After 40 years of painting,
I can’t wait to get to the studio and get to work. Having a profession that you love is a great blessing.
What guidance would you give to a young person wanting to become a professional artist?
Bain: Young people struggle so much with identity and insecurity. Having been there myself for most of my 20s, I would say: Learn from everyone you meet, take lots of workshops and spend as much time as you can making your art. At the end of the day, reevaluate everything you’ve been learning and let go of anything (technique, philosophy, opinion) that doesn’t feel authentic to you. This can be confusing at first, but so much of what we do as an artist is about instinct. Learn to trust your intuition, and you will be just fine.
Mitchell: Make sure that you become extremely disciplined and take as many courses in painting, drawing and design as you can. Read, visit museums and stay true to your own artistic vision. There are so many fads in art that you need to have a real conviction about what you are doing. Staying true to yourself will sustain you more than you realize. Put as much effort into learning about the business of art as you do the practicing of art.
Newton: I would say immerse yourself in every type of art you can. Try not to specialize too early. It’s a bit like trying on clothes at the store; you’ll soon discover what fits and suits you, and in the case of art, what to pursue. Then take the time to learn the techniques and methods of your craft. Study under someone whose work you admire. It is only after becoming proficient with the techniques of painting, for example, that you can really start to express yourself in paint and then create something that really can be called art. It’s worth spending the time refining your technique, which is like an artist’s vocabulary. With an extensive vocabulary, you can express yourself far more eloquently.
Qian: Becoming a professional artist is a career choice just like any other. Some from a very early age exhibit tremendous God-given talent along with an artistic direction and drive to match and are almost pre-ordained to become artists. You can see that in music (Mozart) and in the visual arts (Sargent and many others), but as driven as they are, they still need training and often a mentor. Others must work hard to reach the level of “artist.” This means defining what you want and setting shortand long-term goals on getting there. This includes training and more training in your field. For me, working from life repeatedly is probably the best artistic training there is, and unfortunately, there are always financial considerations one needs a plan for, too. It’s
not an easy road.
Whitelaw: My first piece of advice would be not to become a professional artist unless you are absolutely driven to take that path. Painting professionally is wonderful, but it is not the life for the person who feels like they are entitled to weekends off and a 9-to-5 schedule. My second piece of advice is to connect with other artists and find mentors. You are going to need a support system of other professional artists. My life as a professional painter would have been much easier if an organization like the Portrait Society of America existed when I was beginning this work. This organization is a vital resource for those choosing to paint professionally. The third piece of advice is that the workshop system is a viable way to learn the craft. At 35 and needing to generate income, art school was not an option in my life. Without the workshop system, I would not have the training to become a professional.
How does an idea evolve for you, and can you describe your process as you go from inspiration to concept to finished artwork?
Bain: I respond to inspiration in various ways. It depends on the subject matter, the scope and scale of the project, and the amount of time or energy I have available. Another key factor I consider is whether I feel the idea is something I can execute now or something I should shelve until later when my skill set has matured. This is where having a sketchbook on hand and taking lots of notes can be helpful. Some ideas take years to evolve and execute. These tend to be narrative or large-scale figurative pieces, of which I only do one or two a year at most. Other paintings come quickly, and I choose to paint them right away, while the images are fresh in my mind and I’m excited about the concept. Paintings of my children, for example, usually happen fast because I noticed a fleeting phase or moment in their development that I want to somehow capture. Regardless of how inspiration strikes, each idea must go through a “vetting process” of sorts before I decide to make a painting. Some of the questions I ask myself include, “Is this something I can be excited about from start to finish? Will this challenge me in some way? Will this piece read as a strong design from across the room?” Once I’ve decided that a painting is worth starting, I then play around with composition, aspect ratio, size options and all the elements I plan to include or leave out. I do this with both sketches and Photoshop, depending on my reference material. Once I’m ready to start the painting, I choose my materials to suit the project. Some paintings work best with a more textured surface—others, such as portraits of young children, favor a panel that is silky smooth. Every choice is made with purpose, but I do allow myself the flexibility throughout a project to make last-minute changes or take it in a completely different direction if it feels right. I think it’s about striking a balance between painting with control and allowing intuition to take the wheel.
Mitchell: Most of my ideas are from observation of daily life, reading, social concerns and modern-day struggles; watching the news can influence me. I work very spontaneously, sometimes working on 20 to 30 paintings at a time. The ideas are constantly shifting as I’m working. The work is always changing for me. The idea is not always fully realized, and a lot of it is reactionary and emotional. Often, I’m surprised with what I come up with, and I like it that way.
Newton: In the case of a portrait, I usually start with a generalized idea of who this person is, the subject of my portrait, which becomes more concrete as I get to know them. I then think about which of their qualities I want to highlight in the work. It may be, for example, a person whose dress, appearance and demeanor have a very contemporary feel, yet they head up a very traditional institution. The idea is to show how they effectively span these two different worlds, indicating the qualities that allow them to be comfortable in both. I explore these ideas through the process of sketching and photography until I come up with a pose or gesture that conveys the idea most effectively.
Qian: There is more than one source that
I turn to for “inspiration.” The first is purely visual. I see something I want to get down on canvas. It could be anything and is often a surprise. Andrew Wyeth used to say that the hair went up on the back of his neck when something struck him creatively. He often saw the “inspiration” out of the corner of his eye. The second is more controlled. It is an idea, concept or desire that has been in the back of my mind often for years. It’s just finding the right way to express this mental concept or message or whatever I desire to convey. It often starts out in one direction and as work progresses, ends up after starts and stops going in another. But that is the nature of creativity.
Whitelaw: Every project, whether commissioned or non-commissioned, begins with a lot of homework. My role models for this practice have been Ray Kinstler and Ed Jonas. I believe this quote by Linus Pauling is true, “The way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.” I like to dig deep and think, “what if?” Exploring my ideas with words and sketches helps me clarify my intent. The stronger my intent is for each painting, the better the results. I have learned to have some patience with myself as a painter. Experience has given me confidence to push through and not give up. As a painter, I am more like a crockpot than a microwave. I find more joy in slow development than I do in a fast turnaround. When I finish a painting, I return to the original intent and begin to think in terms of removing any element that does not support the intent. I rely on a great support system of artists to give a second opinion when needed.