Ena – Oil Portrait Painting – 9×12 Gessoed Board

Oil Painted Portrait of Ena

This is Ena and she loves her portrait.  

 A week ago, I purchased a portrait critique from Portrait Society of America – where I am a member.  I was able to submit 5 paintings online to be reviewed.  It was contacted by one of the Society’s established and highly awarded members who contact me by phone.  Our meeting went very well.  It was both helpful in terms of suggestions and rewarding in terms of very positive feedback.  She particularly liked my color sense and the painterliness of my brush strokes, It was interesting that she ask me if I was very nervous to be critiqued. I found it a surprising question and told her,” being nervous had never occurred to me”.  She found my response surprising and told me I was fearless.  She said she was always very nervous to receive critiques.  I told her I only assumed she would attempt to give feedback which would make me a better painter.  I found this prospect very exciting.

 It’s always interesting how different people are.   She is a very “realistic painter” – highly skilled in that regard. Most of the artist in the Society are realistic painters.  Their paintings very often look like photographs in levels of detail.  I have to take this into consideration when talking to/ or being critiques by a  Society members. I included one painting I did inspired by Cezanne. It was a painting which did not conform to normal body proportions.  She didn’t know how to respond and unfortunately, thought it reflected my drawing skills – or lack their of since I had created  some very strange proportions.  Later I sent her my inspiration image to legitimize my approach to a specific painting she viewed.  I am sure she didn’t care for his painting either. I think most society members want to see, normal, precise and accurate – not particularly fore most in my aspiration.  Still she was helpful.

I will do this again  with another society member next time.  She suggest it is always best to get different artist perspectives. Members provide this kind of feedback to each other, particularly when preparing for competition.  It won’t be long before I will be competing with some of the best oil painters in America, 

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