Unexpected Commissions for a Lady Artist

The peak of portrait painting in the 20th century has given this American woman artist a chance to cash in on three continents. The figures are back with art, the artist pointed out, having started her career as an abstract painter. The human appearance is being considered once again.

Universities, hospitals, and industries are choosing painted portraits of their presidents and board chairmen over photographs. Portraits are prized by the rich and famous because they symbolize affluence and heritage for their children.

She wields her brush throughout Western Europe, the United States, and South Africa, where her husband headed the African operation of an American cosmetics firm before his retirement several years ago. More often than not, she would paint her subjects at the comfort of their own homes than at her studio or her sister's.

The artist says that it takes her three weeks to paint a portrait in a studio, during which she might have four to seven sittings. It would take around five days for her to finish the portrait if she painted on location. The place where the artist does her painting is a factor that actually affects the quality of her painting. She usually goes to the subject's home to share a meal with the subject, and also to see the kind of home the portrait will have.

A very well known actress had her portrait done by the artist, and she liked it so much she used it for the cover of her autobiography. She has made portraits of famous business people, including those who made tire and rubber and those who own the five and dime fortune. A Dominican monk, as well as a tribal chief from Nigeria, commissioned this artist to make portraits of themselves too. When her portraits spread around the world, she became so famous she didn't expect commissions coming from certain people.

There is just something flattering in the way the portraits are done, even if she herself doesn't flatter her subjects. Some form of deal is made between subject and artist regarding the use of costumes. She is in support of those who want to be seen wearing their favorite clothes or even university robes in their portraits. She prefers an informal dress over a formal one for the portrait. She offers ideas for makeup and wants day old hairdos.

She chatters while she is painting and lead her subjects to talk to her. The smile of the portrait is created from what she sees from the subject's lip movement. If a person is bored, it can be easily seen in the portrait. To know whether to go for a formal or casual pose and how much of their body should be included in the shot, clients study a book of photographs that display the artist's work.

With ink, oil, or tempera in sepia tones, you can also create sketches. Sometimes she does several sketches of a person on one canvas, the most detailed sketch being in the foreground, which is a charming way of portraying children. There is a resemblance between the product and a page from a sketch book. Her career started some 20 years ago during a show she had in New York with her sister, and the gallery owner wanted to hang a self portrait that the artist had made. It was the hit of the show.

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