The unsung legacies of portrait artists
 

Seeing this thread's contributions, the emotions that run through it especially from Enzie, got me thinking about my own portrait projects.
I don't know how many people think of us as "Legacy Whisperers" (permit me to coin the phrase from the TV show Ghost Whisperers")
I mean, people may take it for granted that portrait work for the living, is about its beauty and its uniqueness.

But it's the posthumous ones that remind us, each portrait carries an undying charisma and emotion that can help portrait commissioners, to deliver their message to their future generations, be it from their own family or from the community.

I believe we should be deeply proud that we're born to have this gift to do this for others. ;)

A great quote is born. ^^^^^^

Thanks Marcus! I should print and frame that.

Garth

hmm...maybe i should get Hallmark cards to print it for "Inspiring Sad Portrait Artists" series of cards...LOL!

Thanks, Marcus, that's really thought-provoking. Something for the would-be "commissioners" to contemplate. I think the intent is really the same, whether the person we are painting is alive or dead. We try to capture the movement and the expression and the spark of animation on the canvas so the portrait will carry on to give future generations a glimpse of the whole aura and feeling of this particular individual. It's a lot of extra work to create a posthumous portrait, and the references are usually bad and frustrating, but if we can pull it off, then it has this quality. I was SO nervous about people's reaction when it was unveiled. My own brother hadn't ever seen it, because he was away while I was painting it (actully I could have used him as a model). After it was unveiled, an architect came up to me and said that my father spoke to him as he was standing in front of it! I thought,
"Well, at least it spoke to one person. That's encouraging." You might say I was cautiously positive.

Alex what can I say except a job well done. Still, I'm sure it was not "just" a commission. We see our parents as eternal and true enough they are always with us. When they pass and sleep, until that day of resurrection, we see them in our character, our brothers character our sisters character. Sometimes in a building or two. A glimpse a moment that reminds us of that special or sometimes not so special moment. We see them in our mind's eye for he/she made a impression on us.

I hope that this painting of your late father brought fond memories. Keep on painting Alex for each one of us, I am sure, appreciates who you are and who you are is a part of your father. Thank you for sharing him with us.

All the best to you

Wow, wow, and wow! That's all I can really say!

:thumbsup: :D

Thanks, Mischa! As you pointed out, this was more than "Just a commission;" it was an experience. I did remember him, but it was more a general sense of the way he was in life, rather than any specific memories of events.

As for keeping on painting, I really appreciate your encouragement, Mischa! I don't think I could stop!

Lacey, you and I have been down similar paths in many ways. Thank you. :thumbsup: to you, too.

Alex,

Beautiful job and what a fantastic tribute that you and your family were able to enjoy. I can't imagine a more fulfilling experience.

I am curious, however. When I had the opportunity to paint my father's posthumous portrait there was a point were the painting took over what I painted. I had wonderful photo references but as I painted his face, and especially his eyes, I began to paint from emotion and abandoned the photos. The result was that it doesn't look like the photo reference but rather more like the look that I recognized from my father. People who didn't know my father immediately see the difference (when they see the referece material) but all of my brothers ans sisters (6) see our dad.

Did you experience anything like this in your painting of your father?

Sort of--though I didn't exactly abandon the photo references, the painting started looking different from them in a way I couldn't identify at the time, but looking back I guess I must have been putting my memories of my father into the face, and he seemed to be becoming more and more himself.

Thanks for sharing that, John, and thanks for your kind words of appreciation. It really was a great experience, especially since I haven't been out of the U.S. since I was 18 (I'm not sure how that happened)!

What a fantastic project, and a great result!

I agree with all of the sentiments expressed here. It's wonderful that so many threads and locales in your collective lives came together in the one event. I'm over the moon for you all!

What a great confluence of talent and circumstance that allows you to have captured your gifted parents--your mother while she's living, and your father posthumously--for succeeding generations, including those in your immediate family.

I'd try and wax philosophic here, but Marcus got it all down for us better than I could.

Many, many congratulations!