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A tough act to follow!
I feel the need to respond in some way to this thread because of my drive and determination to become a skilled and exceptional portrait artist. Words, talent, and hope alone will not do it. Painting alone in my studio day after day will not do it. I'm in a college town with an art school I actually graduated from. NO portrait classes, or anything else for that matter available to me since I've "graduated". No portrait classes were ever available - surprise, surprise (as Gomer used to say).
When I want to do something - I have always found a way to do it. I decided to gear up my first love - painting the figure and learn to be a true portrait artist - a year and a half ago. I had been seriously painting landscape and still life, showing and in galleries for 13 years. My background is in Commercial Art.
Stop reading now if you're not interested in hearing my story of my teachers.
I sought out a fine teacher. Artist magazines, books and the internet were the tools which helped me find the best teacher I could find offering a class during the time I could study. I wanted more than a week, of course, but I knew I would soak up everything I could in the course of a week with a Master of painting. I couldn't spare more than a week. I chose Peggy Baumgaertner and travelled to Wisconsin to spend a week of sheer bliss watching and learning everything she had to offer. She taught me to begin and my paintings absolutely lept from stage one to stage 5 (well, sorta) when I returned. I had a confidence in myself as actually having the background and tools to succeed in the portrait world I didn't have before I went. I also feel like I made a lifelong friend with Peggy and her family. The people in the workshop are also special to me now. We have not kept in good touch but we shared our love of painting and style differences, etc. while together. Also, a lot of hiking after class and eating!
During this year since then - I knew I wanted to study with more portrait artists - since I'm the sponge that I am and never learning enough - and after much research and observation, was sure that Marvin Mattelson was the one person I wanted to study with.
Hope was lost though when I hinted online at this great forum at studying with him in New York. I found out that I would have to become a millionaire and move to a loft apartment in NYC and quit my job and spend a few months there in order to attend regular classes with him. This was no surprise. No, he wasn't teaching any workshops anytime soon near North Carolina either (ha). I didn't give up. I knew I needed to watch him paint. I knew that I had to raise the money somehow to watch him paint somewhere!
"When the student is ready, the teacher appears."
This really did happen! Renee Price, another portrait artist on the forum, and I talked a little offline about our posts on this forum, our same state status, etc. She had mentioned in the forum that she was searching for a teacher to come to her area to teach a possible workshop. I told her I thought it would be great if Marvin would even consider it. She was also very very interested in studying with him.
After Renee and I did a little research on site possilities I wrote to Marvin bravely asking him to come to NC for a week long workshop. We talked 3 way the next weekend for around 2 hours! We all decided it was a great idea. As for Marvin Mattelson being a fuddy duddy - fahget it - he is so "real" and personable and dry humored - and, well, that's enough of that.
Renee and I knew we would have to financially back this endeavor whether we got students or not. It was a big, exciting step. We were getting a lifelong learning experience as serious portrait artists. Choosing a professional like Marvin, whom we knew would "deliver" was an important decision on our part. We would never want someone who couldn't teach (hey, I'm a teacher so I can say that!). There are many people out there teaching workshops who really are not good teachers. It was important to both of us to make sure we didn't make that mistake. Much planning and arranging has taken place and will continue to take place until the workshop is actually over but we are all enjoying planning it and want it to be a great experience day and night for all participants. It's a little scary - but nothing Renee and I can't accomplish.
If you are going to save money, and can only take one workshop a year (which is my budget for sure!) then you must pick carefully. This forum has proven to me that it is very useful and I have stated it in many different categories within the forum. I have posted one in progress portrait for critique and will post more often as soon as my broken finger starts to heal enough for me to paint again (sad but true right now). The most useful thing about it for me has been the ability to choose my teachers to study with 'LIVE'! If they both had not been members of the SOG site and not had sites linked to this one I may never have seen their beautiful work.
So many resources here - but I found my inspirations here as well and actually managed to watch the masters paint in person. Nothing can take the place of the live model or the live teacher.
I am so excited about this summer, and so is Renee. So are you if you have found a way to learn from a master teacher. Save up - its worth it!
Sincerely,
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