Dr. Dean VanTrease

[John Reidy]

It has been a while since I have posted anything and I thought I'd share this recent painting with you.

It is a portrait of Dr. Dean VanTrease measuring 34 in. x 56 in. oil on stretched linen.

Dr. VanTrease is the just retired president of Tulsa Community College. I have sent an email to the offices of TCC for their review so I hope I am not jumping the gun here.

The pose is from their request of a 3/4 figure, standing. I suggested adding the chairs after I heard of Dr. VanTrease's notable addition of a state of the art performing arts center. Dr. VanTrease gave me the tour and it is beautiful with labs for instruction in lighting, music, costume design and creation, set design and building plus a full stage for productions.

The story of the chairs comes from Dr. VanTrease taking a personal responsibility to ensure that the theater had comfortable seats. He would have every chair considered placed in his office and every passerby was grabbed and made to sit in the chair and give their opinion. Once I heard that story I felt that the chairs would be just the thing to make this portrait truly his.

My challenge was to create a painting that would carry your eye from top to bottom without it becoming too heavily weighted at either end. I feel that I accomplished my goal and I am waiting for TCC's response.

First is the entire painting and then a close up of the head.