Jane and Iona

[Garth Herrick]

This is hot off my easel. I began planning this months ago. It seemed only half done yesterday, but by 2PM today it was delivered. Yes, I was up all night painting.

"Jane and Iona", oil on linen, 31 inches by 34 inches.

The dog was posed on a foot stool beside the armchair.

[Linda Brandon]

Dear Garth,

This is a stunning and masterful work. I am just floored by your sensitive and intelligent portrayal of this older woman, and your decisions as to value, color and paint handling show flawless taste and unimpeachable technique.

I'm sorry for all these flowery superlatives, but I'm just searching for words at the keyboard. Here's what I really want to say: I wish I painted this painting.

[Kimberly Dow]

Gosh - this is just beautiful! Can you post some close-ups of her hands and some background parts - I am interested in seeing how tight the background is up close.

[Allan Rahbek]

Garth,

This is masterful and so inspiring to look at. Your control of values...... how do you do that?
I also like the pastel color harmony, that unifies this very complex composition.

Keep up the good work, Allan.

[Cynthia Daniel]

This is gorgeous and amazing, Garth!

[Garth Herrick]

Thanks Linda, Kimberly, Allan, and Cynthia:

I am heading out the door for another client, but I wanted to quickly thank you all for your praise and encouraging comments. I should be back on Sunday.

Dear Linda thanks, I am overwhelmed. It would have been great to have you paint Jane!

Kimberly, I have a shot of the background detail but it has a lot of glare. Basicly, it is a slightly blurred impression, with minimal detail. Nothing is sharp, just soft edges.

Allan, I came up with a new way on this painting to control values, with a 52 level gray index (in paint). The nice thing is that I can now lay down any color inthe painting (as long as it is not too wet in consistency) and know that the value is right where I need it to be. This way fewer corrections or adjustments are needed.

Thanks Cynthia, your praise makes my day!

Garth

[Sharon Knettell]

Garth,

Simply exquisite.

[Garth Herrick]

Well Jane and Iona are packed for the PSOA competition, and I will be driving it in shortly today. It won't be long 'till Saturday's judging now!

It will be great to meet everyone else in the competition and everyone attending. I promise to be overwhelmed. I can't wait!

Wish me (and everyone) LUCK!

Thanks for all the wonderful feedback and support,

Garth

[Allan Rahbek]

Good luck

You are a winner anyway it goes,

Allan

[Garth Herrick]

The Portrait Society of America experience was life-changing! I met so many wonderful artists (and celebtrities), many from this Forum. My painting was displayed with the twelve other finalists in the "Lake Anne" exhibition room at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Reston, Virginia, about fifteen miles outside of Washington, D.C. Ther seemed to be about eight hundred conference attendees although my numbers may be off. Supposedly, well over a thousand portraits were entered into their international competition, of which just a baker's dozen made the final cut for exhibition. Accross the board the quality of the finalist's portraits were superb, and it was indeed an honor to be included in their midst. It will literally take me weeks to follow up on all the important contacts that were made in a thousand handshakes. In the end I came out with an Honors Award with a little plexiglas "oscar" to display, a nice check and a complete pochade box from Utrechts.

I'll include some pictures: There were some of Simmie Knox and me, but they did not turn out so well. The first is of my Honors Award; the second was typical of the weekend with hundreds of attendees trying to snap their own souvenir pictures; Third, more of the same; Fourth, the PSOA staff having their group photo in the exhibition room.

There is too much to add than can be contributed in one post, so hopefully I'll expand upon the weekend in a follow up post.

I had a wonderful time!

Garth