Mattelson workshop

[Julie Deane]

John, it was a pleasure meeting you today. Nice portfolio, too. Sorry we had to leave before seeing it all.

We have a few hours to complete our portraits tomorrow. This has been an exhilarating but exhausting two weeks. I'm tired but very happy with what I've been learning.

Here's the portrait so far. Getting an exact color balance is iffy, but this is fairly close, except it is actually slightly lighter than it appears when I post (at least on my home monitor).

[John Reidy]

Julie,

It was a real pleasure meeting you and thank you so much for your kind words. Your painting is beautiful and the color is excellent. The post here is close but can't do it justice.

I am so pleased to have attended the workshop lecture. Marvin reinvigorated me and validated some issues that I was struggling with. I give Marvin my highest regards for his generous nature to share with us. I know you agree.

I am looking forward to exchanging posts with you and give my best to Patty and my congratulations.

As a side note later that evening I received a commision and am planning my next trip for a meeting with the mother for a painting of her two daughters. The couple are friends whom I stayed with that night and they were interested in my reason in visiting the workshop. I had my portfolio and "ta-da" things fell in place with much credit going to Marvin not only for creating my reason to go to Atlanta but for energizing my marketing/selling side. If you can, please pass on the good news to Marvin for me (better yet, I'll tell him myself).

I love it when a plan comes together.

[Julie Deane]

Congratulations, John! That's wonderful news!

I'm posting how the portrait finally ended up. The colors and values are not quite right, but It's hard to get it just right online.

Marvin was so helpful - I'd be struggling, and he'd come over and remind me of something he had mentioned in his lectures, I'd apply it, and woila! it would improve considerably.

[Julie Deane]

Here's a closeup.

[Julie Deane]

Here's a shot of Marvin's beautiful portrait. I tried to get a closeup, but the shot came out blurry. His portraits have so much "dimensionality" that they seem to pop off the canvas in real life.

[Julie Deane]

And here's Marvin - putting on the final brushstrokes?

[Janel Maples]

Ha! Julie, you brought back a memory from my 2005 Las Vegas two week workshop with Marvin. At the end of the day, we were sitting around the studio talking and I was
looking at the photos I took during the day. Like this photo, you saw the model and the painting of the model. Like this photo, when photographed, it is my opinion that the painting looks more like real skin than the model does.

Great job on Patty by the way.