Another Pennsylvanian joins!

[Molly Sherrick Phifer]

Greetings all!

I am thrilled to be able to participate here. It is through this forum that I have learned most of what I know about portraiture. I began working seriously on portraits just a few months ago, though my interest extends back decades. Having retired from corporate work a couple of years ago to pursue home self-employment, I found that I finally could make the time for artwork. Little did I realize how all consuming it would become!

I have spent most of my time working on head studies and slowly working my way toward incorporating more of the figure. My medium at present is pastel, though I am open to expanding at some point.

I am attaching two recent works, my sons ages 13 and 7.

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi Molly,

Welcome to the forum. You have a fine sense of color and drawing. How much is a few months, 78 ?

Allan

[Mary Sparrow]

Hi Molly, Welcome! I like these portraits and look forward to seeing more.

[Molly Sherrick Phifer]

Thank you Allan and Mary for the warm welcome!

Allen, you're too kind. To be honest, four months ago, my drawing skills were in the range of "can place features in the correct spot". Since then, I read Harold Speed's and Chris Saper's books, did lots of homework and studied the critiques sections of this forum carefully.

I did have the advantage of being the daughter of an accomplished artist, so I learned a great deal about how to see things from my mother. The fact that she could paint a captivating likeness of a person from memory was probably one of the reasons I failed to pursue artwork at an earlier age. I always figured that if I couldn't do what she did, then I wasn't an artist. Well, I'm over that feeling now.

I hope that I will continue to improve and that someday soon I'll be able to paint an entire person!

[Terri Ficenec]

Welcome Molly! These are beautiful. Isn't it amazing what you can learn on this forum? Hope to see more of your work soon.

[Heidi Maiers]

Hi Molly,
So glad to see that you have emerged from the shadows and are showing your work here. These lovely pieces look even better embedded in this beautiful website.
Welcome aboard and as you know, you will find a lot of stimulating discussion, constructive critisism, and heart felt encouragement here.

[Cynthia Leininger]

These are nice.

[Linda Brandon]

Welcome to the Forum, Molly! I love the moisture in these boys eyes. I can tell that you have a special touch with children and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work here.

[Garth Herrick]

Molly, as a fellow Pennsylvanian (and artist) may I welcome you too. I'm about an hour away in Philadelphia (Germantown). Have you studied art locally? Your portraits are lovely and very sensitive. We all have so much to gain from this Forum. I look forward to more posted dialogs and visuals from you.

Garth

[Molly Sherrick Phifer]

What an incredibly warm welcome!

Terri, so nice to hear form you. I love the work you've been posting! I used to live up in Nashua NH, practically a neighbor. I also was in software development for most of my career! Glad to know the big switch can work! You are definitely an inspiration to me.

Heidi, thank you for stopping in to say hello. Can't wait to see more of your work! I've been itching to try some sculpture.

Cynthia - thank you so much. I know we're both going to have a great time getting to know these wonderful people!

Linda, thank you! I adore your style. What more can I say?!

Garth, I am really happy to have a welcome from you. The Philadelphia area is such a great place for artists and it is surely nice to have more portrait artists nearby. I wish I could say that I had studied in the area, but no. I have no formal training at all. Unless you count drafting class during Engineering School, that is! I aim to pursue formal instruction as soon as I can. If you have any particular recommendations of instruction in the area, please let me know!