Portrait subject Sarah returns

One of my portrait commission subjects, Sarah, has returned from 2 1/2 months in Taiwan. It's always nice to see the portrait subject with the painting and to compare a bit after the interval of painting. A few small adjustments later——I believe it was 4 brushstrokes her Mom counted——and I am set to varnish and deliver.

The finished oil painting, with better resolution/ saturation, will be up on my website within a week or two.


www.soniahale.com

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Best of Worldwide Portrait and Figurative Artists: my page layout

The art department has done a fabulous job with the spread featuring my paintings, which will be printed early next year in the Best of Worldwide Portrait and Figurative Artists. I'm so pleased they contacted me to ask to include my images. I am truly honored to be featured in this book.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Sea Street, Dennis Morning

A Study from late summer

9" x 12"
Sea Street, Dennis Morning

to see more of my Cape Cod oil paintings click here

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Painting from Life: the Portrait Sitting

While I do not require a sitting with my portrait subjects, it's always a pleasure to get to know my subjects better and to observe from life while chatting. I promise you it is not a sleepy event; but a nice time to learn a bit more about each other. It's truly a pleasure and honor to paint my subjects and I do appreciate when they are able to take the time to stop by. Even just one hour can be a very beneficial experience and personalizes the painted commission.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Choosing between Pastel vs. Oil Portraits

Can you tell which is the oil and which is the pastel? The boy is in oil, and the girl pastel.

I am often asked about the pros and cons of pastel vs. oil portraiture. I studied under Constance Flavell Pratt for pastel portraiture, learning the nuances of handling of this lovely, ethereal medium. I have worked in both pastel and oil for portraiture for over ten years now, and have painted in oil for decades.

Both are timeless works of art, however pastels are intrinsically more delicate. A pastel is essentially chalk on paper; though archival, elite materials are used. Like a butterfly, a baby, a rainbow, I believe we love pastels for their delicacy; how they capture a tenderness of life, but like all delicate things you have to be more watchful not to incur damage.

What do I mean by damage?

—Water/mildew: Never, ever store a pastel (or any work of art for that matter) in a basement.

—Pastels must be hung out of direct sunlight to prevent the fading of color pigments.

—The unframed surface is easily marred since most artists do not spray-fix them as that alters the delicate colors. Until they are framed with glass do not let the cat check it out! As an artist I have heard stories of rambunctious children waltzing into rooms and ruining pieces in the works still in studios.

—Take extra care when hanging/transporting the framed piece as it is in glass. At an art exhibition the organizers were trying out new hanging apparatus and artwork was dropping to the floor. I pulled out my pastel early.

Of course these types of events are fairly rare, but I feel that the ideal owner of a pastel is be a careful person who will watch out for their art and remember they must take good care of it.

Oils are more resilient and framing costs can be less for the same size piece: sometimes that can mean that it is a better "buy" to purchase the oil, if you prefer oil, as the price will be about the same as a consumer, with the purchase of the painting and the frame in total. Framing a pastel is an elaborate process of a custom-cut double matt, glass and frame. However if you want a rainbow, sometimes you are willing to go the extra half-mile for it!

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum—a Boston treasure not to be missed

"The task is to find and create a humane milieu for works of art, a humane environment for all art which will not repel mankind, but attract him."
Matthew Prichard to Gardner 1908

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is one of the jewels of Boston: a gorgeous 15th century Venetian palace in the heart of Boston filled with the finest works of all ages... one simply could not duplicate this enchanting place if one wished. Packed with art stacked on walls from the masters of all ages one could spend a full day in one room alone and not be done. There are oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, and etchings by Rembrandt, Dewing, Hassam, Dennis Bunker Miller, Sargent, Anders Zorn, Vermeer, Matisse, Titian, Rubens, Turner, Whistler . . . and the courtyard is exquisitely beautiful and always seasonally appointed with stunning flowers. It is a work of art in it's own right and incorporates Greek and Roman statuary into its design.

Personally as an artist I have trouble seeing what I wish to see at times. I would like to tweak the lighting and the rope placement. My feeling now is that the museum is about the passion and love of art, not the study of a particular artist's work— so one must soak up the environment and not make any particular plans as one can be immensely frustrated by works in dim, high corners. However, in the end one walks out so fully appreciative of the overall gift of this Venetian Mansion to Boston. Isabella started out as a wealthy mom, but tragically lost her son Jackie when he was a baby of two years old in 1865. She hence flung herself into trips to Europe, meeting and collecting from the finest artists of her time with the help of Bernard Berenson,who was her right hand in these matters of collecting. She sought to create an unprecedented, glorious museum with the plan to give it back to all of us to enjoy.

Also important to note is that she was eccentric and left unwavering rules about rooms not being altered after her death. There are fun biographies to be read about her parties with the powerful and wealthy of her time and her unconventional behavior.

The Harvard Museum's Fogg Art Museum is closed and being renovated http://harvardmagazine.com/breaking-news/harvard-fogg-art-museum-renovation with an anticipated reopening in 2013, so this is now the best small art museum in Boston to visit in my opinion. It is being renovated as well. . but is still open and I highly recommend a stop in. . or several stops in. . .

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

My portraits were recently chosen to be included in the Best of Worldwide Portrait and Figurative Artists book

I am very happy to announce that my portraits will be reproduced in the Best of Worldwide Portrait and Figurative Artists book this fall. There will be a two-page full color spread. I was chosen out of "thousands of artists both on and off line".

I will post a photograph of the pages once the book comes out.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist living in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Testimonials: Unsolicited comments about my Commissioned Portrait paintings

I am speechless! Sonia, it is simply lovely! Thank you so much!

Sonia, this is really wonderful. I am so in awe of your talent.
Wowee! It is even more amazing than the photo shows. The colors, the light -- the skin tones.

Thank you SO much, Caroline for making this happen. I agree with Laura, I think M&D will be absolutely thrilled!

Good Morning Sonia,
Thanks for sending the painting of my mother. I love it ! I tried printing it on photo paper but my printer needs adjustment to accept the heavy paper. Will keep trying as it will be a focal piece on the wall where I have a xxx memorabilia collection.

Dear Sonia
Mailing me a photograph of my mother would be much appreciated. (referring to the painting of his mother)

Beautiful. I just want to sit here with it for a while.

The painting has a glow and lights up the library.

It is impossible to thank you properly, but we will treasure this portrait always.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Painting on the Cape

Painting outdoors is becoming fascinating to me. It's a real challenge to quickly capture one's surroundings with all the stimulus: cars, inquisitive adults and children, cyclists and a local photographer who sent an image into the Cape Cod Communitiy Times and took the image above. I always appreciate everyone's interest in my work.

To see my Cape Cod gallery paintings click here

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Opening Day and Unveilings at Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library in Dudley, Massaschusetts

Today was the emotional culmination of 10-15 years of planning by the Crawford family and several months of work on my part. The stunning new library was opened with the entire family present from all over the country. The thought and care that went into this gorgeous library was truly heartfelt—–from the teen room where there were tall stools with welcoming and warm decor and computers for the teens to access, as well as cafe-style booths; to murals depicting the charming Dudley town, including one on which showed the time the library opened on the church clock (11:10 am); to an on-going Powerpoint slide show commemorating the family's history. The family with its history of owning mills locally is remarkably generous to provide such a stunning place for the Dudley community to be able to enjoy for decades to come.

It was a delight to work with all the Crawfords who I met along the way through this journey and I was truly honored to be chosen to paint two portraits for them: the posthumous portrait of the library's namesake: Pearle L. Crawford and a double portrait of the predominant benefactors Hugh and Harriet Crawford, Jr.

Also please note the exquisite framing on both paintings. The framing was completed by Page-Waterman Gallery in Wellesley. They placed the oval liner on the painting of Pearle in addition to the frame as we requested. You can always count on Page-Waterman for perfection in framing. They have never let me down.


www.soniahale.com

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

For Boston area art lovers: N.C. Wyeth paintings and other works at the Needham Public Library

One of the more exciting things as an art lover is when you come upon one of your favorite artist's paintings unexpectedly. I have been aware of the N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) paintings at the Needham Public Library in Needham, MA but had more time to spend looking at them recently. N.C. was extraordinary in his ability to create dramatic works of art. He used every device at his disposal to do so. The raw emotion he was able to emit is memorable. In his lifetime N.C. created over 3000 works and more than 100 book illustrations!

N.C. (Newell Convers) Wyeth was born on the outskirts of Needham in 1882. He displayed an early aptitude for art and studied locally before being sent to be part of an elite group of artists studying under Howard Pyle, one of the most prominent illustrators of his time.

The Needham Public Library owns 14 works by NC Wyeth. I will add some photos soon. The library was designed in 1914 and renovated in about 2005-7. The architectural/design firm Ann Beha of Boston utilized NC Wyeth's paintings an an integral role in the interior design.

I highly recommend art and book lovers take time to see the lovely works in Needham and don't forget pick up a few books to read while you're at it.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Robert Cormier, Boston Schooled trained arist 1932-2010

above: Bob Cormier, "Man with the Fur Collar" pastel, created when the artist was 24 year old

I studied with Bob briefly, less than a half year on a weekly basis after a friend invited me into the class, but his words echo in my head from time to time as I paint and they inform me.

Bob was a Boston-School trained artist, who studied with the famed R.H. Ives Gammell, who himself had trained with William M. Paxton, who had studied with the French painter Jean-Leon Gerome. I did not study long enough or intensively enough to be a part of this lineage myself, but I enjoyed being in Bob's company and under his wing as we painted beautifully dressed models from life each week in natural light. One of the fellow artists and I recently thought about how we would love to still be able to attend this class to paint from life and enjoy the company of Bob and the other artists.

Bob was a kind man who gently steered. He spent time with me spraying a pastel so I could add more layers. He encouraged me to expand my range. There are a few things I learned from Bob which I have no doubt I will take with me for my entire life, and what a gift that is.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Pond in Spring

Here is one of my latest pondscapes. A mostly plein air piece with a few touch ups back in the studio. (I went back to adjust the saturation of this painting on my computer. Sometimes images will look different from one computer to another too.)

Oil on linen. 14" x 18"

To see more of my landscape gallery paintings click here

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Plein Air painting at the Pond

Plein air painting/painting from life is important to me. Here my set up with the 2 geese posing from last week. The geese and wildlife did not make it into my painting! I will post the new completed painting soon. Witnessing life firsthand—to have one's senses a part of the equation is a good thing that can only enhance one's work.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Thoughts on Portrait Likeness and Character: my portrait subjects are the Stars

Just as an actress seeks to become the character, I seek to find my portrait subject's character. For posthumous paintings I get to know the subject by talking with the family. Ultimately my goal is to bring out the best of the person on my canvases and to make them the star, to shine.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Another great conference: 2010 Portrait Society of America conference in Washington D.C.

I'm back to work in my studio in full force this week, very much inspired after an action-packed few days in Washington, D.C. The Portrait Society of America's annual conference is filled with painting demonstrations, lectures, bus trips to local museums, a banquet to celebrate the top portrait artists in the country and this year even offered a wonderful mystery art sale.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

"Brooke" juried into the Spring 2010 Portrait Society of Atlanta Exhibtion

I am pleased to announce that my full-length painting, "Brooke", has been juried into the Spring 2010 Portrait Society of Atlanta exhibition. For those in the Atlanta, Georgia locale, the show will run from May 6th to May 28th at the Gallery at Paper Mill Village in Marietta, Georgia. The highly-esteemed artist, Dawn Whitelaw, is the judge.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com.

Mary Brewster Hazelton 1868-1953, a Wellesley-born artist who studied with Edmund Charles Tarbell and Abroad

Last night I attended a very exciting lecture held at the Wellesley Free Library. Laura Ziman, an art instructor, brought four of Mary Brewster Hazelton's works, including a portrait and three landscapes which were very Impressionistic in style and discussed her life briefly. To be honest there are more questions than answers about this intriguing artist, but the attendees were able to provide some salient bits of information too. Her studies originated with the conservative Boston School style (Tarbell), but she came to experiment with the Impressionistic movement, as she studied abroad during an exciting time, when photography was born, so ultra realistic works were not as in vogue.

I will provide a follow-up blog entry when I learn more and have a bit more time. I believe Mary Brewster Hazelton may have been on the same tier as Cecilia Beaux and Mary Cassatt, two other prominent female artists from the same time period who also choose not to marry in order to pursue life-long painting. I will venture to say John Singer Sargent might have agreed, as he is said to have held Ms. Hazelton's work in high esteem.

Ms. Hazelton's works are in the collections of Harvard University, the Massachusetts State House and the Peabody Essex Museum.

I love that Ms. Hazelton painted landscapes, still lives and portraits. She was the true, full artist recording her Impressions of the world throughout her life.


Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Manomet Cliffs in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Last summer we visited friends who rent a lovely cottage on the cliffs of Manomet in Plymouth, Massachusetts every summer. The cliffs are truly inspiring and are reminiscent of European vistas. The other aspect to this area is, of course, the history of the Mayflower landing not far away. I love the feeling of history in this area and imagining the Indians and Pilgrims looking out at the ocean years and years ago.

Manomet Cliffs, 16" x 20"

To see more of my Cape Cod oil paintings click here

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists presents award to Everett Raymond Kinstler

The photos above are from the CSOPA presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Everett Raymond Kinstler yesterday at UCONN in Stamford, Connecticut. In introductory remarks Mr. Kinstler's illustrious years of painting six U.S. presidents, actresses/actors such as Katherine Hepburn and Paul Newman, and others including Donald Trump and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani were noted. In addition the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery owns over 100 of his works.

Shane Neal presented the award to Mr. Kinstler after his wonderful roast heralding Mr. Kinstler's many charming characteristics. Those who have been able to attend his workshops and receive mentoring on any level have been touched by his warmth and generosity. A few years back at the 2008 Portrait Society of America conference he spoke about the vast number of Artists who had influenced his work, and especially those who had been teachers/friends, "They made my life richer." That can most certainly be said about Mr. Kinstler to this generation of artists. He has seen the majority of the portraits I have painted over the past decade, since the time I was bringing portraits into the Copley Society for him to critique in the early 2000's. I have had critiques from him that made me dig deep to work harder to be worthy. He has been prodding me, telling me how to do it better, always.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

The artistic lineage of Everett Raymond Kinstler: authenticity

The photos above are of Ray Kinstler demonstrating at the Art Student's League in New York in 2006.

I recently received an email requesting more in-depth information regarding my statement that ERK is a second-generation student of John Singer Sargent. Who was my source for this information and who exactly did Mr. Kinstler learn from?

Mr. Kinstler's protégée, Shane Neal, who is himself a premier Master painter: www.michaelshaneneal.com, mentioned the lineage a few years back. In addition here are more details. Gordon Stevenson studied with John Singer Sargent and Joaquin Sorolla. (Sorolla has been, I would say, of near equal influence on Mr. Kinstler. ) Stevenson took a liking to Ray Kinstler and he shared with him lessons from Sargent and Sorolla. Ray also was taught by Frank DuMond, and James Montgomery Flagg who also knew/met/traveled within the circles of Mr Sargent. There is more to the story, but I'm going to stop there.

Mr. Kinstler is being honored in Connecticut next Friday, February 5th, by the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (CSOPA), of which I am a member. Shane will be presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Kinstler.

Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.