Best Portrait Artists: Learning from the Best

Thinking back as I work on some new children's commissions as to how indebted I am to Connie Pratt, Constance Flavell Pratt, who used to teach on the Cape for weeklong classes. I regard her workshops to be where I learned the most in terms of personal study of the face and finding ways to capture the nuances of planes and values.

Above is a photo of her from a meet and greet art occasion and of me painting from the model in about 2002.

Choosing your Medium for your Portrait

The art buyer often needs to make some decisions when commissioning a portrait. One of the first is the Medium. I discussed this in an earlier blog, but I thought it'd be nice to show the wider view of a pastel I did a few years ago. It shows the strokes in the pastel.

Pastels are a subtle, but glorious medium. Choosing pastel sticks for a little child's portrait is a marvel. You see the buttery skin tones in the pastel boxes, but it's also deceptive as there is always so much more going on that the artist is thinking about to capture the face. I was able to study over a few summers with Constance Flavell Pratt and learned so much about the medium.

Pastels are framed with glass to protect them. I think it's the fragile nature of them that captures our hearts. However, do not let the fragile aspect put you off from choosing this medium if you love it. Mary Cassatt's pastels need no introduction and they are from the late 1800's. Pastels from about 1770 by Jean-Baptiste Simeon Chardin hang at the Louvre, as well as those by Maurice-Quentin de La Tour. I was able to see works by those artists over the summer and they were exquisite. Just remember to hang your pastel out of the direct sunlight to avoid fading of the subtle tones and also try to keep it in a low-humidity environment (never in a basement for storage.)


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.

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.

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.

Figure Studies

These are figure studies from a weekly class I took a number of years back with Bob Cormier, a Boston School trained artist who himself studied for years under R.H. Ives Gammell. I have been fortunate to study with some of the top Master Artists of our time.

We had all kinds of fantastic models who wore fabulous outfits. Sometimes they told us recipes for salmon, other times they dozed off and sometimes they didn't show, but then we'd hear stories from Mr. Cormier and paint from reference. It was a great time no matter what.

"Master Artist Study" Approx size 26 x 18
"Lady in Yellow Dress" Approx size 25 x 18
"Lady in Fur Collar" Approx size 23 x 18

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.

Connie Pratt talk for the Wellesley Society of Artists

It was a pleasure to see Connie and her sister Jane at the Wellesley Community Center today. Connie gave a slide show of her long career in portraiture and courtroom drawing. Here she is above at one of her most important trials— the "shoebomber". Connie painted many pastel portraits over her career, as well as taught.


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.

Pastel Landscape Study—Green Dust!

Here is a pastel sketch for an oil. I believe I could paint five paintings off my reference—at least. A favorite spot of mine nearby.

To see more of my Landscape 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.

Constance Flavell Pratt to demonstrate at the Wellesley Community Center

Constance Flavell Pratt, a Master pastel artist, will be demonstrating at the Wellesley Community Center for the Wellesley Society of Artists on October 4th from 2-4 pm.

Connie was one of my first portrait teachers and one of the best. We painted from the model all day, with a new model each day. By the end of the week, my drawing skills and ability to match color values were keen.(Although one always works on these major skills over their lifetime.)

Connie, a lovely, demure, humble lady speeds off to Boston for the thrill of capturing courtroom scenes for WCVB-TV in Boston Federal Court. She shared some of her stories and sketches. Her sister Jane, was always a joy to see at these workshops as well.

I will always be grateful to Connie for de-mystifying how to work with pastels and for the great start she gave me in portraiture.


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.

"Emily in Blue Dress" a Finalist in the Fall 2009 Exhibition of the Portrait Society of Atlanta

I am very happy to announce that my portrait "Emily in Blue Dress" has been juried in as a Finalist at the 2009 Fall Exhibition of The Portrait Society of Atlanta. I am one of 22 finalists in this national competition, which is an indeed an honor, as judging is by premier artist Michael Shane Neal, who has painted illustrious figures including Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and U.S. Senator Bill First (having completed over 400 commissioned portraits), as well as received landscape painting awards from the National Arts Club and the Audubon Artists of America.

"Emily in Blue Dress" will be on display at the Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth, Georgia from September 17th to Dec. 31st. If you're in the area be sure to stop by for this lovely exhibition!

To see of my portrait commissions gallery 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.

Interviewed: on the Other Side of the Camera

It was indeed interesting to be on the other side of the camera today, to get that perspective that my portrait subjects have.

Wellesley Cable Channel's Associate Producer, Rachel Appel took an interest in my paintings recently and asked to stop by to interview me and film my work. The air date, which will be in a few weeks, to be announced for any interested local residents.


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.

The Wyeth Family: Mastery in three generations and lessons learned for today's Artists in Finding their Path

From the top, first photograph of Rudolf Nureyev and Jamie Wyeth, Seagull painting by Jamie Wyeth, "Trodden Weed" by Andrew Wyeth, "Robin Hood Shooting" illustration by N.C Wyeth, and a photograph of N.C. Wyeth at the easel.

One of the most fascinating art families in American history is the Wyeth family. What child who ever read "Treasure Island" or "Last of the Mohigans" with the works by N.C. Wyeth was not enthralled by the heart-stopping illustrations and deported to another place? His works leap off the page in use of color, dramatic lighting, costume, character, draftsmanship and imagination. Utterly brilliant works. I was thrilled when I freelanced at Silver Burdett and Ginn, designing children's language arts textbook pages and packaging for program materials in the art department, and got to see two of N.C.'s original paintings casually hanging in one of the conference rooms. Later, I would visit the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, Maine with great interest.

N.C. Wyeth was a truly gifted father who dressed up in Santa outfts and created a magical childhood for his 5 children. They all romped around in the incredible costumes he used for his paintings, in plays etc. He bought elaborate soldier sets for Andrew who was a sickly child and allowed him to stay home and be home-schooled, as he was too sensitive and delicate for regular school. N.C. was extraordinarily perceptive about his children and nurtured their own gifts. He quickly learned that one son who as a baby would move his pram during nap time, was fascinated by the wheels turning and therefore he was more of an engineer intellectually and changed his name.

N.C. Wyeth was disgruntled later in his life as he watched his son Andrew become a famous fine artist. On one hand he could not have been prouder and happier, but it made him question himself and his own path of choosing to become a profitable illustrator. It eroded his centered-self and consequently created some major family issues. What a tragedy that he did not fully appreciate his own powerful gifts and leave it at that, while building up a new body of fine artwork. But he simply couldn't be happy with what he'd done and work positively forward. He experienced deep unrest. He was also extremely envious of the role Andrew's wife Betsy would take in his life, as she would help steer and control Andrew's path, taking this cherished role from N.C. N.C. would later die a seismically tragic death with his grandson in his stalled car at a train track, his arm out of the car in a futile effort motioning to the conductor to please stop.

Andrew Wyeth was of course a fabulous artist too, but with a sharply different viewpoint. His work was not like N.C.'s, but both were fabulous artists.

Jamie Wyeth, son of Andrew, is also a fascinating artist who has manage to carve out his own place in the family (consider how hard that could be) who creates passionate, unusual works/series such as his seagull series which I saw at the Farnsworth Museum, while also being able to paint stunningly sensitive portraits. His works on Rudolf Nureyev are incredibly intriguing and how wonderful is it that he fully captured this exquisite dancer before his death.

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.

30 Minute Charcoal Sketch— Joy

Recently we Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists were invited to create 30 minute sketches in conjunction with the Greenwich Arts Council's Arts to the Avenue event (on May 16, 2009 from 12 -4 pm). I mulled over the invitation and finally thought, yes, why not. Why? Because to draw/paint from life is always a blessing. Imagine someone before you sitting rock still for 30 minutes while you draw.

So if you are in the area, please stop by.


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.

Master Art Teachers

Today my hat is off to teachers who give so much of their time, energy and knowledge; while at times juggling important commissions schedules around class schedules.

Master Artists I have studied with: Constance Flavell Pratt (Copley Society, Master Artist in pastel), Bob Cormier (Boston School trained artist, we painted beautifully dressed models in natural light), Michael Shane Neal (wonderful workshop in advanced oil painting) and Everett Raymond Kinstler (workshops by 2nd generation student of John Singer Sargent; ERK a famed, beloved artist of 6 U.S. Presidents). These teachers are the ones who have had the most impact on my work and my inner constitution.

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.