The Portrait Painter

For the past several months, I have painted three commissioned portraits. Normally, I do not consider myself a portrait painter; however, as an ex-medical illustrator, I believe that portraiture is part of my lexicon. Besides I love making the human face come alive!

The first two of the portraits I painted are images of Amy and Henry Gernhardt, friends who live in Cedar Key and who own and manage Cedar Key Pottery. Henry’s ceramic sculptures and Amy’s pottery are exhibited widely in this country and in Canada. I have posted the images below.

When you are in our area, be sure to stop by Amy and Henry’s studio to view their amazing work. Cedar Key Pottery is a wonderful place to visit!

I worked on the two Gernhardt paintings in several stages. First, I made journey daybook pages at Amy’s home and studio. I made photographs there and collected bits of ephemera that seemed important to Amy and Henry. I collaged the gathered materials to create a unique painting surface. In the final stage, I made a painting of each of my friends, based on my sketches and the photographs that I made, and I worked each portrait into the individual collaged surface.

The third of the portraits that I recently completed is a portrait of Howard Powell - a Cedar Key friend and former originator of the process of pressure-treating wood. The intention of Howard’s portrait was that it would be a surprise. You may remember that I visited Howard’s garden and made journey daybook pages at Howard’s home several times earlier this year. The collaged materials for this painting were collected collaboratively by Howard’s wife, Sally, by my friend, Sue, and by me from my earlier drawings. For the portrait, I worked largely from a black and white commercial photograph of Howard. My challenge was to give the portrait life. To do this, I worked from both spiritual and memory cues, I believe that I achieved my goal.