Portrait Artist Statement
BEING A PORTRAIT ARTIST
My goal as a portrait painter is first that of an artist. I am committed to creating paintings that will stand the test of time as compelling works of art, alive with the personality of both artist and subject. They have intrinsic value as works of art.
I think of my work as a celebration and affirmation of life.
Each portrait is an adventure, exploring the unique character and personal strengths of my sitters. A love of people and a deep interest in the human experience is key to my work. It’s not about how you look, it’s about who you are. My training as a painter, actor and musician have all increased my interest in capturing this quintessential dynamic with authority, authenticity and compassion.
Over the years I’ve come to appreciate the transubstantiation of image-to-feeling inherent in a great oil-on-canvas portrait. Nothing else has the power to capture the personality and character of the subject for the ages. Being a portrait artist is about exploring the lyricism of character and dynamics of personality within the painted surface. More than a photograph made to look like a painting, my portraits are the real thing. They are brimming with life. I can’t tell you how many times people have told me it feels as though my subjects could walk right out of the painted surface.
My larger goal as an artist is to explore the full range of my medium, which is light. I have developed several bodies of work exploring a variety of structures and subjects, but the poetry of light on form keeps coming back into my work. Light is the force that reveals the subtleties of nature, particularly the human condition. My work is all about what it is to be human and expresses our journey toward the light. Another theme which runs through all my work is something I call surTHRIVal. We are all on a journey of survival, to make the best of what we are given. My larger purpose as an artist is to find and celebrate the many creative ways humans find to overcome and grow as a result of this journey.
Would you like to get inspiration in your inbox, rather than ads for more stuff? Welcome to ManiscalcoGallery.com
Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
What is existence? Are we really spiritual beings, made in God's image? #existence #charlestonsc #painting #artcollector ... See MoreSee Less
This dramatic, colorful, painterly, expressive self-portrait is an example of what I can do for you. ... See MoreSee Less
Thanks Robbin.
As Americans marked Presidents’ Day — a holiday traditionally reserved for honoring the nation’s leaders, their legacies and the arc of presidential history — Donald Trump found himself in the middle of a growing controversy over how his legacy is framed in one of the country’s most revered cultural institutions.
Trump reportedly requested that the Smithsonian Institution commission a new official presidential portrait that would encapsulate both his nonconsecutive terms — a departure from the usual practice of unveiling an official painted portrait only after a president leaves office. An earlier portrait commissioned after his first term, painted by the late Ronald Sherr, was never displayed because Trump was running for reelection when it was completed. But now, Trump wants a different image to represent his full tenure. At the same time, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has already stirred debate by replacing Trump’s previous photographic portrait in the “America’s Presidents” exhibition and stripping wall text that noted his two impeachments and the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The new display features a stark image by White House photographer Daniel Torok with minimal context, a contrast to other presidents’ portraits, which still include fuller biographical captions. At the same time, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has already stirred debate by replacing Trump’s previous photographic portrait in the “America’s Presidents” exhibition and stripping wall text that noted his two impeachments and the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The new display features a stark image by White House photographer Daniel Torok with minimal context, a contrast to other presidents’ portraits, which still include fuller biographical captions. ... See MoreSee Less
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.... See MoreSee Less
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.A looser approach to this demo ... See MoreSee Less
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.First self portrait in a while. I didn't see the point unless o had a spin on the genre. ... See MoreSee Less
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.