Assumptions about a maniscalco portrait
- The portrait will portray an excellent likeness of the subject (sitter).
- The portrait will convey the personality of the sitter.
- The portrait will express a compelling story about the sitter and celebrate his/her uniqueness.
- The portrait will reflect positively upon the sitter as well as the image of the commissioning institution.
- The portrait will put a personal, compelling human face on the commissioning institution, as it is perceived by the world community at large.
- The portrait will be painted and framed using only archival quality materials.
- The portrait will remain stable for 500 years or longer, if properly cared for by the owner.
- The portrait will continue the lineage of past portraits in the collection of the individual or commissioning institution.
- The portrait will become a living, visual record of the sitter which will outlast his/her lifetime.
- The portrait will be aesthetically appealing as a work of art
- The portrait will contribute to the stature and extend the legacy of the subject.
- The portrait will exhibit a mastery of common visual elements (color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value) and will possess what is considered the accepted standard of excellence for world class portraiture.
- The portrait will exhibit a dramatic light affect which makes the subject appear as if he/she “will walk out of the painting” at any time.
- The portrait will possess a classical sensibility, while utilizing a modern palette.
- The portrait will be recognizable as having the “Maniscalco style.” Look for the dramatic, yet subtle use of light, a perfect balance between expressive looseness and a fine finish in the application of paint (referred to as “expressive realism”), dynamic pose, composition and a deep introspection, sensitivity and presence on the part of the sitter, exquisite color harmonies and compelling color vibration, and an amazing ability to convey in paint the substance and make up of objects, surfaces and atmosphere through expert use of edges, textures and values.
- The portrait will be available for reproductions by the artist and the commissioning institution by mutual permission. Artist retains copyright.
- The portrait will be considered a collaboration, in the sense that the principal parties can expect the artist to make reasonable changes to the work until they are pleased.
- No other artist will be permitted to alter the work of art.
- The portrait will be completed in a reasonable time period in accordance with an agreed time table.
- The portrait will be as close as possible to the size required by the commissioning body and meet with all specifications agreed to at the initial concept planning stage.
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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."Identity and Self"
Opening Reception and Exhibition at
Park Circle Art Gallery
4820 Jenkins Ave.
North Charleston, SC 29405
The Exhibition runs through April 26
Gallery Hours: W-F 10:30-5:30, Sat 12-4
The collection will center on how identity interferes with our true self, our true freedom, which is a central value for an artist, as well as any self-actualized individual. For instance, when I draw my idea of a thing, rather than opening myself up to the full potential contained in the thing itself, I am limiting my creative potential.
So, who are we at our core, after we strip away the names we call ourselves, the parties with whom we affiliate, the causes for which we are fighting? After all, these are all inventions of the ego, which separate us from God and the infinite. Existence consists of light on form. Light is my medium as an artist. I am a painter of the self. I am looking always for something deeper than the surface representations in my subjects. It is the true self I am looking for when I paint, whether it is an orange, a sky or a judge. ... See MoreSee Less
“The Fantasy” oil on canvas 36" x 48", invites you into that lucid dream space where imagination feels more vivid than reality. In this oil painting, a solitary figure drifts through a dreamlike landscape of softened edges and impossible light. But the story is not fixed—you’re handed a doorway.
This piece lives in the uncertainty between escape and awakening. At first glance, it feels like a beautiful dream: rich color, fluid forms, and a sense of effortless drift. But stay with it, and you begin to notice the undercurrent—a quiet question about what we run toward, and what we’re trying to leave behind.
For the thoughtful collector, “The Fantasy” becomes a mirror for their own inner world. It speaks to anyone who has ever built a private refuge in their mind: the daydreamer, the creative, the survivor, the seeker who knows that fantasies can be both sanctuary and trap. The painting doesn’t judge that impulse; it honors it, and gently asks what new possibilities might emerge when we begin to bring those inner visions into the light of our real lives.
Hung in a living room, bedroom, or reading space, “The Fantasy” doesn’t just decorate a wall—it opens a conversation. With its layered symbolism and emotional depth, it’s the kind of work people return to, again and again, discovering new details and meanings as their own story evolves. ... See MoreSee Less
"Three Little Buds" is a framed #oilpainting looking for a new home. “Three Little Buds” captures a tender moment of becoming: three rosebuds held in that brief, luminous stage before they open. The dew on their petals hints at fresh beginnings and quiet resilience after the rain. This piece speaks to anyone who feels on the edge of a new chapter—honoring both the vulnerability and the promise of what is about to bloom.
“Three Little Buds" is about beginnings and the quiet power of what hasn’t fully unfolded yet. I painted them at that in-between moment—still closed, but clearly full of life and color, with the dew clinging to them after a fresh start.
For me, the three buds might suggest three children / three important relationships / three versions of ourselves at different times, held together in the same space of light and nurtured by potential energy. The droplets are a reminder that renewal often comes right after the storm; there’s a softness and resilience there.
It’s a painting for someone who connects with the idea of growth, protection, and the beauty of what’s just about to bloom or has bloomed in their own life. ... See MoreSee Less
Here's the entire portrait. I love judicial portraits. What do you think of this portrait? Know anyone who wants a portrait legacy created? A portrait is how people know us when we're gone. ... See MoreSee Less
"Reflections on Nothingness" #existentialism This #painting is not a design choice; it’s a commitment to keep looking into the #mystery rather than numbing out. “Reflections on Nothingness” is a #meditation on the space between presence and absence—the quiet, unsettling recognition that everything we cling to is, in the end, temporary. This piece is for collectors who are not afraid to sit with the bigger questions: mortality, consciousness, and the strange beauty of existing at all. Hung in a study, retreat space, or #contemplative corner, it becomes less a decoration and more a companion for the long, honest conversations you have with yourself. Let me know if you'd like to the whole painting ... See MoreSee Less