Join Mary Whyte at the 2012 The Art of the Portrait

Mary Whyte, Waiting, 24 1/2 x 19 1/4", Watercolor

In Mary Whyte's Conference Insider she addresses the idea of obtaining a likeness in portraiture,"Getting a likeness is only the beginning of making a great portrait painting.  Too often portrait artists focus on the goal of copying their sitter’s features, and think little of the painting’s overall concept, feeling and composition.  Artists sometimes mistakenly believe that if they get the model’s nose length and eye color exactly right, only then will the painting be a success.  What is important to remember is that when viewing a portrait, we respond to the feeling of the work before we scrutinize the sitter’s features.  The ultimate success of a portrait depends not on how well we recognize the model's features, but on how well we respond to the feeling of the person's character as portrayed in the painting."

If you want to hear more from Mary Whyte we hope you will join us at our 14th annual The Art of the Portrait conference, May 24-27, 2012 in Philadelphia, along with 28 other leading artists.  You will be able to see Mary Whyte in the following programs:

Thursday, May 24,from 5:00-7:30 you can watch Mary Whyte demonstrate her approach to the portrait, along with 14 other artists in the Face-Off . Artists will be painting in groups of 3, models dressed in colonial garb. A real treat for the eye!

On Friday, May 25, from 2 2:00-3:30p Mary will present work from her Working South exhibition along with New Works by Daniel Greene and Alexandra Tyng .

You can join Mary Whyte for the special Lunch and Learn program on Saturday, 1;00-2:00pm where you can gather for an informal lunch and discussion about art.

Make sure you stay for Sunday, May 27 from 9:00-10:00a so you can hear Mary talk about The Various Paths to Success with Michael Shane Neal and Bart Lindstrom.

To register visit: www.portraitsociety.org