Who would paint YOUR portrait
 

This is a sticky question, but I'm surprised it hasn't already been asked:

Of all artists alive today, who would you commission to paint your own portrait. Money and geography are not an issue, but it must be a living artist, and it can't be yourself.

I'm not even certain what my own answer would be, but I'd lean toward Odd Nerdrum. Don't throw stones. His painting style is exceptional, and he wouldn't paint a boring portrait. I love his portrait of his daughter.

So who would you choose?

Here's a link to Nerdrum's daughter's portrait. I think they kept the jpeg quality deliberately low to discourage copyright infringements.

http://www.nerdrum.com/works/index.php?id=34

Being insignificant as a wisp of smoke in the historical winds, art and otherwise, I hope never to have my portrait painted, and indeed I would refuse the sitting. I dislike even posing for family photographs. I do not wish to be remembered at all, save by family and friends, and there only in memory and story and incident (of which there have been some). This likely seems at odds with my professional intentions, which are to convince others that they should pay me to paint their portraits, for posterity . . . and so on.

I like to paint or draw portraits of a person in the moment, but not

I don't like being portrayed to be honest. Maybe a self-portrait one day...

;)

My answer to the question: Scott Bartner
www.bartner.com

That is a tricky question, not because of insulting anyone, but because of vanity!

I love Stephen Gjertson's work. Wow. But he is SO clear. I would not want MY face that clear.

If I were to have a portrait painted of myself though, it would have to be someone I could twist & manipulate so that I could look exactly as attractive as I wish I were! That is highly unlikely so I may have to paint one myself. Can I still call it a self-portrait if it is more fantasy than reality?

Yuqi Wang
 

I hope I spelled his name right. Like Steven I don't like to have my picture taken, I'd much rather do it than "be" it. But if I had to, I put myself in a rock filled beach, with trees and wind and have Yuqi Wang do it. And I would have to be surrounded by animals.

Jean

I'm afraid I'm also in the "don't want my photo taken." Not at this age. I try to stand behind others in group shots.

Self-ish
 

I have heard it often stated that, "any lawyer who would represent himself must have a fool for a client."

That said I would still be interested in having Marvin Mattelson paint mine.

Another vote for Nerdrum
 

Although I don't like having my picture taken, painted worse, but I would also choose Odd Nerdrum to do my portrait. I definitely wouldn't want it like "Self portrait in Golden Cape". :o

I wonder how he "held that pose" for so long.

Administrator's Note: Anyone interested in being in on the joke, can see it here: http://www.artsiteguide.com/nerdrum Jeff, you may start competing with Mike McCarty for humor.

:D Joining you on the fools list, I have already had Carl Toboika paint mine, and he's almost done. He's cheap with paint though, he only did an 8x10, and he painted it backwards like it was done in a mirror too (bet Shanks wouldn't think to paint me like that).

Having someone paint your portrait is way better than getting a photograph. Wait a sec, isn't that what we tell our shy clients?

That said, I'm voting to get more than one. I'd hate to be pinned down by anyone's opinion, so I'd like more of a survey approach. I'll take one Odd Nerdrum, one Tony Ryder, and one Elizabeth Marie Vigee le Brun. That should about cover it; I can interpolate a perfected visage from those. Hey, this is for posterity right? I want my grandkids thinking I was a deep, subtle, interesting.... Well, hottie. To be perfectly honest.

The artist I would choose would depend on whether I wanted beauty or truth (in my case, the two are not the same thing!) For beauty I'd choose Sanden, for truth, Shanks.

Steven,

I see that you have discovered that Shiner, Texas beer, brewed(?) about an hour SSE of Austin. It's fermented from twice used and three times rejected tamale husks. That stuff will really impair your judgement.

I believe that some day Colleen Lilah McCarty will do a killer portrait of her father.

They brew that? I assumed it was boiled. Go figure.

I have a lot to learn about Texas. And a short attention span on the topic so far. I think I'm in trouble. Hook 'em, Horns, and all that. (Oh, and, Go Sooners!) [How 'bout dem Vikings, den?] When in Texas, talk football, I've learned.

Hey . . . maybe some of the Horns' parents would commission portraits of their NFL-hopefuls. Burnt orange skin tones, of course, with some kind of blue complement -- the "ever-blue" Texas skies perhaps, or a bluebonnet montage.

Sorry, gotta run. I'm working on an idea . . .

P.S. Directions, Mike, I need accurate GPS-quality directions to the brewery. Including back home.

Vanity fair
 

To keep my answer as simple as the question and because I am 15 months away from the big 50 and have always thought I was a throwback from the 19th century, it would have to be our own Karin Wells. That would be an honor.

Steven,

Being a native Yankee then moving to TX 10 years ago, I hear ya. If I get one more person ask me to paint Bluebonnets I am gonna crack.

I finally sold out and did one. As long as I never paint a still life with boots and a saddle I'll hang onto my honor a bit.

The real name of the Bluebonnet painting is "HERE! Buy the **** flowers, Y'ALL"

Here in Louisiana, they like magnolias. I wouldn't paint one on a bet :)

Send that commission to me, I'll do it. Old Montana farm kid here. Gave up horses when I discovered motorcycles. Still have the boots, and a hat by golly (though it's an Aussie Akubra, not a U.S. of A. Stetson).

I'd paste in here a good saddle and boots shot, but I don't really have permission (though it would be okay) and it's not a portrait (which is kind of against the grain). I'll email it to you and to anyone who requests it.

You got it cowboy.

I'm sure your boot painting would sell faster than my snow scenes here. People come in and ask, "Is snow really that color?" I am always amazed at people who have never seen snow. My own kids do not remember it. I'm ashamed.

There is a cowboy artist in a small town down the road, Sabinal I think, who makes a fine living only painting real working cowboys. He is very good. I think he mostly goes to the rodeos to sell them. I'll try & find his name. He has a beautiful coffee table book out on his work.

Simple Answer: Bill Whitaker

I would be very pleased to own an original painting by many artists including Nelson Shanks. After all, this being hypothetical and money being no object. But since I am an artist with limited income and even less fame the truth is the chance of me owning a Shanks or Whitaker original are slim.

You find what you look for
 

Jeff, your question has motivated me to work out in my own mind what I think is the paramount goal of a portrait - to reveal the intelligent humanity of a subject. All the surface considerations of painting - of style, technique, painterliness, classicism, underpainting, etc. - matter little to me compared to what appears to be going on in the subject's head.

What matters most to me is than an artist has found the subject to be an interesting, compelling and intelligent human being. All people have some kind of intelligence which has nothing at all to do with level of education, social class or physical appearance. It's the duty of the artist to find it and reveal it. When I see a painting of a person who looks vapid, insipid, dull or sappy, I NEVER blame the subject. I blame the artist for either: 1. not finding the better part of the subject; 2. not having the technique to portray expression; or 3. not having the taste to know what's going on.

I think portraying intelligence on canvas is very difficult and maybe indefinable. Take a look around the artists on the SOG site and ask yourself which artists have managed to find intelligent, interesting, personable and intriguing subjects. When I make my own private lists of artists I love and artists I can't stand, invariably it's the artists who can articulate intelligent human expression that make the grade.

Jeff started a sensitive topic, (Jeff in Chinese is Jie Fu, means "standout"), in which Cynthia interested. (I mean Cynthia Daniel, Daniel--fair-minded judge). Shall Our forum not be ignored by those candidates?

Many lessons were in choosing a right artist, Sargent for one, is a wrong one to paint those generals.
One coin has two sides, who in art history would you least consider to paint your portrait?

Lucien Freud.

Easy! Picasso, it's taken mega money and therapy to put my fragments back together. Last thing I want is to see me split up again!:D

Jean

James Childs - NOT
 

Hello, S.B.

This is a very mischievous twist you've spun on Jeff's original question. I like Lucien Freud very much, and I'm sure he would do a good job on a portrait of me. I'm not sure what Picasso would have made of me, but my intuition tells me that I'd have had nothing to fear from him.

What really brings beads of sweat to my forehead, raises the hairs on the back of my neck, and turns my bowels to water is the prospect of having James Childs do to me what he has done to poor Mr. Forbes in the portrait below.

It would have to be be either William Whitaker or Sebastian Kruger. Kruger would show the truth with humorous but unerring honesty; W.Whitaker would somehow make the bags under my eyes appear dignified. I could never ask for more than that.

Dear John Zeissig:

Thanks for your candid post. I have a print done by James Childs, if it is the one you mentioned.

Our guideline is, if I recall correctly, that no attack on a living artist, so firstly quit me from any accusation; however, I'm curious about what is your criticism, argument, on this painting, so all of us can learn.

Let's keep this on a positive vein - "who would" rather than "who would not."

Thanks

Greetings, S.B.

I

Dean John,
Thanks! I knew your remark on me is out of goodwill, you may read my post again. I am more than happy to know you and hear more from you. I might introduce your works to my art students at my upcoming trip.
There are some artists I admire in its fullest meaning, I will certainly tell Chinese students
that we should learn from those superb American artists, whose sincerity, quality of work set a highest standard for us to look upon.

[QUOTE] I think that the forum

I'd paint myself and freely indulge in shameless flattery. Not having the stress of thinking that a client might be critical nor worrying about liking the painted result appeals to me.

Karen,

You go girl. Why not have the best.

My top picks would be painterly guys like Morgan Weistling, Skip Liepke, Jeremy Lipking, Richard Schmidt. I think none of these guys accept portrait commissions anyway, but this is a fantasy, right?

The Easiest Question, By Far...
 

Why, it would be.......Lucian Freud!

Yes, I admire Mr. Schmidt, whom I benefited from in a great deal.

BEST PAINTERS
Musea is beginning a series of the best painters of the Western World (Renaissance to now). We start with PORTRAIT PAINTERS. Who's the best? Our choices may surprise you.

* * *

Best Painters: Portraits

Best Mother & Child Painters: Mary Cassatt. This "American in Paris' became an Impressionist (with a little help from Degas). But her to-this-day, way undervalued mother & child paintings are the best there are. These children LOOK like they're related (no easy task) and the bond between mother and child was never better painted (or chalked). Runners up: Raphael, the rock star of the Renaissance loved ladies and they loved him, and it shows in his Madonna with child paintings. Renoir. He idealized his woman and children but he was never cloying. How did he do that?

Best Painters of the High & Mighty: Diego Rodriguesz De Silva Velazquez. The painter's painter (and perhaps the worlds best) did everything right. His portraits are set in real space somehow, and they have, not skin but layers of skin. He was stuck with the protruding lip, fat jawed King Phillip IV, but he managed some extraordinary portraits of other, more interesting people of the Spanish court. Runners up: Holbein the Younger. Court painter to King Henry VIII (he kept his head while painting) Erasmus, Thomas More, Henry and the rest. An amazing mix of dignity and stillness; plus, he drew portraits even better. Titian. His 99? Years gave him time to do all the notables of that time, and develope a hazy style that preceded the Impressionists by a zillion years.

Best Painters of the Working & Meek: a tie between 2 Netherlanders: Bruegel & Van Gogh. Bruegel, 'the peasant painter' was better than almost anyone at painting the masses - working or playing. Ex. See his 'Children's Games' with all the contemporary children's games categorized in paint. And Van Gogh: Vincent lived, worked, and zealously praised the working men (though they thought he was NUTS) He painted not kings & queens - but weavers, farmers, and the postman.

Best Religious Painter: El Greco. Gaze at one of his many paintings of Saints - enough said!

Best Modern Portrait Painter: Modigliani. The Italian did nothging BUT portraits (that and drinking). A mix of African art, and vivid color make these portraits very special. Note those of his wife Jeanne, who committed suicide soon after Modi's death.

And Finally

Best Portrait Painter of Them All: Frans Hals. No one did people better period. He could do laughing children with all the innocence of a child or a stooped old lady with all the cares of the world on her shoulders (see the portrait in the Houston Museum of Art) or even a group of hardy musketeers. Fleeting moments - ageless moments, they're all here. And always these people ENGAGE you eye to eye (and often laughing in good humor as they do) Few works but all very fine!

Runners up: Rembrandt had better technical skill than Hals, and was and is more famous for his more emotional and diverse work. Goya painted everybody from Kings to madmen (see the Meadows insane asylum painting). An enlightened painter with a deep humanity.

(And still we haven't talked about Rubens, Durer, Van Dyke, Eakins, ... sorry - no more room on this canvas!)