Just to let you know how last night went, meeting this portrait artist who takes students individually.
His paintings are beautiful, very realistic. His house is full of oils and pastels. However the newest painting hanging in the house is almost 15 years old. But it is a beautiful portrait which I immediately recognized as one I had seen at a show several years ago. It really stuck in my mind and I was so suprised to be standing in front of a piece I remembered falling in love with. He could have sold me then and there, but then his students started to arrive . . .
His studio is a family room-turn classroom with good easels and good lighting. About ten easels were set up and I was there until his students came, an interesting range of ages from gradeschool to middle age. A couple of them had some very nice pastel portraits going which were commissions. Some of the other students' work was pretty weak. One girl was drawing from a magazine pic of Julia Roberts - yuck!
He showed interest in my drawings and asked if I was getting commissions, what was I charging, etc. He told me what he felt I could charge. Well, this is not exactly what I care about right now. I want to grow as an artist more than I want to earn money (though I would never turn down a chance to make a buck here or there!!) He waxed on about how successful his students are at making a living off their art. I asked why he does not have a live model in his class anymore (he had told me he used to, years ago) and he said it was because everyone was interested in working on their own commissions with their reference photographs. He said he does not just teach you how to paint realistic portraits but he helps you start your own business.
I saw that several students had terrible reference photos - studio photography, magazine pics, flash photos! That's when I figured this was not the guy for me!
I would rather save my $30/week until I have enough to take a class with Marvin!!
And so it goes . . .
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