The Artist's Eye

Portrait Painter Patricia Haskins McWilliams

One of the great benefits of being a portrait photographer is the opportunity to meet many people from all walks of life in different surrounds. Working with Brentwood portrait painter Patricia Haskins McWilliams in her studio home was such a delight. I particularly enjoyed seeing her "working" light and painting setup.

 

Having being raised in an artistic family, I love watching artists mix their paints, choose their brushes and analyize their work as they apply those style-defining brush strokes.

Patricia's work is incredible. She defines her style as impressionistic realism and her clientele does cover the whole US. I might add she is a founding member of Portrait Society of America and the Portrait Institute of New York.

When Patricia called and asked me to come over and photograph her with her newest painting, I was so excited and couldn't wait. As a bonus, she invited the subject to join her in the photographic portrait I created of her. The painting is of Dr. Albert Lemmons  who has served for last 9-1/2 years on the ministry staff of Fourth Avenue Church of Christ. This beautiful painting of him really captures his personality and spirit in Patricia's flowing style of impressionism painting.

This is a detail photograph showing Patricia's brush strokes and portrayal of Dr. Lemmons.

My final portrait of Patricia and her dog, Rusty.

More paintings

I have gotten so much response from the last blog on Marylee's portrait that I wanted to share with you some other recent works. These were all done over the holidays and are created as oil paintings in the Rembrandt style and some watercolors of fun things I have seen. All of it has been extremely satisfying and fun. Great subjects to learn on.

The smoke in The Man with a Pipe was a challenge, but upon recalling some 17th c. paintings of tavern scenes I have studied in books and museums, my approach became very easy.

Monument Valley in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, may be my favorite as is the Man with the Pipe whom I photographed last summer in Clarksville, Tennessee. Note I have included 2 different interpretations of that painting, one has more texture in the scene. I really do like the window view from Normandy, France; and Hunter, Alice Hendry's son, was sitting on the lawn at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum in Nashville, when I saw him doing a pencil sketch of the tulips, another very talented person.

Enjoy,
David

Completion of a new portrait

In December, I was commissioned by an organization to create a lasting portrait of their retiring executive director, Marylee Booth. Camera in hand along with an entire studio, I set up the scene in their boardroom and photographed Marylee and all of the staff. I then worked the image in the computer with normal art work enhancements and then I began the painting process in the computer. Sent the image out for printing and then the real and final work began, painting Marylee in acrylics. All in all, about 6 weeks and what a pleasure it has been.

Do note the closeup of the hand painting is not mine, but rather my mother's. She has been a painter most of her life creating wonderful landscapes, documenting old buildings before their demise, and portraits all in oil, watercolors and acrylics. So you see I come by it naturally. I really have to thank my painter/computer teacher, Pam Hawkins, of Nashville State Tech for teaching and guiding me along the painter route in the computer. I have been taking painter courses and seminars from others through the years, but Pam really made it happen for me. Thank you Pam.

What a delight and change of pace to do something creative in another direction and explore the world of painting. I may do another blog just to show the variety of paintings I have been working on.

So you all have been wondering what has become of my blog in recent months. Between the weddings, album production, many, many bridal appointments and my paintings, blogging had to take a back seat. But we are back and enjoy as I unfold many more images from the past 3 months. For now, here is Marylee and my painting process.