Chris Saper's Blog, page 3
April 13, 2015
Bob Anderson, life study, 16 x 12
From Friday's Open Studio at the Prescott Mountain Artists' Guild. Bob is one of the best models at the MAG - he works at Prescott's Palace Bar (on the infamous Whiskey Row) and has fabulous western costumes he wears daily. He was authentic right down to his boots and spurs, but I would never have enough time to paint the whole look in a three hour session!
April 5, 2015
Brushwork detail, William Whitaker: American Artist
Having received the most gracious email from artist Donna Colleran, whose beautiful portrait also won an ward last week, I'm posting some additional details as requested. I particularly enjoy the process of just putting the paint on the surface and then leaving it alone. Sometimes very hard to resist smoothing it all out, sigh.
March 29, 2015
Portrait Artists of Arizona's Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition and Sale, March 28 - April 24
On Saturday night, the Scottsdale Artists' School hosted the opening reception for the PAOA's Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition. Together, more than thirty artists were represented, showing over 50 original portraits, all of which will hang through April 23, 2015.
With thanks to Judge Nancy Chaboun, the Scottsdale Artists' School and the Portrait Artists of Arizona, I was completely thrilled to be awarded Best of Show for my portrait, "William Whitaker: American Artist".
The exhibit is free and open to the public during the Scottsdale Artists' School's regular hours Monday through Saturday.
Here are just a few pics from the show:
Above: Portrait artist Chris Saper with two her entries, a self portrait and "William Whitaker: American Artist", which took the Best of Show award
Above: Jim Garrison with his portrait of a firefighter
Above: artist Rosalie Vaccaro with her triptych
Above: Jean Hildebrant's portrait
Above: my portrait of NY artist Oscar Peterson
Above: Patti Georgas being hospitable!
Above: Legacy Gallery's Scott Jones and thinking about thinking about our upcoming presentation. We will need to think about that some more.
A gorgeous Phoenix evening for outdoor Awards Ceremony.
I don't have much more in the way of pics but the PAOA website link at the top of this blog, and also on the links at the right will take you to more photos.
With thanks to Judge Nancy Chaboun, the Scottsdale Artists' School and the Portrait Artists of Arizona, I was completely thrilled to be awarded Best of Show for my portrait, "William Whitaker: American Artist".
The exhibit is free and open to the public during the Scottsdale Artists' School's regular hours Monday through Saturday.
Here are just a few pics from the show:
Above: Portrait artist Chris Saper with two her entries, a self portrait and "William Whitaker: American Artist", which took the Best of Show award
Above: Jim Garrison with his portrait of a firefighter
Above: artist Rosalie Vaccaro with her triptych 
Above: Jean Hildebrant's portrait
Above: my portrait of NY artist Oscar Peterson
Above: Patti Georgas being hospitable!
Above: Legacy Gallery's Scott Jones and thinking about thinking about our upcoming presentation. We will need to think about that some more.
A gorgeous Phoenix evening for outdoor Awards Ceremony.I don't have much more in the way of pics but the PAOA website link at the top of this blog, and also on the links at the right will take you to more photos.
March 27, 2015
"Our Great Hope", Contemporary Children’s Portraits April 9 - May 23, 2015 Portraits Inc, NYC Gallery - Opening Reception Thursday, April 9th 6 - 8 pm
The newly opened Portraits Inc Gallery on Manhattan's Upper East Side is hosting an exhibit showcasing a number of its portrait artists, featuring children's portraits. Curator Michael Gormley continues to dazzle NYC patrons with his selections, hosting events that are both elegant and cozy in the gorgeous new digs at 6 E 92nd St.
I am really thrilled that he selected four of my portraits for the exhibit, shown below.
Above: "Mary in Blue", oil, 12 x 12
Above, "Max", oil 20 x 16
Above, "Grace" oil, 12 x 9
Above, "Sam", oil, 20 x 16
The portraits are on exhibit through May 23rd, and I hope you'll stop in if you are in the area!
March 23, 2015
Jaren, Freedom 58 Project, Oil, 16 x 20
Some months ago I was contacted by Bob Swenson, director of the Freedom 58 Project , which is working to raise awareness of the fact that there are some 30 million slaves in the world today, and 2 million children annually trafficked in the sex trade, a $32 Billion criminal enterprise that is rapidly growing and threatens to become worse each year. Women and children, some of whom are as young as 6 years old, constitute the majority of victims.
Freedom 58 has invited a number of portrait artists to paint images of those who have been rescued from sex-trafficking to create traveling exhibits. The art exhibits are dedicated to raising awareness about modern day slavery and other forms of violent oppression, and they are a component of the Justice Movement strategy to mobilize university students, faculty and communities in this endeavor. The exhibits are designed to be displayed at various venues such as schools, libraries, museums, churches and numerous events.
Artists of various disciplines donate a portrait (or their interpretation) of people who were formerly enslaved and/or oppressed from actual case stories supplied by participating organizations. The secondary purpose of the exhibits are to drive people to the web site Freedom58project.com for more information, resources and opportunities for action.
My subject, Jaren, is a young woman who was rescued from slavery in the far east.
If you would like more information or, as an artist, would like to volunteer to paint for the Project, please follow the contact information on the website or reach out to Bob Swenson at fsland@gmail.com.
Freedom 58 has invited a number of portrait artists to paint images of those who have been rescued from sex-trafficking to create traveling exhibits. The art exhibits are dedicated to raising awareness about modern day slavery and other forms of violent oppression, and they are a component of the Justice Movement strategy to mobilize university students, faculty and communities in this endeavor. The exhibits are designed to be displayed at various venues such as schools, libraries, museums, churches and numerous events.
Artists of various disciplines donate a portrait (or their interpretation) of people who were formerly enslaved and/or oppressed from actual case stories supplied by participating organizations. The secondary purpose of the exhibits are to drive people to the web site Freedom58project.com for more information, resources and opportunities for action.
My subject, Jaren, is a young woman who was rescued from slavery in the far east.
If you would like more information or, as an artist, would like to volunteer to paint for the Project, please follow the contact information on the website or reach out to Bob Swenson at fsland@gmail.com.
January 3, 2015
...and what about those female self-portraits?
“The third in a series where we explore the female self-portrait in contemporary realism.
When we show our self-portraits, one of the more common questions is why we’re so serious.
If we’ve spent the better part of the month staring at ourselves in the mirror, trying to perfect a likeness on a face so familiar you don’t even know WHAT it truly looks like anymore, the answer should be obvious. But, the general public…and the people who know and love you…want to see you smiling and happy like you are in your Facebook party posts. That’s how they know you. Not as an intense art professional perfecting their craft.”
And so begins the Portrait Society of America's Cecilia Beaux Forum blog post I read this morning. And brings me to this just-fresh-off-the-easel self-portrait, and wondering if I should just start out 2015 with angst and guilt, you know, just to save time having to apologize through the rest of the year.
As I've grown older I find that I have become more private, not less, despite, or maybe because of, the ubiquity of the share-it-all social media influence. I have more flaws than I can count, and no, I do not want to bare them in my self-portrait. I have no issue with artists who do, it’s just that I'm not one of them. I enjoy and respect all portraits that carry sincerity, discipline and skill, and in no way would diminish another painter’s choice about what to show.
If you take the time to get to know me, you will be able to discover some of my numerous flaws all on your own, and I am more than willing to share. And that is the part that I wish to keep personal. In a self-portrait, we each get to choose which of our personae we want to show. Sometimes that is the best part of what we keep in our hearts, sometimes it’s how we’d like to be perceived by others, sometimes demanding that others see us naked. Your painting, your choice. Here is mine.
When we show our self-portraits, one of the more common questions is why we’re so serious.
If we’ve spent the better part of the month staring at ourselves in the mirror, trying to perfect a likeness on a face so familiar you don’t even know WHAT it truly looks like anymore, the answer should be obvious. But, the general public…and the people who know and love you…want to see you smiling and happy like you are in your Facebook party posts. That’s how they know you. Not as an intense art professional perfecting their craft.”
And so begins the Portrait Society of America's Cecilia Beaux Forum blog post I read this morning. And brings me to this just-fresh-off-the-easel self-portrait, and wondering if I should just start out 2015 with angst and guilt, you know, just to save time having to apologize through the rest of the year.
As I've grown older I find that I have become more private, not less, despite, or maybe because of, the ubiquity of the share-it-all social media influence. I have more flaws than I can count, and no, I do not want to bare them in my self-portrait. I have no issue with artists who do, it’s just that I'm not one of them. I enjoy and respect all portraits that carry sincerity, discipline and skill, and in no way would diminish another painter’s choice about what to show.
If you take the time to get to know me, you will be able to discover some of my numerous flaws all on your own, and I am more than willing to share. And that is the part that I wish to keep personal. In a self-portrait, we each get to choose which of our personae we want to show. Sometimes that is the best part of what we keep in our hearts, sometimes it’s how we’d like to be perceived by others, sometimes demanding that others see us naked. Your painting, your choice. Here is mine.
November 20, 2014
"Today's Portraits: Emerging Artists and Leading Masters" - Portraits Inc at Manhattan's Salmagundi Club
New York City's iconic Salmagundi Club hosted this fabulous exhibit showcasing works by selected Portraits, Inc. artists this past weekend, and it was a gorgeous show! Partners Julia Baughman, Beverly McNeil and Ruth Reeves, along with curating host Michael Gormley have worked tirelessly (well, actually they were all probably very tired by the end, but not that you'd know it by their astonishing energy levels) to put together an exquisite gallery event.
Below are some pics from the Opening Reception on Friday November 14, 2014.
All quiet, beforehand...
...and a wonderful crowd arrives...
...and a bunch of mug shots, with all of The Usual Suspects:)
Below, with Burton Silverman, one of my mentors and heroes, in front of my portrait of him:
Below, Portraits Inc partner Julia Baughman with artist Kerri Gibbs
Paul Wyse and Burt Silverman:
...yours truly with my friend and mentor, John Howard Sanden, and Portraits Inc partner Ruth Reeves...
Artists friends, Laurel Stern Boeck, Patty Watwood, Ed and Deb
I can't tell you how relieved I was that Burt's self-portrait wasn't right next to my portrait of him, sigh:) It was such a stunner!
...and finally my painting below:)
Burton Silverman: American Artist, oil 28 x 28
Below are some pics from the Opening Reception on Friday November 14, 2014.
All quiet, beforehand...
...and a wonderful crowd arrives...
...and a bunch of mug shots, with all of The Usual Suspects:)
Below, with Burton Silverman, one of my mentors and heroes, in front of my portrait of him:
Below, Portraits Inc partner Julia Baughman with artist Kerri Gibbs
Paul Wyse and Burt Silverman:
...yours truly with my friend and mentor, John Howard Sanden, and Portraits Inc partner Ruth Reeves...
Artists friends, Laurel Stern Boeck, Patty Watwood, Ed and Deb
I can't tell you how relieved I was that Burt's self-portrait wasn't right next to my portrait of him, sigh:) It was such a stunner!
...and finally my painting below:)
Burton Silverman: American Artist, oil 28 x 28
November 7, 2014
Julie, Life study, 20 x 16, charcoal
My favorite Prescott model, Julie, drawn this morning in Open Studio.
October 27, 2014
Just completed: "Megan", oil, 20 x 16
I loved meeting this lovely child, she is as sweet as she is beautiful. In this painting, I wanted to capture her quiet, inquisitive nature and patient demeanor.
October 19, 2014
Kathy, life study, 20 x 16, October 2014
Last Friday's Open Studio at the Mountain Artists Guild...so here is what I wanted to work on during the session: using more paint, thicker paint, and gaining more variety in brushwork. I misjudged my composition thinking I'd have time to add more scarf and sweater to the right....I usually spend a lot of time before I even start, especially with a profile view, to place the head correctly. If were to frame this, I'd crop to fit on 18 x 14 stretchers.
