SOLVED. YA/children's novel, artist assistant, the artist paints people as they really are. [s]

[Lulu]

I read this book in the early 80s, I think. A teenaged girl(?) becomes an assistant to an artist. An older woman comes in for a portrait sitting regularly. The assistant sees a mannikin dressed as a majorette or cheerleader in the corner. At the end we learn the artist always does a portrait as requested but then does a personal painting depicting the subject as he sees them. He has painted the woman as a middle-aged majorette / cheerleader. Her husband accidently sees the second painting and loves it and buys it. Anyone remember this?

[Rainbowheart]

The Cheese Stands Alone?

[Lulu]

Hmm, I don't think so. The review doesn't mention an artist or job, and I don't remember a group of friends, but it was a long time ago! Thanks for the suggestion.

[Rainbowheart]

There's definitely an adult male artist, a young girl, and portrait painting, but I'm not sure if she works as his assistant or not.

This review has some more info....

The Cheese Stands Alone takes place on an island where the same families have been summering for generations and the same five children, now in their teens, have formed a closely knit Pack since pail and shovel days. Daisy's fifteenth summer begins unpromisingly when the Pack's only other female member shows up in a bikini and boggles the boys -- Pan, Wiggles and even Uno with whom Daisy had always come first; they immediately change her nickname from Stinky to Boobs. By the time that Uno forgets Boobs for drama coach Mrs. Darnell and the private "extra coaching" she provides for the older boys, Daisy is posing secretly for Mr. Potter, a thirtyish portrait painter and object of consuming speculation among the temporarily husbandless mothers. Overheard snatches of the mothers' gossip and concern about her own mother's brief tennis affair with Pan's father shake Daisy's faith in grownup infallibility, but more important is the confidence in herself, undermined by Boobs' impact, that Mr. Potter helps to restore with his uncondescending conversation and one mutually surprising kiss. And when in the last days of summer Daisy's interest turns to Pan, whose kisses promise "dark passions" even though he isn't a Scorpio, we know that's not the end -- simply a good place to be at the time.

[Lulu]

I think mine was a lot lighter - probably more children's book than young adult now that I think of it.

[Rainbowheart]

I'll keep looking!

When you say you read it early '80s, would that be 1984 at the latest?

[Lulu]

Okay I just searched google books and found it -
The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin. I remembered it was an author I liked at the time - at first I thought it was ME Kerr but couldn't find the book among her works. I LOVED The Westing Game as a kid, makes sense that I read more of Raskin's books.

[Rainbowheart]

Oh, awesome, glad you found it!

The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues for the link.

[Lulu]

Thank you!!