Raise the Roof!
Almost a quarter of a century ago, the most prominent portrait artists, at the time, came together in a synergy of commitment and action and established the Portrait Society of America. Today the Portrait Society is a vibrant and active non-profit organization with a broad base of support and a focus on elevating portraiture and keeping the rich tradition alive and well.
Our goal was to create a conduit for the sharing of ideas, creating opportunities for mentorships, and inspiring one another. Two decades later and these ideals remain our focus and we can reflect on our success through the establishment of 22 programs and 4 publications.
Several years ago, Teresa Mattos was invited by long-time member Jennifer Welty to attend The Art of the Portrait conference. At the time she was painting murals but had always been enamored with figurative art and contemporary portraiture. She was impressed by the prominent artists that took their time away from their busy studios to share their knowledge and experience. The information they shared about our unique field was essential to her growth. It was an eye-opening experience, and one which led her to, sell her ladders and scaffolding and make the leap to portraiture. Teresa says, “I never would have attempted the climb without the advice and inspiration from those further up the trail.”
Jennifer extended the invitation to Teresa because the Portrait Society has played such an important role in her own art career for the past 20 plus years. She says, "Not only did the Society raise the art of classical Portraiture back into the eye of the very Art World and the general public, it held such high standards of excellence so that, personally, I was constantly inspired and challenged to improve my art skills every year. When one of my paintings was selected to be one of the top 10 finalists in the International Portrait Competition, Portraits Inc. invited me to join them for representation. We have enjoyed a wonderful working relationship for 18 years, and now they represent me exclusively. The Portrait Society is also special to me because four generations of my family have attended over the years- my mother, my daughter and my granddaughter have all been conference attendees! I really cannot begin to measure the impact on my career that PSA has had, but I know I am deeply grateful!"
I hope we’ve had a positive influence on your own artistic journey, and today I we are asking our supporters to consider a year-end donation to the Portrait Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, where your donations are tax deductible. In 2016 after many years of renting, we purchased our own headquarters and benefited greatly from the stability this has provided, especially during the current real estate and rental prices. Last week we got the news that we need a new roof and to avoid additional repairs from current leaks, we will need it by the end of the year.
So, for this year, we are designating our annual appeal funds towards a “Raise the Roof” campaign to help offset the unbudgeted expense of a new roof ($17,000). Donations can be made in honor or memory of a loved one. We have four levels of giving and if you contribute $100 or more, your name (or designed loved one) will be included in our ‘wall of donors.’
The past two years have brought trying times, we’ve been unable to travel or spend time with others. Despite the difficulties, I would imagine most of our members turned to art to lift your spirits. Art strengthens us, informs us, and sustains us in times both good and bad. Possibly we’ve never understood that more clearly than now.
As we prepare to return to meeting in-person next year, April 21-24, 2022, in Atlanta I look forward to the future with great anticipation of our continued impact on the world of portraiture and the individual artist.
Sincerely,
Christine Egnoski
P.S. Since the Portrait Society of America is a 501(C)(3) so your donation to the "Raise the Roof" campaign is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution. Your donation can also be made in honor or memory of a loved one. CLICK HERE TO DONATE and list their name on the form so that we can include that on the donor's plaque.
