Off-Roading

I am an off-road kind of girl. Mountains or beaches, you ask? Uh, mountains, please! Hands down I'll choose trees and rocks over water and sand. Trees... oh, how I love trees! I think it's because I grew up in the Midwest, where trees are everywhere, always changing, and always with character and personalities of their own. I grew up on 40 acres of woods. Whenever I needed an escape, and a moment of quiet... I would retreat to the wooded trails. Thankfully, though Dallas is flat and boring, there is still an oasis nearby. I pass by this particular tree when I walk my dog. It's rather ordinary, yet majestic - shading the dirt trail at the nature preserve just ten minutes from my house. I have wanted to paint it for a long time, and this morning, I did. There were mosquitoes bi… Read more »

Off-Roading

In Memorium: Arthur Thomas

This week, I lost a friend. I first met Mr. Arthur Thomas in fall of 2003, on the steps of Central Hall at Hillsdale College. It was my first day there as a freshman, but I knew instantly who he was. Earlier that summer, my twin sister and I had done a portrait of him. The college paid us for it, but it was also kind of a "test" to see whether or not we qualified for art scholarships. Mr. Thomas had donated substantial funds to the Hillsdale music department in honor of his late wife, and as is customary at Hillsdale, a portrait of him was then commissioned to acknowledge his generosity. Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thomas, by Anna & Emily Holsclaw - colored pencil - 2003 Emily and I worked on the portrait together, and when it was finished, we were proud of our efforts, a… Read more »

In Memorium: Arthur Thomas

Recap: "Face-Off" at the Portrait Society

I spent Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia, enjoying the incredible "Art of the Portrait" conference that is put on each year by the Portrait Society of America. One of the highlights of the event is the "Face-Off" competition, which kicks off the weekend activities with great momentum. Conference attendees get a chance to sit and watch their favorite artists do an alla prima portrait from start to finish, but the twist is that it's not just one artist working... there are actually fifteen  of them, all painting at once from live models! Most attendees choose to wander in circles around the artists so they can try and take it all in. The energy and excitement in the room is contagious. Each artist tries to do his or her best possible work in less than three hours,… Read more »

Recap: "Face-Off" at the Portrait Society