Studio post · April 16, 2026
On Monday I returned to Seattle after a weekend in Atlanta for the Portrait Society of America’s annual conference. I had the privilege of serving as a faculty member this year, including a live portrait demonstration on Friday evening. Painting from life in front of an audience is a particular kind of test and one that leaves nowhere to hide. The result wasn’t the best painting I’ve ever made by any means, but it was also far from the worst. And more importantly, it marked a new step and some valuable experience moving forward. I was also glad to represent the fellowship in that context. There’s real curiosity about what we’re building in Seattle, and I came away feeling that I’d contributed to shaping a positive impression of our program and its ambitions. The conference itself continues to be one of the most valuable gatherings in contemporary representational painting. It’s equal parts recalibration and ignition. You’re reminded very quickly that serious figurative work is not only alive, but thriving and being pushed forward by artists who are deeply committed to craft. That kind of environment has a clarifying effect. It reinforces the sense that this is the right pursuit for me, and that the standards are high. Practically speaking, it’s also an opportunity to refine technique, absorb new approaches, and add a few more tools to my artistic toolbag. Just as important, it’s a place to build relationships. Each year I leave with a handful of new connections that continue to shape the trajectory of my work. I recommend the conference without hesitation to anyone serious about figurative art and portrait painting in particular. Next year it will be held in Washington, D.C., and I’m already looking forward to returning. Experiences like this exist just outside the day-to-day rhythm of the fellowship, but the flexibility of the program made it possible. It felt like a worthwhile detour and the perfect side quest to ultimately feed back into the larger work I’m doing here in Seattle.