PROJECT ONWARD

Portrait Project

Michael Bryant

Larry Chestnut

Andrew Hall

Adam Hines

David Holt

Chuckie Johnson

Fernando Ramirez

Sereno Wilson

George Zuniga

On-site portrait drawings have greatly helped Project Onward artists in the areas of earned income, development of technical skills, artistic innovation, and communication with the public. The market for art has shifted along with the general downturn in the economy, and Project Onward responded in 2009 by offering affordable ($20) portrait sittings with individual artists. These small-scale custom portraits have allowed our artists to earn respectable commissions at a time when their larger, gallery-oriented projects have not been selling.

By rendering live subjects in a short amount of time, and working on several portrait projects per week, these artists have sharpened their skills noticeably, and, building on their own progress, have begun to see themselves as expert portraitists. Likewise, a continual influx of portrait projects has led several artists to experiment with new techniques and materials, including painting portraits on wine bottles, and using glitter in place of paint for dazzling effects.

Most important, the portrait project has provided countless opportunities for one-on-one contact between members of the public and an artist with a disability. At once intimate and professional, a portrait sitting with a working artist offers a safe, structured means of communicating, and it is a satisfying transaction for both parties. In this context, art provides the common ground between people who might otherwise never encounter each other. Many visitors to our gallery are surprised to find that such a service exists, and are delighted to get to know an artist (or several artists) in the course of having their portrait made.

At the end of a session, the visitor has a one-of-a-kind, custom-made work of art and a great story to tell. The artist, meanwhile, has the satisfaction of another happy customer and payment for services rendered. Just as the artists’ technical skills are greatly improved by the continual practice of portraiture, so the process helps each artist become more comfortable interacting with the general public.