My goal with every portrait is to express the sitter's presence in life. When I feel like the subject can walk out of the canvas, I know I am there.
wife, mother, portrait artist
hi, i'm whitney
Connecting with people through the portrait process and getting to know them is a beautiful byproduct of creating a painting.
Whitney began her journey as an artist in New Zealand, where she was immersed in a liberal arts-focused education at an early age. She credits her experience in Auckland over a three-year period as the inspiration for her major life work.
Soon after, in 1987, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. Her studies were becoming well-rounded at this point, with the melding of the conservative, natural approach to painting in New Zealand, and the more conceptually driven approach to art at VCU. Both extremes contributed to the art she produces today, as well as the disciplined work she undertook during 15 years of mural painting.
Whitney was fortunate to study under Stephen Quiller, John Lovett, and Patric Whelan. A few of her greatest influences are Norman Rockwell and Vermeer, and she is currently studying Andrew Tischler.
the journey
– THOMAS MERTON
Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.
