Old-School Portrait Painting

This is my young protege, Antoine who often works beside me at the park.

I have done many commissioned portraits over the years and it remains one of my favorite kinds of art making experiences.

When someone comes along with the right combination of enthusiasm, love of art, belief in my abilities, and the money in their pocket- the stars align and I go to work to bring something very beautiful into the world through the heart of a servant.

To describe this process is like stepping back into time. Imagine a time before we had the camera? If we consider our long human history of cultural evolution, having an artist record our visage was our only option for a very, very long time. I just happen to choose to step back into that old river of tradition when I make a portrait because that’s how I can get the best result and have the most joyful experience at the same time.

“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.” Robert Henri

Maybe knowing this is why being displaced someday by AI isn’t my concern. Artists live from the very epicenter of creative adaptation, a sort of ‘I create there for I am’ like artesian wells they tap a self-renewing source.

I chose not to work from photography. I don’t use my phone to capture images for reference later. I used to but I don’t anymore. I have made this personal commitment in order to keep myself in an environment that keeps me continually relying on my own raw human capabilities to see what is most essential in the quickly passing moment.

Antoine, a working drawing for the painted portrait

So this is what I propose. Plan a trip to Paris and have me paint your portrait. Maybe it includes you with someone you love. Perhaps you would like me to paint your children. Be brave and contact me. We can work out the details together. Think of it as a collaboration to bring something beautiful into the world together. Let’s do this!

Richard Beerhorst - +33 6 68 49 53 33