Long-running portrait group meets weekly at Butler Art Center
Jon Pugliese said his artwork is greatly improved by talking.
When painting a portrait, it helps him to have the subject right in front of him so he can talk to them, ask them questions and see their facial expression change to get a well-rounded piece. Pugliese got all the time he needed when he and several other artists sat down with 17-year-old Mae Schiebel, who modeled for the Butler Art Center’s portrait group Wednesday, July 19.
“You can get the persona of a person and learn about them,” said Pugliese, a retired high school art teacher who lives in Butler. “If you can get their essence in the sketch it’s really cool.”
According to Terry Hagan, a past president of the Associated Artists of Butler County, the portrait group started decades ago, and the Butler Art Center has been hosting groups every Wednesday afternoon for years.
“It started 45 years ago, it was a group of women in their house,” Hagan said. “It has been going a long time.”
The portrait group has been able to continue, Hagan said, thanks to donations of time by people who attend the sketching sessions to model. He said members of the group organize the model schedule on their own, and artists bring in a different person each time.
The reward for the models is they get several different depictions of themselves from a number of perspectives.
Mae sat on a chair under the beam of a directed lamp in front of seven artists who alternated between looking up at Mae and focusing down on their pencils or paintbrushes throughout the two-hour session.
Mae sat in a comfortable pose while making slight adjustments throughout the session, and answered questions from the sketchers. Mae said it was her first time modeling, although she does some art of her own.
“It’s a different experience modeling,” Mae said.
Last year, Hagan brought in a number of military veterans to model for portrait sessions, and several of their depictions ended up being displayed in the Butler Art Center. Hagan said many people have modeled for the group over the years.
Pugliese, too, once modeled for the group, when no one else was available. He said he had a good experience modeling, but getting to work on his portrait skills is the real reward.
“Two hours is good to get a start, sometimes a good finished product,” Pugliese said. “This is a great spot to practice.”
Lisa Sten, of Prospect, has been attending the portrait group sessions for longer than she can remember. She majored in art in college and creates portraits for clients professionally, but still relishes the opportunity to work off a live subject.
“It’s so much more fulfilling in person,” Sten said. “It’s so different when you look at a person and talk to them.”
The portrait group meets at 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Butler Art Center, and Hagan said the associated artists just ask for a donation to attend.
People interested in being the subject of the portrait group can email office@butlerartcenter.org or call 724-777-4076.
