The Undraped Artist Podcast

RICKY MUJICA
http://www.rickymujica.com
 
 
Born and raised in New York City, Ricky Mujica studied art at the High School of Art and Design, Parsons in Paris, and at Parsons School of Design /New School for Social Research where he won a full Presidential Scholarship.
The artwork of Ricky Mujica was initially influenced by the old masters and this connection has helped him achieve a high level of success as an illustrator. Before returning to his roots as a fine artist, Ricky Mujica created art for all the top publishing companies including Harper Collins, Harlequin, Bantam, and Scholastic. He has created art for major magazines including the New York Times Magazine and Ebony. His work has been seen in commercials for such products as Cherry 7-Up, on murals for Sony and Leows theaters, and on clothes for fashion designer Rachel Roy. His artwork has been represented at the Museum of American Illustration on several occasions.
Since returning to his first love, Fine Art, Ricky has received many awards. This includes a first place finish at the April round of The Representational Art Conference 2015 competition (TRAC2015). A signature Status from the Portrait Society of America where he has been a finalist and certificate of merit recipient in their international competitions on several occasions.
He has been a finalist in the OPA National, Regional and members competitions, the Salmagundi Club members and non-members competitions, the Allied Artists Competitions, the National Oil and Acrylic Painters National competitions, the Richeson Competitions, the Artist Magazine figurative art competitions, and the ARC International Salon Competitions, he won the Art Expo Solo Award, and has received an Honorable Mention in the Figurativas competition in Barcelona. Most recently, Ricky won the Florence and Ernest Thompson Memorial Award at the 103 Allied Artists Exhibition, and First Place at the Lore Degenstein Gallery of Susquehanna University Ninth Annual Figurative Drawing and Painting Competition.
He currently teaches at the acclaimed Art Students League of New York and has been on the teaching faculty at the Portrait Society of America. He has given demos and workshops on representational painting all over the world.
Ricky considers himself a humanist representational painter. The technique is influenced by Baroque masters like Rembrandt and Velasquez. His color model is influenced by Monet, Hawthorne and the 19th century ideas about retinal painting. The contextual ideas are influenced by 20th century modernist ideas, most specifically the Abstract Expressionists like Motherwell, Deibenkorn, and Kline. The subject matter is influenced by humanist painters like Kathe Kollwitz and Mary Cassat.
Ricky has lived in Africa, Norway, Germany, Mexico, France, Spain, Japan, England, Italy, and Australia.
 

https://www.portraitsociety.org
 
Christine Egnoski, Executive Director of the Portrait Society of America
 
Established in February 1998, the Portrait Society of America is a 501(C)3 registered charity, formed as an educational organization dedicated to furthering the traditions of fine art portraiture and figurative art through programs and publications.
 
The Portrait Society is committed to providing educational resources to anyone interested in technical information, traditional aesthetics and the history of figurative art and portraiture.  
 
We offer complimentary copies of The Art of the Portrait Journal and International Artist Magazine to all of our members. Additionally, we contribute to each issue of American Art Collector Magazine on topics related to portraiture and figurative art today.
 
We host a number of educational programs per year including the annual The Art of the Portrait where over 800 artists gather annually to celebrate and share a passion for the portrait and figure.
 
 

https://www.portraitsociety.org
 
Christine Egnoski, Executive Director of the Portrait Society of America
 
Established in February 1998, the Portrait Society of America is a 501(C)3 registered charity, formed as an educational organization dedicated to furthering the traditions of fine art portraiture and figurative art through programs and publications.
 
The Portrait Society is committed to providing educational resources to anyone interested in technical information, traditional aesthetics and the history of figurative art and portraiture.  
 
We offer complimentary copies of The Art of the Portrait Journal and International Artist Magazine to all of our members. Additionally, we contribute to each issue of American Art Collector Magazine on topics related to portraiture and figurative art today.
 
We host a number of educational programs per year including the annual The Art of the Portrait where over 800 artists gather annually to celebrate and share a passion for the portrait and figure.
 
 

http://carlorussoart.com
Carlo graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2004 where he focused his studies in the  methods and practices of traditional realism.  Since his graduation, he has been a full-time artist and has exhibited his works in numerous galleries across the United States. While known primarily for his mastery in still life painting, he is accomplished in figurative and landscape painting as well. Carlo works in the natural northern light that fills his studio. He is intent on creating beautiful works which capture the myriad textures, colors and forms we find all around us. 

http://carlorussoart.com
Carlo graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2004 where he focused his studies in the  methods and practices of traditional realism.  Since his graduation, he has been a full-time artist and has exhibited his works in numerous galleries across the United States. While known primarily for his mastery in still life painting, he is accomplished in figurative and landscape painting as well. Carlo works in the natural northern light that fills his studio. He is intent on creating beautiful works which capture the myriad textures, colors and forms we find all around us. 

https://www.dunawayfineart.com
 
Michelle Dunaway is an American artist whose paintings are revered for their bold brushwork yet sensitive portrayal of emotions that capture the human experience. Dunaway exhibited a strong penchant for drawing the human form from a young age and that fascination has continued throughout her life and career. Her artwork has been featured in international exhibitions and publications including Fine Art Connoisseur, Art of the West, International Artist, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, and American Artist. 
 
Dunaway’s work has received numerous awards and honors including Finalist and Award of Exceptional Merit at the 2010 Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait Competition for her painting Katie and Jenni -The Daughters of Jane Seymour;  a Certificate of Excellence from the Portrait Society of America in 2014 and 2017; Finalist and Award of Exceptional Merit at the 2016 and 2108 Portrait Society of America's International Portrait Competition; and Finalist in the Art Renewal Center's ARC Salon Competition 2019 winning the American Legacy of Fine Art Award. 
 
Although Dunaway paints and exhibits a variety of subject matter, her first love has always been portraiture. After studying anatomy and drawing at Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, CA), Dunaway continued her painting education by attending workshops with two prominent artists with whom she has become good friends over the years: Jeremy Lipking and Morgan Weistling. Both Lipking and Weistling encouraged Dunaway to pursue a career as a fine artist when they saw her work. Upon attending one of Lipking's very first workshops, Dunaway brought a painting in for the artist to critique. Lipking and his wife Danielle decided to purchase the painting for their collection. Lipking told Dunaway she was ready to be in galleries and showed the painting to the gallery where he exhibited in Beverly Hills and they subsequently invited Michelle to exhibit.
 
Dunaway spent time in California painting from life extensively while showing at galleries in Los Angeles and Laguna Beach and doing private portrait commissions for local patrons. In 2009 she moved back to New Mexico, where she settled in a beautiful studio overlooking the Sandia Mountains, and was invited to show at a well-established gallery in Santa Fe. While working on paintings for gallery shows, Dunaway entered several  competitions. She won the Best of Show in an online competition for her still life Mucha and Peonies and was  juried into the prestigious Portrait Society of America's International Portrait Competition where her portrait painting of two sisters was chosen as one of 16 top finalists out of 1,300 worldwide entries. The painting was exhibited in Washington, DC at the Art of the Portrait Conference. Dunaway won an award for that painting and shortly thereafter received a phone call from renown artist Richard Schmid. Schmid expressed how impressed he was by her painting ability after seeing this portrait online and invited Dunaway to paint with him and his wife, artist Nancy Guzik, at his studio in Vermont. Through their close friendship over recent years, Schmid has advised and encouraged Dunaway in her work. "Michelle is very much a force in this movement toward excellence in painting," Schmid stated recently in his instructional video wherein he painted Dunaway's portrait.
 
 Dunaway receives invitations to give painting demonstrations, lecture, and teach internationally and these events attract artists who travel from around the world to study with her. Believing strongly in "passing on the torch" of  knowledge in painting, she takes time from her busy schedule of shows and exhibitions to accept these invitations when possible. "It is extremely important to me that the legacy of strong painting continues for future generations," Dunaway states. "I have always been passionate about pursing excellence in my own work and constantly growing as an artist, and I feel a strong calling to help others reach their full potential as well. For me, creating great art is about putting light into the world. It is of course capturing the light that falls on a subject and translating that luminosity into the painting, but it's also about shining light whenever possible through teaching and passing on wisdom." After one such painting demonstration at the Portrait Society conference in 2015, Dunaway met and had a conversation with Richard Ormond,  John Singer Sargent's grand-nephew. He told her something that touched her heart deeply, considering she reveres Sargent as her favorite painter. Ormond mentioned he had been in the audience and watched her main-stage painting demonstration. "I have spent most of my life concerned about preserving the legacy of  Sargent's painting," he said, "but after watching  you paint I am no longer worried." That was a profoundly meaningful moment for Dunaway and a great confirmation that she was spending her time wisely in teaching, volunteering, and mentoring in the arts while constantly pursuing higher levels of skill in her own painting.
 
Dunaway exhibits in galleries throughout the United States, and her paintings are highly sought after by sophisticated collectors. Those collectors say that Dunaway's paintings capture much more than a likeness, that her work embodies a timeless quality and illuminates the essence of the individual. Dunaway's paintings hang in private collections throughout North America and Europe.  She is currently represented by these fine art galleries. InSight Gallery (Fredericksburg TX) , Legacy Gallery  (Scottsdale, Az and Bozeman, MT), VRFA Gallery (Laguna Beach CA) and Sage Creek Gallery (Santa Fe  NM)
 
 

https://www.dunawayfineart.com
 
Michelle Dunaway is an American artist whose paintings are revered for their bold brushwork yet sensitive portrayal of emotions that capture the human experience. Dunaway exhibited a strong penchant for drawing the human form from a young age and that fascination has continued throughout her life and career. Her artwork has been featured in international exhibitions and publications including Fine Art Connoisseur, Art of the West, International Artist, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, and American Artist. 
 
Dunaway’s work has received numerous awards and honors including Finalist and Award of Exceptional Merit at the 2010 Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait Competition for her painting Katie and Jenni -The Daughters of Jane Seymour;  a Certificate of Excellence from the Portrait Society of America in 2014 and 2017; Finalist and Award of Exceptional Merit at the 2016 and 2108 Portrait Society of America's International Portrait Competition; and Finalist in the Art Renewal Center's ARC Salon Competition 2019 winning the American Legacy of Fine Art Award. 
 
Although Dunaway paints and exhibits a variety of subject matter, her first love has always been portraiture. After studying anatomy and drawing at Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, CA), Dunaway continued her painting education by attending workshops with two prominent artists with whom she has become good friends over the years: Jeremy Lipking and Morgan Weistling. Both Lipking and Weistling encouraged Dunaway to pursue a career as a fine artist when they saw her work. Upon attending one of Lipking's very first workshops, Dunaway brought a painting in for the artist to critique. Lipking and his wife Danielle decided to purchase the painting for their collection. Lipking told Dunaway she was ready to be in galleries and showed the painting to the gallery where he exhibited in Beverly Hills and they subsequently invited Michelle to exhibit.
 
Dunaway spent time in California painting from life extensively while showing at galleries in Los Angeles and Laguna Beach and doing private portrait commissions for local patrons. In 2009 she moved back to New Mexico, where she settled in a beautiful studio overlooking the Sandia Mountains, and was invited to show at a well-established gallery in Santa Fe. While working on paintings for gallery shows, Dunaway entered several  competitions. She won the Best of Show in an online competition for her still life Mucha and Peonies and was  juried into the prestigious Portrait Society of America's International Portrait Competition where her portrait painting of two sisters was chosen as one of 16 top finalists out of 1,300 worldwide entries. The painting was exhibited in Washington, DC at the Art of the Portrait Conference. Dunaway won an award for that painting and shortly thereafter received a phone call from renown artist Richard Schmid. Schmid expressed how impressed he was by her painting ability after seeing this portrait online and invited Dunaway to paint with him and his wife, artist Nancy Guzik, at his studio in Vermont. Through their close friendship over recent years, Schmid has advised and encouraged Dunaway in her work. "Michelle is very much a force in this movement toward excellence in painting," Schmid stated recently in his instructional video wherein he painted Dunaway's portrait.
 
 Dunaway receives invitations to give painting demonstrations, lecture, and teach internationally and these events attract artists who travel from around the world to study with her. Believing strongly in "passing on the torch" of  knowledge in painting, she takes time from her busy schedule of shows and exhibitions to accept these invitations when possible. "It is extremely important to me that the legacy of strong painting continues for future generations," Dunaway states. "I have always been passionate about pursing excellence in my own work and constantly growing as an artist, and I feel a strong calling to help others reach their full potential as well. For me, creating great art is about putting light into the world. It is of course capturing the light that falls on a subject and translating that luminosity into the painting, but it's also about shining light whenever possible through teaching and passing on wisdom." After one such painting demonstration at the Portrait Society conference in 2015, Dunaway met and had a conversation with Richard Ormond,  John Singer Sargent's grand-nephew. He told her something that touched her heart deeply, considering she reveres Sargent as her favorite painter. Ormond mentioned he had been in the audience and watched her main-stage painting demonstration. "I have spent most of my life concerned about preserving the legacy of  Sargent's painting," he said, "but after watching  you paint I am no longer worried." That was a profoundly meaningful moment for Dunaway and a great confirmation that she was spending her time wisely in teaching, volunteering, and mentoring in the arts while constantly pursuing higher levels of skill in her own painting.
 
Dunaway exhibits in galleries throughout the United States, and her paintings are highly sought after by sophisticated collectors. Those collectors say that Dunaway's paintings capture much more than a likeness, that her work embodies a timeless quality and illuminates the essence of the individual. Dunaway's paintings hang in private collections throughout North America and Europe.  She is currently represented by these fine art galleries. InSight Gallery (Fredericksburg TX) , Legacy Gallery  (Scottsdale, Az and Bozeman, MT), VRFA Gallery (Laguna Beach CA) and Sage Creek Gallery (Santa Fe  NM)
 
 

ANNA ROSE BAIN
https://www.artworkbyannarose.com
 
Anna Rose Bain (b. 1985) is a fine art oil painter and commissioned portrait artist based in Colorado. Her paintings often depict people in peaceful settings or places that evoke happiness. She especially loves painting women and children, and seeks to convey all of her subjects with honesty and sensitivity. Anna was self taught until college. Inspired by her grandfather, who started painting at the age of 70, Anna spent her free time as a child sketching from nature and poring over art books. She studied fine art at Hillsdale College from 2003-2007, and in 2006 she took a figure painting course at the Florence Academy of Art. After graduating from Hillsdale with honors and distinguishing herself as the first student in the school's history to have a solo senior show, she continued her education by studying with several renowned artists including Judith Carducci, Clayton J. Beck, III, Nancy Guzik, and more.
Anna now resides in Arvada, CO with her husband Steve and their two children. She works full-time as a fine art oil painter and commissioned portrait artist. She also teaches workshops, and is actively involved in the local arts communities. Having had such inspiring teachers and role models in her own life, she firmly believes in sharing her passion and knowledge of classical art with other aspiring artists, as well as showing practical ways to stay up to date in today's changing art market. She is a Signature member of the Oil Painters of America and an Out of State Artist member of the California Art Club. She is also a member of Plein Air Artists of Colorado and the International Guild of Realism, and is a Signature faculty member of the Portrait Society of America. Her award-winning work can be found in numerous private and public collections around the world. Anna's style employs a direct painting method while drawing from classical roots. She gains inspiration from the joys and struggles in her life, seeking to make the world a better place through her art. Her paintings are an expression of gratitude and an exploration of the questions one faces at different stages of their life. For example, her award winning self portrait, "The Wait and the Reward," is a coming to terms with change and a joyous celebration of new life.

ANNA ROSE BAIN
https://www.artworkbyannarose.com
 
Anna Rose Bain (b. 1985) is a fine art oil painter and commissioned portrait artist based in Colorado. Her paintings often depict people in peaceful settings or places that evoke happiness. She especially loves painting women and children, and seeks to convey all of her subjects with honesty and sensitivity. Anna was self taught until college. Inspired by her grandfather, who started painting at the age of 70, Anna spent her free time as a child sketching from nature and poring over art books. She studied fine art at Hillsdale College from 2003-2007, and in 2006 she took a figure painting course at the Florence Academy of Art. After graduating from Hillsdale with honors and distinguishing herself as the first student in the school's history to have a solo senior show, she continued her education by studying with several renowned artists including Judith Carducci, Clayton J. Beck, III, Nancy Guzik, and more.
Anna now resides in Arvada, CO with her husband Steve and their two children. She works full-time as a fine art oil painter and commissioned portrait artist. She also teaches workshops, and is actively involved in the local arts communities. Having had such inspiring teachers and role models in her own life, she firmly believes in sharing her passion and knowledge of classical art with other aspiring artists, as well as showing practical ways to stay up to date in today's changing art market. She is a Signature member of the Oil Painters of America and an Out of State Artist member of the California Art Club. She is also a member of Plein Air Artists of Colorado and the International Guild of Realism, and is a Signature faculty member of the Portrait Society of America. Her award-winning work can be found in numerous private and public collections around the world. Anna's style employs a direct painting method while drawing from classical roots. She gains inspiration from the joys and struggles in her life, seeking to make the world a better place through her art. Her paintings are an expression of gratitude and an exploration of the questions one faces at different stages of their life. For example, her award winning self portrait, "The Wait and the Reward," is a coming to terms with change and a joyous celebration of new life.

MicahChristensen.com
Micah Christensen | MFDA, PhD
Micah is a scholar of European, Asian, and American fine art, porcelain, and decorative objects. He earned his Masters of Fine & Decorative Art from Sotheby’s Institute (London), where he worked in several royal, private, and public collections. During that time, he was mentored by many leaders in the field, including Gordon Lang, a founder of the Antiques Roadshow.
For his doctorate at the University of London, Micah spent ten years in more than 40 museums in France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and United States to research the classroom practice and patronage of artists. He subsequently lectured on the subject throughout Europe, including at the British Library and for Cambridge University. 
Micah sits on the Board of the Springville Museum of Art, the Utah Institute of Classical Art & Architecture, and the Beaux-Arts Academy. He regularly writes for Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. As a consultant, he works with private and public collectors around the world.