"Heidi V ", oil by James B. Schell Member of Excellence

Proud to have celebrated our 25th Anniversary in 2004, the Portrait Society of Atlanta is a non-profit organization of portrait artists whose main purpose is to educate the public to a greater awareness of the portrait as a valid and valuable art form. At the same time we enrich our members by offering a variety of services. Magazines, special programs and exhibitions are activities from which our local and national membership can benefit.

Our quarterly magazines contain articles, interviews, and information on all manner of subjects of interest to portrait painters. We have five program-oriented meetings per year which include demonstrations by renowned portrait artists, lectures and presentations on a variety of topics. We sponsor two juried exhibitions each year as well as occasional special exhibitions and public portrait demonstrations.

"Speaker of the House, The Honorable Newt Gingrich" oil by Thomas V. Nash Member of Excellence

Additionally, we offer workshop opportunities, critique sessions and tours. Not least of our offerings are the opportunities to mingle with and learn from each other, especially valuable for persons engaged in the oftentimes solitary business of being an artist.

Education is the primary focus of the Portrait Society of Atlanta (PSA) and the important benefit which we bring to the community at large. We endeavor to educate the public through programs, workshops, exhibitions and an outstanding quarterly magazine. The Portrait Society does not act as an agent for its members. However, it does receive inquiries from time to time through its answering service and will put member artists in touch with the prospective client.

"Archbishop Eugene Marino" oil by Clyde Burnette Member of Excellence

Juried Members and above only are eligible for this referral service and artists are selected in accordance with the prospective client's price range and preferred medium. Within its approximately 275 members, the.Society has over 60 members of Juried status and above. Of this number, many are professionals and the majority of the others are striving to attain professional status. Many have been or are currently teachers of portraiture. As we grow, we hope to obtain funding for a permanent location to better facilitate our educational activities. Additionally, we plan to expand this Web site to include more instructional features primarily available to members.

Mrs. James Sullivan", oil by June Elizabeth Blackstock Member of Excellence

PROGRAMS
PSA offers five free program-oriented meetings per year which include demonstrations by renowned portrait artists, lectures and educational presentations on a variety of topics including technical matters, photography, business advice, contemporary and historical portrait painters, and much more.

MAGAZINES
Our quarterly magazine, FOLIO, contains articles, interviews, reviews of programs and exhibitions and information on all manner of subjects of interest to portrait painters. This 16-20 page mini-magazine with full-color covers, is highly informative, visually inspiring and has evolved to such quality that it sets the standard in our portrait industry.

2000 Exhibition at the Lyndon House Gallery

EXHIBITIONS
We sponsor one or two juried exhibitions each year. The exhibit is designed to educate the public eye, to broaden public awareness of portraiture and to elevate public tastes to the highest degree of sophistication. PSA maintains top quality art at these exhibitions by arranging for and paying a nationally-recognized nonmember portrait artist to judge and select the paintings for the exhibition.

Gordon Wetmore giving a painting demo

CRITIQUE SESSIONS
PSA holds two or more Critique Sessions annually. These are gatherings wherein highly-trained professional portrait artists, often PSA Board Members and/or teachers, provide their expert advice to PSA members who bring in completed portraits or works-in-progress. The attending artists benefit from the free educational experience whether or not they have a portrait included in the session.

SCHOLARSHIPS
It is our goal as an organization, now that we have been awarded non-profit status, to be able to offer the public the opportunity to apply for scholarships to our educational workshops and to local classes taught on portraiture.

SUPPORTING THE PSA
It has long been the goal of the PSA to acquire a more permanent location in which to hold our meetings, classes and exhibitions. As we have grown, so has the need to pursue the realization of our own facility. For information about tax-deductible donations and supporting the PSA, see our Donations page.