Dear Patrons,

Fall is in the air and already the holiday season seems just around the corner. After this summer's delights, from landscape painting on Monhegan Island in Maine to conducting an ASOPA workshop at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, my thoughts begin to turn to the year ahead. ASOPA Vice Chairman Steve Childs is just back from a successful event at the Palette and Chisel in Chicago. We are now comparing notes and are very excited about the possibilities for upcoming events.

Since our debut at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2000, ASOPA has been shifting its emphasis and enhancing its offerings to our patrons. Under the leadership of Michael Del Priore, Richard Whitney and John Howard Sanden, major international events were indeed the consummate example of the portrait workshop idea. But they offered something else as well. Richard Schmid, Nelson Shanks, David Leffel, Jamie Wyeth and many others also lectured on the necessity of practicing a well-rounded approach to painting.

These impressive events made it increasingly clear that the basic concept of a "portraits only" seminar has been explored very effectively. While ample opportunities still exist for "portrait only" events, we believe it is now time to redefine the concept. The future of the portrait workshop genre is not to simply repeat the efforts of the past thirty years.

Raising the stakes in this way is not an easy thing to do. But my friends, portrait painting is not easy. Yes, it is joyful. As one old teacher I had years ago once said, " It's harder than being President" and "If it wasn't so much fun, we just wouldn't do it!" But being among the very best in the field requires the same tenacity and drive that makes great classical musicians and dancers in the ballet succeed. I firmly believe you must embrace and master every facet of the art of painting, or you will never achieve your full potential. Understanding and then acting on the interconnectedness between figurative, landscape, still life and portrait painting is a profoundly satisfying experience. It WILL make you a better portrait painter! Much more, successfully expanding your repertoire will reconnect you with all that is poetic and profound in Nature, and provide you with additional sales to collectors beyond the traditional portrait commission. Be the very best you can be. ASOPA can help show you the way!

ASOPA has begun discussions and early planning for a major event in the future. Lots of sizzle will go into this dish. When we finalize the details, you will see that the idea is fresh and the breadth and depth of our offering will be unprecedented! Watch ASOPA.com and the next Portrait Signature for our announcement.

A cadre of ASOPA's finest will be out and about this fall, spreading good cheer and sharing with all of you over 200 years' worth of experience and painterly wisdom. A select number of Utrecht retail stores in various cities will each host a different renowned artist for an afternoon or evening event. These will include everything from slide shows to portrait demonstrations. The roundup is not complete, but here are the planned cities: Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Detroit, Columbus, New Haven, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Participating artists include Michael Del Priore, Simmie Knox, Richard Whitney and me. Other artists will be announced.

Carl Samson
Chairman, ASOPA Advisory Board