Congratulations to Richard Whitney
September 6, 2012
| Special congratulations to ARC Living Master Richard Whitney for landing a major portrait commission from governor Mitt Romney, who is now the Republican candidate for president. About the work, Whitney has said the following: Mitt Romney was out of office and touring the NH State House with John Sununu when he saw a portrait I had painted. Mitt was so impressed with it that he told Sununu "this is the man I want to paint my portrait". He did not bother to look at any other artist's work and had his assistant call me and arrange for the portrait. |  |
| We visited Romney at his summer home in Wolfboro, NH in Sept. 2008 for a 4 hour photo shoot where I took at least 200 photos and painted a color study of his head and shoulders. We met again on A Sunday afternoon in October at the Governor's office at the Mass. State House in Boston for another 2 hour photo shoot. Mitt wanted to have the background to be the way his office looked when he was Governor. He also insisted that he wanted his favorite photo of his wife, Ann, in the painting. This break with tradition caused a controversy with the State House Art Committee and they told him he could not do this. He replied "I'm paying for this portrait and I will have what I want!" I painted the portrait in my studio in Stoddard over the winter and spent 3-4 months on the project. It was unveiled June 30, 2009 at the Mass. State House to much media attention. To view other works by Richard Whitney click here. | |