The portrait paintings of burn victims by Doug Auld are astonishing. They are very moving, beautifully painted and very honest. My response is at first to “flinch” but after a while the tremendous beauty and grace of the people in these portraits overcomes you.

Artist Statement by Doug Auld:

Shayla is a 14-year-old burn survivor. She was tragically burned when a cigarette lighter was accidentally dropped on her bed, setting her sheets on fire. She was eight years old at the time.

Shayla is an amazing young girl. She lost her fingers in the fire, yet manages to play the piano and braid hair. She is top in her class in many activities, including crafts and cheerleading. Shayla has had to learn to grow up different than her classmates and friends.

She has had to endure being made fun of and stared at by the other kids. She has also had to endure the pain and trauma of her burns and recovery from her injuries. Shayla has a sense of grace and wisdom beyond her years. I see her as beautiful.

Shayla is part of a ten-painting series titled “State of Grace.” I am creating these portraits with the help of the Burn Center at the St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ. In making paintings of these brave people, I hope to challenge our traditional notions of beauty. I also hope to have the young burn survivor volunteers see their own unique beauty, and inspire others who are different to live productive lives. “State of Grace” can be viewed at Doug Auld’s website.

Tags:

The Portrait Competition

Though portraits account for some of the world’s most legendary artwork (hello, Mona Lisa), the United States has never held a national portrait competition. Until now.

In celebration of its July 1 grand reopening, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. has inaugurated the first-ever American portrait challenge, and asked artists and sculptors throughout the U.S. to show us what they’ve got.

View the results on this richly designed site, which comes complete with statements from exhibition finalists, online journals from 13 of the artists, and an interactive drawing and coloring tool for the painter within.

If you only have a moment, don’t miss the first-prize winner, “Sam and the Perfect World” by David Lenz. It’s a portrait of the artist’s son Sam, who has Down Syndrome. In his accompanying statement, Lenz muses over this image of his young boy, and what it means to be “perfect” in society today.

Tag: