Welcome to the June/July issue of International Artist! Portrait artists are gifted in understanding human expression, beauty and capturing the essence of the subject—whether it be the emotion in the eyes, the posture and movement, or the lighting and how the entire image speaks to the viewer. The Portrait Society of America is a longstanding partner of International Artist. In fact, if you are a member of the Portrait Society, your membership comes with a subscription to this magazine. The team at International Artist Publishing could not be more proud to support these master painters and portrait artists globally.  

In May, the Portrait Society of America had their annual Art of the Portrait Conference in Washington D.C.  Our own Editor, Alyssa Tidwell, attended the event and came back with amazing photos, friendships, new artists, and especially important, new demonstrations for you. Follow International Artist on Facebook and Instagram and you will see many of her photos. Alyssa’s editor’s letter in the following pages talks about the importance of camaraderie for artists in accomplishing great art. If you are not a member of the Portrait Society of America and you paint portrait art, consider joining this inspiring organization. There is a saying, “Rising tides raise all boats,” and when you bring a large group of artists together, the tides definitely rise.  

This issue includes our second annual Art Schools & Workshops Guide, featuring some of the best global workshops. The spotlight in this section is a feature on Workshops In France, where you get the best of both worlds—painting and travel. Of course the entire package creates an artist and cultural tour that simply is not available anywhere else. 

We have eight demonstrations this month, and we recommend all of them. Spain-based Eugenia Gorbacheva takes readers through a watercolor demo, Denmark artist Silja Salmistu explores pastels, UK-based artist Julie Rhodes paints animals in acrylic, and so much more.  These artists are professional painters who are willing to help all artists improve their skills. The energy in this issue is contagious!    

Sincerely,
Wendie Martin & Adolfo Castillo
Publishers