April 2026
I had a great time at the Art of the Portrait Conference with the Portrait Society of America, held April 9–12 in Atlanta, GA. For the second year in a row, I was awarded admission to the conference as the first-place winner in the Members Only Competition, Animals as the Subject category.
There were inspiring demonstrations by some of the best portrait artists, along with quality time spent with like-minded people. One of the highlights was the 6x9: Limited Size, Unlimited Talent Mystery Art Sale. This fast-paced and exciting event features donated artwork by past and current faculty, Gold Medal recipients, and other award winners, offered in a draw at a fixed price.
I’m honored to be among the artists invited to create and donate a piece for this event, and I was happy to see my cow painting receive multiple bids. As a result of this year’s mystery sale, the Portrait Society of America raised over $30,000 to provide scholarships for students studying at ateliers or art schools to attend its annual events.
Members Only Winners | portrait-society
On My Easel
Pansies, from a life setup. 24”x20” oil on linen.
I got inspiration for this from a warm week in April. Greeting neighbors, smiles high, flowers blooming, rainfall looming. Looking forward to the sun shining down as I paint, and to more chances to capture the beauty in flowers as they come.
A process picture of my Pansies painting.
Pansies, the finished work.
Don’t miss the Chance to Sign Up for my Animal Portraits Workshop in Tennessee!
Share a few days to bring animals to life on canvas using traditional alla-prima oil painting techniques. Each day includes a live demonstration as you move from an expressive oil sketch to a finished painting. Explore key concepts like proportions, values, temperature shifts, and the power of brushstrokes. Discover how to paint fur with shape and movement, capture emotions within eyes with a sparkle, sculpt form, capture black (or white) in all its shades, and tell a story through your composition. Create a painting you love, head to tail!
Be sure to sign up now, as spaces are still open, but fill up quickly.
McCampbell Art Studio, Centerville, TN
Yelena Lamm, 3-Day Animal Portraiture Workshop
May 22-24, 2026, 9 AM - 5 PM
$495
https://www.yelenalamm.com/classes-workshops