PSoA Certificate of Excellence - Lea Colie Wight

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Lea Colie Wight  -  Jenn  -  58 X 30 in.

Lea Colie Wight is an accomplished painter and instructor who divides her time between studios in Philadelphia, and at her home in Manasquan, New Jersey.  In 2003, Wight, who already held a degree in  the fine arts from The Minneapolis College of Art and Design, decided to enroll as a student at Nelson Shanks' Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia.  By 2005, she was asked to teach at the atelier, and to lead workshops through the school.  One of Wight's many award-winning paintings, Waiting, was included in the prestigious Inspiring Figures Exhibition held at the Butler Institute of American Art in 2010, and was a finalist in the 2009 Portrait Society of America Annual Competition;  that painting is essentially a companion piece to this years' Certificate of Excellence winner.

"In 2008 I painted 'Waiting' which is a portrait of a young woman in a waiting room. My subject was a young artist I had gotten to know and who seemed to be going through a difficult period in her life. I wanted to capture the time in a person’s life when they were struggling with adult problems for the first time on their own.

Waiting

I lost touch with Jenn for a year or so after the painting was completed and was pleased when she gave me a call about a year ago. She said things were going really well for her and after we talked for a bit we made plans to start another painting. When I saw her again I was blown away by the transformation she had undergone. She is a healthy, joyful and emotionally beautiful person who has come through a turbulent period with a self awareness that is profound. This is what I wanted to capture in this recent painting of her. She said to me recently that I should do a series of paintings of her over the years.
I put a portion of one of her paintings in the background of the portrait."


Lea Colie Wight is busy teaching this year, including heading summer workshops at Studio Incamminati,
co-hosting a drawing workshop with Nancy Guzik at the 2011 Portrait Society of America Conference, and leading classes at the Weekend with the Masters Summer Intensive in New York City.  More information on her teaching schedule can be found at her website, where additional examples of her beautiful artwork can also be seen.

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