Portrait of Donald S. Fortner

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Fortner Portrait
All COPYRIGHTS for this painting of DONALD S. FORTNER were gifted to and belong to him, excluding the artist’s rights for use in advertising and or promotion.  Reprints unlawful without his permission.

DONALD S. FORTER

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SPEAKER, AUTHOR, and PASTOR:

One of the highlights of this year was the presentation of a portrait I had the privilege of painting for one of my favorite preachers of our Lord’s Gospel: Pastor Donald S. Fortner. The painting was a gift of appreciation to him, his wife Shelby, and the members of their family.  A thank you from all of us at the Rescue Baptist Church in Rescue, California, the presentation took place in July of this year, 2013, during our annual summer Sovereign-Grace Bible Conference.  Don has been a contributing speaker for us twice annually going back nearly 30 years.  Painting the portrait of this man blessed me more than I can describe here.

PAINTED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS:

The painting of Mr. Fortner was developed from four differing photographs (snap shots), with one mostly dominate.  Taking something from each photo, I struggled at a likeness in the beginning, heading back to the canvas again and again and mostly unsatisfied each time.  To my surprise, what I finally saw emerging was more Pastor Don Fortner to me than any of the four actual photographs that I worked from.  I slowly began to understand how the humanistic view begins to take over.  The man that I had come to know personally, as a friend for many years, was coming to life upon my canvas!  This amazing emergence taking place, while my reference materials (relied upon heavily in the beginning) began to diminish in importance.  Below, therefore, is a rhyme that I wrote during this amazing personal discovery.

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Donald S. Fortner beside his portrait

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The rhyme, “THE PORTRAIT”, written during the execution of it was read aloud at the presentation, and then presented along with the painting. An extremely memorial evening that I’m certain I will not ever forget.

“THE PORTRAIT”
By Mike Loveless   1 Sam. 16:7

An artist looks upon the outside, …
… as he seeks to render heart.
Laying down his subject’s image,
Within the limits of his art.

He searches for that inner place, …
That speaks more than he sees.
A portrait of his subject,
Searching deeper, if you please!

So the photo then, by contrast,
Though mechanical and true, …
Renders only from the surface, …
Without the humanistic view!

It then lacks the painter’s feelings, …
Absent that which is within.
Though it captures smiling moments, …
Is the portrait, … truly him?

Men look on the outside, …
As only God can see the heart, …
Though the painter may get closer,
Than a camera can impart

It’s for sure paint makes a statement,
… far beyond the shutter can.
And especially when the artist, …
… has some knowledge of the man!

And even when an artist works, …
… void of the subject posed.
Sketches rather from a photograph, …
… they’ll be more than is disclosed.

And the portrait then, thus painted, …
… even from a photograph, …
May show the liberties he’s taken, …
To that humanistic path.

But if it fails in some way, …
To be the person that you know.
Given time within your attic, …
It is guaranteed to grow!

And the family that has loved him, …
As his generations change, …
Will observe a transformation,
Seeing nothing in it strange!

What is left to them now closer,
To the image they loved so,
Will know the artist knew him, …
… even better than you know!

For man looks on the outside, …
And only God can see the heart.
But if the painter knew his subject, …
…you should see it, … in his art!

Why a hand-painted portrait?

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There is perhaps nothing more personal and endearing than a portrait painted in oil at the hand of a painter whose intent is to set forth the inner spirit of his subject.  Where the camera might capture the image exactly, it almost always will miss these very subtle inner and personal impressions.

When asked, “Why a hand-painted portrait instead of a photograph?”, … my response must be, the humanistic sensitivity that the camera can nearly never find.  There is something extremely special about the statements of line and color carefully set forth at the hand of another human being!

As fine art itself, the painted-portrait has its own lasting generational worth, growing more family-cherished in time, long after photographs of the subject have been scattered, faded, and lost.  A finely painted portrait historically outlives the subject of it, becomes a part of the family… and says more about that person that the mere image might itself.

Hays to You!

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If there was ever a product more widely depicted on road signs along rural America than Coca-Cola, I don’t know what it would be.  Notwithstanding those of Bull Durham and Burma Shave perhaps!  Oh how eagerly and carefully I looked for those Burma Shave signs to appear as a boy!

I painted “Hays to you!“  back in 1992 where the original has hung in our living room ever since.  In 2013, after completion of “Up Oreo Road” I decided to make such paintings as these into an on-going series and to bring them out to all of you in Giclee print.   Please look for more of these offerings within this “American Road Sign Series”.

“Hays to you!”  was painted as I was inspired from a Coca-Cola serving tray that I found somewhere in my travels.  The girl seemed to be saluting me from it.  A peaceful hay field then seemed to me a great sitting for this pretty girl with the hi-held glass.    The grandiose barn across the golden field is fictional, and seemed grand enough to display this painted toast to all of you.   Hays to you, America!

DETAILS

Original work: Oil on Canvas
Original size: 24” x 30”
OFFERED IN GICLEE LIMITED EDITION
Edition size: 400 Regular and 25 Artist Proofs (AP) Except Miniatures.
Giclee Image Dimension: 16” x 20” (or contact the Artist)
Archival Mat or Stretched Canvas
Pricing: Archival Mat $100.00 + Shipping and Handling
Stretched Canvas $205.00 + Shipping and Handling
(Add $15.00 for Artist Proofs when offered) (Tax where required)

End of Rural Route

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Somewhere, and just about anywhere in America, there’s a place where the road runs out for the postman.  This is a far as he goes regardless of the wind, the rain, and the snow!  Just beyond the old run-down garage on the right within the painting, the road runs out and the rain-ruts end.  There’s  a turn out only slightly maintained back there where you can just barely turn around, but not much more!  Some greater space for a few junk cars, an old wringer washing machine in the weeds, and a decaying wood pile slowly returning to the earth.   There’s some rotted mop heads scattered about, a few rusted-out galvanized buckets and barrels, some tangled and twisted fence with posts, and a whole lot of poison oak!  There you’ll find some blackberries that you could pick in season, …  if you could tame them well enough to get to the fruit.  And there’s a dog house there where a dog once lived to guard the chickens that are gone now.

Nothing remarkable here today, unless you count the meticulous care and gardening that goes on here daily by an elderly and extremely lonely lady who plants and tends her flowers with the pride of a city dweller!  If you’re lucky enough to pick up your mail here, give yourself some extra time, … cause she’ll talk your ear off!

“End of the Rural Route” is a fictional place, … but I see it clearly just like this!  It doesn’t exist in reality, but I’ve been here a million times, … and I hope that you can say the same.

DETAILS

Original work: Oil on Burlap Board
Original size: 18” x 24”
OFFERED IN GICLEE LIMITED EDITION
Edition size: 400 Regular and 25 Artist Proofs (AP) Except Miniatures.
Giclee Image Dimension: 12” x 16” (or contact the Artist)
Archival Mat or Stretched Canvas
Pricing: Archival Mat $75.00 + Shipping and Handling
Stretched Canvas $185.00 + Shipping and Handling
(Add $15.00 for Artist Proofs when offered) (Tax where required)

The Church House

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About 20 years ago I first began attending the Rescue Baptist Church where you will find my wife and I most every Sunday morning.  In  addition to our Lord’s Gospel being preached there faithfully each and every time the pulpit is taken up, there is peace that has always prevailed there, both spiritually and visually, for me.   In 2009 I commenced painting this very special place for me with the hope that I might capture the peacefulness that I found and felt there.

I began “The Church House” without telling a soul, … somewhat concerned that I might fail to be able to portray something beyond the image alone.  Therefore I told no one of my undertaking.  But peace did emerge for me from my canvas as I painted it, and I therefore completed it as a gift to all those who regularly attend there.    The original painting hangs today (my gift to the church) within the foyer of the church house, and you can find it reprinted regularly on the cover of every church bulletin.

Once it became known that I had painted it, and folks consequently came to view it within my studio, I found there was an interest for people to own a copy of it individually… therefore it became my very first Giclee Limited Edition offering.

BUT, WHY DID I NAME IT … “The Church House” ?

The building is sheetrock and shingles, cement and lumber, and a place that requires constant cleaning and maintenance.  The Lord’s Church are those that He has made absolutely pure and perfectly justified forever, and they therefore require nothing more than what He has already provided them with, …. Himself!  The building then is a house where they come to worship Him, while they themselves are His Church; …a building NOT made with hands!  So, I named the painting,  “The Church House”.

DETAILS

Original work: Oil on Canvas Board
Original size: 18” x 36”
OFFERED IN GICLEE LIMITED EDITION
Edition size: 300 Regular and 25 Artist Proofs (AP) Except Miniatures.
Giclee Image Dimension: 26” x 13” (or contact the Artist)
Archival Mat or Stretched Canvas
Pricing: Archival Mat $120.00 + Shipping and Handling
Stretched Canvas $225.00 + Shipping and Handling
(Add $15.00 for Artist Proofs when offered) (Tax where required)

Mario’s Shoes

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“MARIO’S  SHOES”

Oh Mario, what can I say, …
…why the shoes and why the play?
Why the acid cure displayed, …
…beside your shoes of orange today?

Certainly your cooking needs, …
…no remedy behind your feeds!
So why the bottle by your shoes? …
…tis merely garnish, … if you please!

HERE IS THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE SHOES!

One day while my wife Shirley was at work, it came to me to do a still life painting while limiting my time in the execution of it.  A quick study in oil if you please on a small 8 x 10 inch canvas.  I looked about the room and my eyes fell upon her “Crocs” left sitting one upon the other by her chair on the floor.  These had supplied me with rich fodder for playful ribbing which she had been learning to withstand patiently over time.  Perfect!

I scooped them up and headed down to my studio, placing them upon a small table beside my easel as I arrived there.  But the pair cried out to be balanced, … and so sitting there, right in front of me, was this mostly-empty bottle of Tums.  Perfect again!  And somehow as I carefully place them, they made a very surprising and funny abstract statement!   “She’ll get a kick out of this!” I thought, and so I commenced to paint the trio in rapid time!

About that same time in our lives we were beginning to come to know another who sported  the strange orange-colored shoes, and in learning of his keen and somewhat off-the-wall sense of humor I named the painting, “Mario’s Shoes” … for the now famous and highly-respected Iron Chef, Mario Batali.  Who seems to appear upon our television almost everywhere!  “The Chew” being a favorite daytime cooking show of my wife Shirley and myself, I decided to offer it in Limited Edition Giclee.  It has gotten a lot of attention!

So Mario, forgive me for the Tums!, . . . “tis merely garnish if you please!”  And as it is in plating all great dishes, . . it’s all about the garnish!

DETAILS

Original work: Oil on Canvas Panel
Original size: 8” x 10”
OFFERED IN GICLEE LIMITED EDITION
Edition size: 400 Regular and 25 Artist Proofs (AP)
Giclee Image Dimension: 8” x 10” (or contact the Artist)
Archival Mat or Stretched Canvas
Pricing: Archival Mat $55.00 + Shipping and Handling
Stretched Canvas (To be determined)
(Add $15.00 for Artist Proofs when offered) (Tax where required)