Artist Profile: Linda Maphet

Capturing Personality with Paint

There are many beautiful paintings in the world, but theres just something special about a painted portrait. Portraits can show an individuals personality in ways that cameras may sometimes fail to express, and that is what Linda Maphet, local portrait artist, likes so much about them. Its not just an image or a photograph. A persons character and whats endearing about them is captured on canvas when made into a portrait, Linda says.

For 12 years, Maphet has been creating beautiful portraits for the local community. Just as with her mother, art has always been a passion for Maphet. My mother was an artist, and she never took lessons, so I knew I had the ability to be artistic as well, she says, but I poured my creative energy into raising my children for a long while and was undecided on where I wanted to take my artistic talents. It wasnt until Maphets youngest child was in high school that she discovered an art teacher who focused on classical realism. It had been just what Maphet was looking for, and she loved it. For six years, Maphet went to class once a week to study and practice. It was my teacher who encouraged me to paint professionally, she says. Now, Maphet creates a new piece once or twice a month, depending on her schedule. I dont have nearly enough time to paint. Some days, Ill paint for five or six hours; other days, I wont paint at all.

With all the prep work, it can take a few weeks before Maphet even commits to canvas, and it can take anywhere from a week to a month to complete the final portrait. I start with a detailed drawing to work out values, composition, lights and darks and how its weighted, and then I create a colored sketch to make sure the colors work together before I start working on canvas, she says. Her acute attention to detail brings a new element of undeniable beauty to her work and has earned her first place in a couple of private art shows. She considers her biggest accomplishment simply being able to reveal an element of the subjects personality and likeness in her paintings. The satisfaction of seeing a face come alive and knowing that Ive captured the essence of a person on canvas is my favorite part of what I do, she says.

My favorite piece is always the one I just finish, Maphet says. Her most recent painting, which depicts a violinist, is on display at the Cherokee Arts Center, where she teaches oils and acrylics. She also had pieces in an art gallery in downtown Canton until it closed. I havent been back into a gallery since. It requires more painting than what I am able to do with my busy schedule. I do what I can, when I can, she says.

To learn more about Linda Maphets classes or portraits, visit her website, LindaMaphetPortraits.com/.