My mission as an artist is to make people happy with my art.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Gloria J. Pinsker (Gloria Fallacara Pinsker)
I am an experienced portrait artist, based in Horsham, PA, painting and drawing custom portraits of children, adults, families, pets and horses. I have been drawing since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I drew all over every scrap of paper I could get my hands on (and I’m sure on the walls at times, too)! One of my happy childhood memories was winning first prize in a contest that involved drawing a Disney cartoon character (Lady from Walt Disney’s Lady & the Tramp). The prize was 60 comic books, a very exciting prize for a 5-year old! 🙂
Art and music were always prominent in my family when I was growing up. My father was a commercial artist who owned a sign business, and was also a good singer. My mother’s artistic talent expressed itself in the beautiful clothing she sewed and knitted. She enjoyed sketching sometimes, too, especially flowers. I have several other relatives on both sides of my family who are talented artists. So you can say that my interest in art is in my DNA. I believe, however, that anyone who has the interest, curiosity and determination can learn to draw and paint well, even if they think they “have no talent.”
One of the biggest influences on my artistic development as a child was the Disney animated films. I would sit mesmerized by the gorgeous artwork portrayed on the screen — and still do! I had all the Disney record albums and picture books and would spend hours poring over the art and trying to copy it. My favorites are the classic films that were done entirely by hand, not computer-generated. I think they are the most beautiful, and it is an endless source of fascination and admiration to me to think of all those talented animators doing each cell by hand, working not only from human models, but also from the live animals that Walt Disney would have brought into the studio.
As many artists do, I began by drawing in graphite pencil and sometimes charcoal. When I was in my late teens, my parents gave me an easel, a set of pastels, and a pad of pastel paper. I started doing portrait commissions in my 20’s, and I greatly enjoy it, because I love to help people celebrate the special bond they have with a pet, or other beloved family member or treasured friend. It is greatly rewarding when a client tells me that I have captured the likeness of their loved one — sometimes they are even moved to tears, especially if the subject of the portrait is deceased. I work from photos, because it is the easiest and most practical way, since children and animals will not sit still long enough, and few adults nowadays have the time! My mission as an artist is to make people happy with my artwork.
Although I have attended various portrait and life-drawing classes, I did not go to art school and am mostly self-taught. Over the years I also have worked in oil, acrylic, and colored pencil. I no longer work in oils because of the mess and fumes (my “studio” space is tiny), but I love to work in different media, because it keeps my interest always fresh and new. I have a huge collection of art books, and nowadays I very much enjoy watching other artists on YouTube. I wish YouTube had been around when I was a young artist struggling with technique! I am also deeply indebted to artist Matt Philleo of Realistic Acrylic Portrait School for sharing his wonderful acrylic glazing technique that works so well for portraits. Matt is not only a phenomenal artist, but a compassionate, patient, caring teacher and mentor.
I have always been fascinated by faces, and that was mostly what I drew, even as a child. By far my favorite genre in art is portraiture, especially those done in the style of “painterly realism,” which I strive to emulate. My favorite era for portraiture is that of the late 19th-early 20th century (known as the Gilded Age or “Belle Epoche”), which spawned such great masters as John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn, William Merritt Chase, Cecilia Beaux, Philip Laszlo, Edmund Tarbell, William & Elizabeth Okie Paxton, and many others whom I greatly admire. I envy their having the opportunity to paint all those stylish ladies with their beautiful gowns and elegant poses!
My other great passion, besides art, is animals — especially dogs and horses. So it’s only natural that my favorite form of art has always been portraiture of people and animals! My husband and I have always had dogs. We currently have a wonderful black Standard Poodle named Finn. Besides being an artist, I have been a professional dog trainer for many years, and have been around horses most of my life as well. At one time I owned a chestnut Tennessee Walker gelding named The Sundance Kid. Although I no longer ride, I volunteered for 12 years at Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines, the oldest non-profit horse sanctuary in the U. S. I also enjoy acting and public speaking, and have participated in some local community theater productions.
Portraiture has a long and distinguished history. Long before photography was invented, fine-art portraits were the only means of capturing a person’s likeness for posterity. One of my favorite pastimes is to go to the art museums in every city I visit and look at all the beautiful masterpieces, especially (of course) the portraits. I am proud to be a part of this wonderful heritage in my own small way.
I would love to create a work of art for you that will bring you and your family joy for generations to come and become a treasured family heirloom! Please contact me if you have any questions.
