A Mentor and Mentee Reflection

by Rachel R. Christensen

I began my journey as a figurative artist in 2018. I had just finished a degree in art but was painfully aware of the gaps in my skills. This need for further instruction led me to the Portrait Society’s Cecilia Beaux Forum mentorship program where I was paired with an established artist, Patricia “Patty” McMahon Rice, who became my first official mentor in 2019. We worked together at her studio in northern Virginia and I learned more from her than I can possibly say. Although we now live on opposite sides of the United States, technology has allowed us to still keep in contact and we virtually sat down recently to discuss the benefits of mentorship from the perspective of both mentor and mentee.

How did you hear about the Portrait Society mentorship program? How/why did you get involved?

Patty: I heard about the program through the Cecilia Beaux forum. 

Rachel: I heard about it in the same way. When I graduated university I felt like I had a decent foundation in figure drawing but still needed a lot of instruction in painting specifically and figured that there was no better place to learn that than from a seasoned practicing artist.

How many artists have you mentored/mentored with?

P: I mentored at least four through the Portrait Society program but helped many more through my own studio.

R: After Patty, I went on to work with Susan Lyon via her online program and most recently completed an apprenticeship under Casey Childs.

How did your experience as a mentor/mentee change throughout the years?

P: I learned that I needed to adapt my mentoring to fit the needs of my mentee. I also found that the best experiences were with those that I was able to meet in person at least once- seeing their work in person was incredibly helpful to me. 

R: I think the biggest change for me was what I worked on with my mentor as my abilities changed and progressed through the years. Additionally, as I learned more about being an artist and the business side of it, I was able to better tailor my questions to address gaps in my knowledge and skill sets.

What were some of the highs and/or lows? 

P: The lows for me were things like trying to communicate over something like zoom with a difficult connection. This was not by any means insurmountable, just awkward. 

Another challenge was if a mentee worked in a medium that I was unfamiliar with; I was concerned whether I would truly be a help to them. But the highs greatly outweighed the lows. Each time, I felt like I gained a friend in a fellow artist and learned from them. It can be a mistake to think that the learning will only go in one direction. I have loved getting a chance to hear the story behind each artist and see what inspires them as well as brainstorming what will bring out the best in them. It has also been so exciting to follow their progress after the program has ended.

R: In general, my lows occurred when I was struggling to master a specific skill or make a painting come together and felt like I wasn't going anywhere and was letting my mentor down. Every time, they would remind me that progress isn't linear, sometimes it feels like you're slogging through mud and other times like you're skipping on air but what's really important is that you keep moving forward. The highs were always when things finally came together and we celebrated together.

What advice would you give a young artist looking for a mentor?

P: Every mentor/mentee relationship is different and not everyone is a good fit for you. Don’t assume the most prominent and successful artist you admire will also be the right mentor for you. Sometimes the best mentoring will be found in a surprising quarter.

In 2020, I joined the Stuart Street Atelier and the encouragement and feedback from my fellow artists there has been invaluable. I decided to build on that by scheduling times together with a small group of artists. Sometimes we gather at Stuart Street for a day of painting or frame making. Twice we’ve gone to the Smoky Mountains for an artist retreat. We all stay in one large home, and paint or draw en plein air or inside. There’s no schedule, just impromptu demos and critiques, dinners, and good conversation together. Lots of mutual mentoring happens. 

My final advice is, don’t try to paint what others are painting, but paint what you love and what you know and you will make your best paintings.

R: Find a mentor who's good at something you want to improve at, work with them for a while, and don't be afraid to move on and with someone else to strengthen another aspect. I think one of the pitfalls of mentoring is trying to make your work look just like theirs rather than accumulating bits and pieces from several master artists and using those to strengthen your own work as you develop your individual voice. You might still be learning and growing but your perspective is unique and the true challenge is to retain that.

The Portrait Society offers two mentorship opportunities that members are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this upcoming year. Stay tuned to www.portraitsociety.org for when those programs become open and accepting of applications.

Image 1: When COVID hit and we could no longer meet in person, Patty and I worked via zoom to strengthen my skills painting skin tones by arranging egg still lifes since live models were obviously unavailable.

Images 2 and 3: While no longer my official mentor, Patty still gives me her invaluable advice. She excels with children's anatomy (image 2) and assisted me in completing this commissioned portrait (image 3).