21 minute read
PSWC Magazine Spring 2021
The Heart of An Artist: Harley Brown
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
The Heart of An Artist
Stories About Life And Inspiration In An Artistic Life
By W. Truman Hosner © All Rights Reserved Images by Wende Caporale © All Rights Reserved
Wende Caporale(American, 1956- )
Guess now who holds thee?” “Death,” I said, But, there, The silver answer rang, “Not Death, but Love.– Elizabeth Barrett Browning
This is the fourth in a series of interviews with artists who have had great influence on the world of pastel art. In each story I search for the art spirit. If I am successful, what may be learned in terms of the individuality in creativity will be of great value to us all.
Life Itself: Love of life, love for family, love for art
Luchita Hurtado, whose paintings are a deeply personal connection with her world, lived to 99 to see her art finally become widely recognized and a sensation in the last decade of her life. But this only occurred after her artist husband passed.
The same scenario doesn’t hold true for Wende Caporale.
There have been years when I have been able to attend the National Arts Club to see the Pastel Society of America annual exhibition. Not only did that afford me the pleasure of seeing her husband’s original pastel paintings, but Wende Caporale’s as well, and hers were receiving top awards right along with his.
The New York Times has referred to Caporale
Coming of Age by Wende Caporale 34 x 30
“Life can bring us to our knees. That’s what it does. it can take you lower than you think you can go. It is getting back up that is living.
If you can stand back up, take the story just a little farther ... go far enough, you will always find hope and love.”
- From the movie Life Itself – written and directed by Dan Fogleman
as an eminent American family portraitist, she is listed in the Who’s Who in American Art, and for over 38 years Wende Caporale was married to and partnered with Daniel E. Greene.
It was a partnership that blossomed over a lifetime, beginning soon after she became his student, and concluding with them being soul mates. With the passing of her husband, a vibrant personal andartistic relationship that lasted almost four decades could have ended.
Yet, for Wende Caporale, Dan’s passing is not an ending. It is a continuation of their life and artistic knowledge. She is not reticent in her grief to speak about Daniel. I think it may be part of her way of maintaining what they became together.
Life has many ups and downs. No matter how rich, no matter what age, no matter how wise we are, each of us is susceptible to life’s tragedy and tribulation.
Married for 34 years, their relationship was tremendously important to her from an inspirational point of view. Nothing was more
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
enjoyable than to go with her husband to a museum and see works of art. “We loved doing it together. I could see something and appreciate the skill it took to make it, but it wouldn’t speak to me. Then I would see a work of art and it was arresting, and visceral. I would respond to it on a whole other level, one that requires more than just the appreciation of skill. For this to happen a painting must have something to say. That’s the magic.”
Daniel E. Green is recognized as one of the best academic pastel artists of our times. And he respected Caporale’s work to the point of passing the baton of his teaching to her. Perhaps the greatest compliment an artist can give is the faith of placing in another person their love and knowledge of art, knowing it will carry forward and not end with their passing. I know that when I interviewed Daniel in December of 2019 he made it very clear that he had passed the baton of his knowledge and teaching on to Wende, and that she was more than capable of the honor.
This is no small thing, for Daniel E. Greene was a gigantic resource of informative knowledge in the making of representational art. As a luminous realist of the late 20th and early 21st centuries he was a gift to generations of artists.
But so is Wende Caporale. All along, in step with her husband, she has established her birthright in American contemporary realism.
She, too, is a national treasure.
What you’re good at, you don’t take for granted, you don’t betray it.
Wende Caporale certainly has not. There was a reason she sought Daniel Greene out.
Growing up her brother was given first priority. It was he who was sent to college with the presumption he would be supporting a family. Wende attended secretarial school. She soon realized that; “I had more ability than the people I was working for”. When hit by a drunk driver, tragedy turned to destiny when the insurance settlement gave her the ability to attend college. Caporale holds a B.F.A. from Paier College of Art. She attended the Art Students League, the National Academy, and the New York Academy. She studied in workshops with Nelson Shanks, Burton Silverman, Richard Whitney, and of course, Daniel E. Greene.
For 12 years Wende Caporale worked as an illustrator. When she became pregnant with their daughter Avignon and with the advent of computers in the field of illustration, she chose to move into portraiture exclusively. Facing the need to be away if she worked from life on commissioned portraits, Wende chose to work mostly from photo reference so that she might remain with her family as much as possible.
In 2007, she received
The Art Spirit Foundation - Dianne B. Bernhard Silver Medal Award for Excellence in the Pastel 100 Competition. In a beautifully written award-interview by Anne Hevener in the Pastel Journal of April 2007, she openly spoke of her feelings about her life, her daughter Avignon, her husband, and her decision to remain close to home by not limiting her portraiture to working from life exclusively. In reading the Pastel Journal story, one recognizes what is important to her; Wende Caporale is an artist, wife, and mother. She does an excellent job of balancing her life on all fronts. She clearly feels whatever the path you take early on is only a beginning; you have free will to change paths.
Avignon & Velvet by Wende Caporale 36x30
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
Linda in the Garden by Wende Caporale 18x24
Along with offering workshops housed at Studio Hill Farm, she currently teaches at the Katonah Center for the Arts. She is the author of Painting Children’s Portraits in Pastel. In addition she has released an art instructional video Wende Caporale Working from Life.
Her work has highlighted many books such as; Pure Color-The Best of Pastel, Pastel Interpretations, Best of Pastel 2, and The Art of Pastel Portraiture. Her work has been featured in Pastel Journal, American Artist, International Artist, Portrait Highlights, and Pastel Artist International. She is a member of the Pastel Society of America, and of the Portrait Society of America, where she is a sought after presenter.
Heart to Heart
A personal talk with Wende Caporale
Q. – Do you feel that you have been able to fulfill the dreams of your youth?
A. - In my wildest dreams as a young woman, I fantasized about living my life as an artist. It has so far been a journey that exceeded my expectations. What I did not realize early on was that I had no choice; being an artist is so inherent in my character that it was the natural direction for my life to take. I would not have been entirely fulfilled had I done anything else.
Q. - Would you tell us about when you first met Daniel? What was it like when you walked into his classroom for the first time?
A. - I first met Daniel, who I later called Dan, when
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
Good Friends on a Lazy Afternoon by Harley Brown
Robin by Wende Caporale 30x 36
I attended his first summer workshop shortly after he moved from NYC to North Salem, NY. I had been aware of his work through books on pastel and had seen the remarkable portrait of Robert Beverly Hale at the Art Students League so I was already awed by his brilliant work. In a nutshell, when we first officially met, I was taken aback by his intensity, drive and singleness of purpose. His summer classes took place in his studio on the property and I clearly remember thinking that I had died and gone to heaven! There was nowhere I would have rather been than working from life under Dan’s (then Mr. Greene) tutelage. In retrospect, it was life changing in multiple ways.
I chose to put family first; I knew I wanted to be a wife and mother. But I never had to turn down a
portrait commission. I structured my life so that I could work, and Dan was always supportive of that. He openly encouraged me to do as much as I wanted.
Q. - Have women achieved equality in the art world?
A. - I think young women are forging paths that are allowing them to get the recognition they deserve among their male colleagues. I couldn’t be happier for them. Older woman artists have a different story though. For me, it’s all behind me now. There are not the impediments that there once were. Cecelia Beaux and Mary Cassatt broke barriers. Both women probably would have liked partners, but they had to choose partner or career. An exception was Berthe Morisot who was able to do both due
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
the financial and emotional support of her husband and brother-in-law Manet.
Q - Did your marriage coincide with your love of art? Did it ever compete?
A. - When I first met Dan in 1981, I had just completed my sophomore year in art school so I was already deeply ensconced in developing my skills and thoroughly engaged in learning art and illustration history. We were married in 1986 so my love of art preceded our marriage.
Q - When you wrote to thank me for sending the copies of the PSWC Magazine with Daniel’s interview, you mentioned an arresting incomplete self-portrait you found among Daniel’s works. What were the feelings finding it elicited for you?
in Dan’s workshops. I believe that the fact that my direction was initially different than Dan’s allowed me to be independent. In addition, I held Dan in the highest regard and recognized that we were at different points in our careers so I never compared myself to him. Dan was always very encouraging and supportive of my efforts as an artist, which gave me strength. And, I had enough personal strength to be confident in my own abilities.
Q. – Daniel has left us all a wonderful legacy of knowledge in representational painting and the making of art. In what ways are you carrying it on through your own teaching?
A. - In the last decade, Dan had done several self-portraits in both pastel and oil. Judging from the impact of these images and Dan’s health issues at the time (2010-11), I knew he was thinking of his mortality and his wish to leave a legacy. I remembered that he did a self-portrait study, which I had been unable to locate in the studio. All of his other selfportraits had been sold, and I regretted that they were no longer part of our collection. To find this stunning, incomplete pastel self-portrait in the rack in his studio was such a bittersweet gift. My reaction was ecstatic relief in finding it but sadness in the realization that the unfinished quality reflected a metaphor; Dan had so much more he wanted to accomplish with his work.
Q. – How, in the face of a powerful force such as Daniel E. Greene, did you hold your own artistically and keep from being overwhelmed?
A. - After Dan and I got together, I continued my studies in art school in order to complete my B.F.A. in illustration. I mention this because I went back to school with the specific purpose of getting my degree and pursuing a career in illustration, which I did for the first 12 years we were together. Simultaneously, I spent summers painting from the models
Daniel E. Green - Self Portrait, 24 x 20
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
A. - Living and working with Dan for over 38 years gave me enormous insight into his teaching and his objectives in making art. Dan had a wonderful sensibility, which I shared with him; we were very connected. Our lives were not only totally immersed in making art, when we weren’t engaged in working, our lives revolved around seeing art and an aesthetic sensibility. I basically have continued the tradition of teaching classes in the same format and firmly grounded in Dan’s philosophy, which we always shared. His method of teaching was derived from his experience as a student and later a teacher at the Art Students League in New York.
Q. - When I look at your work, I see a lot of thought behind the paintings. Are contemporary artists somewhat imprisoned in the present and our most thoughtful artists are avid historians?
A. - Thank you for your kind comment about my work. I tend to think of my expression as more intuitive than calculated. It would be too broad a judgment to say that contemporary artists are stuck in the present but I do believe that the context of art in history is an important determinant in the gravitas of the art created. So I guess that’s my non-answer!
Q. - John Singer Sargent is reported to have said two things about his portrait work. First; paint a portrait, loose a friend, and next that portraiture is the second oldest profession in the world. What do you think about those statements?
A. - I can imagine that JSS may have made both of those statements because there was a point at which he grew disenchanted with portrait painting and I suspect it was manifest in these statements. I do find his comment about losing friends after painting their portrait quite surprising, however. I recollect from what I read that many of the portraits he did of friends were self-motivated and ultimately some of the best expressions of his work. A couple that immediately come to mind are his brilliant portrait of his teacher and friend, Carlos Duran and his friend Ambrogio Raffele “An Artist in his Studio”.
Q. - We see so many artists that paint one way when working for themselves, and yet another, when working on a commission. The commissioned work often looks stiff and missing the artistic freedom seen in the noncommissioned work. You have been recognized in the New York Times as a leader in the field of family portraiture. Wende, how do manage to not compromise your artistic sensibilities in your commissioned portrait work?
A. - This is a loaded question; but I can’t help but think of how much I genuinely love to paint portraits and hope that is manifest in my work. On the other hand, clearly the work that is driven by intense desire without limitations can yield more consistently superlative results. Nonetheless, I find it challenging and exciting to work with my subject to arrive at a direction that is both appealing to me and faithful to their vision of themselves or their loved one. It is a very delicate balance, the artist has only their own eyes, it is not a good game to guess at what others see in a portrait subject. My objective is to make a beautiful portrait and be faithful to my subject. Yet in doing so, I do take some liberties to accentuate some of the best aspects of my sitter. I want to represent them on a “goodhair day”. Lighting of my subject goes a long way in accomplishing these goals.
JaJa in Green Necklace by Wende Caporale 24x20
Q. - For you, what is the marked difference between fine art and illustrating?
A. - Quite frankly, I find that I am hard pressed to draw a distinction between fine art and good illustration. When I consider the motivations of the artist or illustrator; is it commercial? narrative? communication?, I think that one or more of these factors can apply to both fine art and illustration. For instance, I think of the great narrative painters of the Renaissance; there was a great deal of work done for patrons and the church, so consequently, they would be considered commissioned work by
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The Heart of An Artist: Wende Caporale
today’s standards. Yet they are also considered to the height of fine art. My point is that there is a lot of cross over.
Q. - What kind of thoughts, are behind your noncommissioned works? And how do they differ from your commissioned work?
A. - The thoughts that propel my desire to create are completely self-serving allowing me to take my work in whatever desired direction pleases me without limitation. Conversely, commissioned work will always have some parameters where it’s adherence to the client’s desire, timetable or design objectives that put some constraints on the outcome.
As I mentioned previously, I enjoy the challenge of commissioned work, and yes, the constraints, too, in that it propels me to find a workable and satisfying solution.
Q. - How involved were you and Daniel in the early years with the development of the Pastel Society of America, and with Flora Giffuni.
A. - Dan was involved with the Pastel Society of America and Flora Giffuni from the onset in 1972. From what he told me, prior to that time, Dan and other artists who did pastels would exhibit them in the American Watercolor Society exhibitions. At a certain point when pastelists became more numerous, it was recommended that they start their own organization. Dan had little interest in organizing but Flora took the lead and began an enormously successful organization. Dan was delighted to participate in the PSA exhibitions and did so every year since its inception. He also
participated when asked to give demonstrations and to judge for prizes. I was accepted into my first PSA exhibition in 1983 and have continued to participate with few exceptions annually. I have also done demonstrations, participated in jurying and and have even served on the PSA board for a brief time.
Q - You were both also involved with the Artists Fellowship Inc., a foundation helping artists in need. Would you please tell us a little about that?
A.
-
The
ARTISTS’
FELLOWSHIP, INC. is
a 501 (C) 3 charitable
foundation
that
financially
assists
professional
visual
artists
and
their
families
in
times
of
emergency,
disability
or
bereavement.
It
is
an
all
volunteer
organization, with the
offices housed in the
Salmagundi
Club
in
NYC. Dan was honored
with the Benjamin West
Clinedinst
Award*,
an
annual
award
presented to an artist,
in 1999. I have served
on the board since
2005, as a trustee and
later president for 5
Scudder by Wende Caporale 30x25
years.
As
president
emeritus, I have continued to serve on the board
as chair of the Relief and Assistance committee. It is
a wonderful, supportive organization that operates
nationwide doing good work for the art community.
* Given to an artist who has furthered the cause of fine art, or contributes tothe art community by interaction with artists. Norman Rockwell and RobertBrackman are among the honorees.
Q - The Artists Fellowship has recently stated that as high as 9 out of 10 artists who could make a living before the pandemic, are no longer able to do so. How can artists fight back
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against COVID to prevent that from happening to them?
A. - Certainly the affects of this terrible global pandemic would have a negative impact on many lives including artists. For the most part, many artists are independent contractors who are subject to the ebb and flow of the economy. Artists who teach may be able to take up the slack by holding Zoom classes and advertising on social media. Although producing income is a necessity for most of us, taking the time or “opportunity” to do personal work can be a positive way to focus our energies. It could also be a good time to reflect on how the pandemic has affected you through your personal work.
Q. – Are online classes a benefit or detriment for art teaching?
A. - On-line classes, through Zoom, have allowed me to continue to help my students during the pandemic. I have been able to continue to support their learning. After the pandemic is over I may continue somewhat with on-line instruction, but I do not see it completely replacing personal instruction.
What was her name?” She said, I doubt you’ve heard of her but it was Cecelia Beaux. I was astonished and emphasized that not only had I heard of Cecelia Beaux, she was inspiring! I conclude inspiration must run in their family- It was so spiritual!
“And in the End the Love You Take is Equal to the Love You Make”
The Caporale-Greene story is one of love; love of art, love for their daughter Avignon, and love for each other. He may have passed in the spring of last year, but I think it’s fair to say, while she accepts the loss, Wende Caporale knows her life will always be an outflow of what she and Daniel shared. She is never alone. They both lived the philosophy of art in the hope that right to the end, there will always be one more really good painting out there.
Wende Caporale has walked step for step with her husband, often arm in arm; in art, in life, and now even in his passing.
They would have it no other way.
Q - Would you share a humorous or personal experience about art with us?
A. - I take long walks every day and have taken the same route for many years. I remember that there was this inspiring young woman who was a jogger, who I would see go by often on my walks. Finally on one occasion Ellen stopped to talk and ask if she could walk awhile with me. Somewhere in the conversation she asked me what I did and I told her I was a portrait artist. She said, oh my great aunt was a portrait painter. My response was ”Really?
Tulips in Delft Vase by Wende Caporale, 28x22
“I LOVE THEE WITH THE BREATH, SMILES,TEARS, OF ALL MY LIFE! — AND, IF GOD CHOOSE, I SHALL BUT LOVE THEE BETTER AFTER DEATH.”
– Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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Representation: Portraits, Inc. – New York, New York Portraits South – Raleigh, North Carolina Portrait Brokers – Birmingham, Alabama The Portrait Source – Flat Rock, North Carolina
To learn more, visit: www.wendecaporale.comWende Caporale currently lives and works in North Salem, New York where her home and studio, Studio Hill Farm, are located.
Wende in her studio. Photo Credit: Wende Caporale
About the Author
W. Truman Hosner earned his BFA at Wayne State University in Detroit, following it with post-graduate work at the Center for Creative Studies where he eventually returned to teach.
Before moving into fine art, as a nationally recognized illustrator he produced illustrations for brands such as Readers Digest, CBS-Fox Video and Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Truman then studied at the Scottsdale Artists School with Harley Brown and Dan Gerhartz.
Paintings by W Truman Hosner have been featured in national and international museum collections and exhibitions ranging from New York City ...to California...to Canada...to France and Spain...to Asia.
“Painting from life, the integrity of Hosner’s art is never in question as he conveysthrough his works the evolving moods and dynamics that can be captured onlythrough the art of plein air painting.” -Harry Goldson, Suttons Bay Galleries
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