Mark Fennell RBSA

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tagged portraitcommission

Portrait of Franco Luxardo.

My recent portrait of Franco Luxardo President of the Girolamo Luxardo Italian liqueur and spirits business. Luxardo is one of the oldest European firms producing liqueurs and spirits and is famous for it's Maraschino cherry liqueur.
This one was quite a challenge as it was commissioned as a suprise gift for Franco and i had to work from supplied images rather than meet Franco in person and take my own reference images.
I was commissioned by Martin Watts, pictured with Franco above. Martin presented Franco with the portrait in Torreglia as a thank you for their long standing business relationship.
A quote from Martin -
"Tears were shed by both sides as memories of our personal relationship which dates back to the early 1980’s, unfolded. Quite interestingly, Franco earlier had proudly shown me a portrait of his grandfather, dated from around the 1920’s which he had found in a museum in Zara (the original site in Dalmatia of the company), and which he persuaded the museum to part with. Whilst in a different, more formal, style to your portrait of Franco, they will take pride of place in the new corporate museum that they are opening in the Autumn."
https://www.luxardo.it/

Here’s my third portrait for #portraitsfornhsheroes. This is Theodora, she's a university student who was asked to come and help out in the Covid Intensive Care Units and wards because they were desperate and so understaffed! I painted her portrait as part of the #portraitsfornhsheroes initiative created by fellow Oxford art society member and painter friend Tom Croft.

Shortlisted for Artist of the year.
I am very pleased to announce that I have been shortlisted again for the Artists and Illustrators, ‘Artist of the Year’ Award. My portrait of Tony AKA Bouders has been chosen for the Artists of the Year Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London from 25th February to 2nd March 2019.
You will have a chance to vote for it online – http://awards.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/vote-now/