PORTRAIT MISSION STATEMENT
My main goal is to create a piece of art that beautifully reflects your child. I strive to capture your child’s personality and emotion at that moment. Whether my medium is charcoal or pastel, I want my artwork to have energy and movement, to be alive. I do not want to simply duplicate a photograph. Instead, I aim to create a piece of art that is spirited, full of life, and wonderfully reflective of your individual child.
Excitement comes from capturing an honest moment, feeling, or expression. My inspiration is in the play of light on the face, the celebration of color, the twinkle in a child’s eye, the smirk on her face, perhaps the look of impish curiosity, the crinkle of the brow on his upset face, or the serious expression of a pensive child.
I love painting the full range of emotion, so not every portrait I paint is of a smiling child, but of course it can be! I also love recreating that blissful expression of pure joy that often washes over the face of a child!
I pride myself on not painting stiff posed portraits. On the contrary, I want my portraits to be alive and expressive. Life is about emotion, expression and movement. My portraits celebrate this!
ABOUT THE ARTIST
42nd Annual Pastel Society of America Exhibition, Enduring Brilliance
Adrian Giuliani is an international award winning pastel artist. She was an artist from the time she was a tiny toddler, growing up in Queens, NY. She drew constantly, and it quickly became obvious that art was an essential part of who she was. After a family trip to the Museum of Modern Art, 3 year old Adrian quietly came through the door, picked up some chalk, and, inspired by the modern masters, started sketching little nude figures!
Adrian Giuliani was introduced to soft pastels by Flora Giffuni, having studied with Flora while in high school. Adrian earned a BFA at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she explored many media; Adrian favored pastels, charcoal and oils. Inspired by Richard Merkin's pastel class, Adrian discovered her true passion for pastels, and they became her medium!
Known for her pastel portraits, still lifes, florals, and self-portraits, Adrian is most energized while working from life, incorporating observation and playing with abstraction. The mind, body, and spirit connection has become an integral part of who she is as an artist.
Adrian is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, an IAPS Master Circle Member, and a Pastel Society of New Jersey Distinguished Pastelist. She is on the PSA Board of Governors. Adrian's pastel work has been recognized numerous times, both in international and national exhibitions, as well as society shows. Her awards from PSA include the Herman Margulies Bequest Award and the Daniel E. Greene PSA-MP, HFH Memorial Award. Her still life was awarded an Honorable Mention at the IAPS 2019 Convention. She was recently featured in Pastelagram Magazine, both on the cover and in a four page article. Adrian's work is in the permanent collection of the National Arts Club.
Adrian has been a pastel instructor since 2018. She is honored to be teaching a virtual workshop for PSA this fall.