googling Kerry Washington…
Not Kerry Washington, Regina King.
googling Regina King…
Is this starting to run the risk of coming across as all POC look alike?
@doschicos I took Art History. In fact I think Donald Trumps portrait will be a remake of himself as the Manneken Pis
Poke my eyes out first please.
I really love Barack’s - the portrait of him - the background is growing on me but the portraying of him looks very, very real - and warms my heart.
I really am surprised at Michelle’s. I don’t think it resembles Michelle. I also would not know it was her if it hadn’t been pointed out. I see her as so vibrant and alive - and this looks so pensive.
I don’t know WHAT I was expecting, but these portraits surprised me. I don’t exactly dislike them, but I’m surprised that these were the final portraits of all the different ways these painters could have painted the Obamas.
I think I’ll run off and Google some of their other work. Read @greenwitch and I agree, a bit disappointed that Michelle isn’t more vibrant. I want to feel her life force jump out off that canvas.
I do wish Michelle’s had more light as her personality is filled with light, positivity, and energy. The style of the painting is too flat to capture that, IMO. On the other hand, she is also calm, cool, and collected and it does show that side of her personality.
I love everything about these portraits. They are brilliant. They capture the first African American family in the White House by diverging from the traditional style, but they also give a nod to older styles of portraiture by painting the subject symbolically, rather than literally, as in the case of Michelle Obama. This tradition goes way back, especially in royal/head of state portraits.
I took portrait painting classes for several years so I have a pretty good idea as to what’s involved. I like Barack’s, with the caveat that it has the look of something painted from a photograph. I’m not a fan of the high contrast look that makes him look like he’s under a spotlight - but I could also see that the lighting is a metaphor for the presidency. I love the pose for Michelle, but I don’t think it captures her likeness at all. I also really hate the gray skin and agree that it seems a shame not to have tried to capture her vibrancy. (At least her public persona.)
Barack’s portrait has different flowers and foliage that is supposed to represent his heritage. That’s why the flowers are some that are unfamiliar and don’t really belong together necessarily.
Not sure about Michelle’s. It’s interesting but seems “flat”. Not sure the significance of her dress.
They are nice…but hers doesn’t look like her…at all.
Obama’s isn’t terrible- at least it looks like him.
Hate Michelle’s. Absolutely hate it. She looks like “generic black woman” in a picture book or something. Michelle is GORGEOUS and I wish that was captured.
I like his. Don’t care for hers, as I don’t find it captures her strength and spirit. I guess, I like hers in a way, but not for her official portrait, because I don’t think it reflects her as the powerful women that she is.
I find it interesting that by far the dominant color in Michelle’s portrait is white, while she herself has had her color washed out and faded. I assume she picked out that dress, but why?
Barack’s is ok, although I don’t think the artist accurately reproduced the shape of his head. He has a longer, more squared-off jaw and I think is face tapers more. I feel the lines and contours around his mouth have been over-exaggerated.
Not a huge fan of either, although I think his is better.
This one would have been so much better: [url=<a href=“http://www.bdcwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/obama-lion-full-crop.jpg%5DObama%5B/url”>http://www.bdcwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/obama-lion-full-crop.jpg]Obama[/url]
I’m completely in love with these portraits…i wish I knew more about art so I could articulate it better.
I do not like them as art, but I can see why they would like them. They are very contemporary.
I do not like either of them. If I were them I would be disappointed. Michelle’s looks like a teenager did it in art class.
That would be one talented high school student. 
I’ve googled Amy Sherald’s other pieces and like her body of work. Many of her paintings are more colorful and I wish Michelle’s portrait had more of that.
I would imagine that the subjects of the paintings get to see them as works in progress and have a chance to weigh during the conception and creation of the piece. Does anyone know for sure?
The work of both artists is worth looking at. Kehinde Wiley’s work, for my taste, is pretty amazing.
I love them. Amy Sherald likes to paint black people as having gray skin, which is why Michelle looks a bit washed out.