Enter the
World of
Jan Briddell-Stevens
Portrait and Fine Artist
Where You Become the Masterpiece
Jan Briddell-Stevens hails from a long line of artists including world-reknowned wildfowl artist and author, Don Briddell, and author/artisan blacksmith, Jack Andrews. A student of the famed Patrick Henry, Jan began painting portraits for the families of 911 victims and never looked back. Since then, she has painted for senators, congressmen, television, sports personalities, and everyday people. "There is sublime beauty in every face," claims Briddell-Stevens, "and I approach each portrait as if standing on Holy Ground...it is a privilege and a joy to capture each masterpiece." Jan is a proud member of the Portrait Society of America.
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You are the Masterpiece
Picture the Perfection of YOU
You are the Masterpiece. I simply reveal your inner and outer beauty via a variety of media - acrylics, inks, pastels, chalks, charcoal, watercolor, and enamels.
Give a Masterpiece Today
Do it for that someone special or do it for yourself - an extraordinary gift without compare.
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Portrait of a Hero -Â
Meet "Masterpiece" Congressman Brian Mast from Florida
Below is a recent example of my work from a candid photo. Rep. Brian Mast (FL), a decorated veteran who was wounded during an IED accident in Afghanistan, proudly leads a parade, boldly marching on his "bionic" legs. I was particularly drawn to his powerful strut and the audacious display of his "ironman" prosthetics visible beneath the khaki shorts he sports both here and in the hallowed halls of the nation's Capitol. He is a living example of not only adapting to, but embracing life's curveballs, and is an inspiration for anyone tempted to let an infirmity prevent a glorious destiny. A true MASTERPIECE!
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Original Photo
The original working photograph - warped with paint water, modified with pencil, and complete with compositional flaws.
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Finished
Unframed Portrait
As you can see, I altered the context as necessary to keep the focus on the Congressman to allow his "can-do" spirit to shine forth.
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The Presentation
It is always interesting to see folks' reactions to their portraits. They light up, but don't want to seem vain, so they scale back their enthusiasm and compliment some inanimate feature of the work. True to form, the Congressman said, "Wow! The flag really pops!" His staff was thrilled, we're making posters to present to wounded warriors as an encouragement to heal, and the work hangs next to his official desk. Joining us in the photo is a disabled Marine veteran who Rep. Mast has been helping. What a gracious and humble man - he's truly a Masterpiece!
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Angels of 911
Where My Art Began
As the nation reeled from the attacks on 911, we all searched for meaning in the tragedy that unfolded. I was a teacher, and one of my young students happened to have had a family member who rushed the cockpit on that fateful flight 93. We had to find a way to remove her from class without raising suspicion so that her mother could be the one to break the news. I also recalled that my beloved cousin, who was like a sister to me, was doing freelance work for a company in the towers, and I was utterly relieved to hear that she had overslept that day and missed her meeting. Others were not so fortunate, and as the days wore on, stories of families ripped apart filled the news and I was at a loss to help. As a poet, I put my feelings into verse, but it did not seem to be enough. It was then I picked up a copy of Real Simple magazine and read an article about a family of 5 who lost their young fire fighter father that day, and the littlest one was praying for his Fire Angel Daddy.
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That touched my soul and a voice from within said, "Paint his portrait." I only scribbled sketches here and there, and had never tackled something like that but the calling was SO GREAT that it could NOT be ignored. I grabbed some paper, pencils and watercolors and painted the portrait...and by the Grace of God it looked like this little boy's daddy. I wrote the editor of the magazine, sent her the framed portrait to give to the family, and received a call back. They were so touched and pleased that more requests came in. God worked a miracle through my untrained hands, and I painted several more funeral portraits as a living sermon of His mercy. Afterword, God seemed satisfied and allowed me to move on in my painting to make a living through it - reminding me all the way that each person I paint is His child...His Masterpiece.
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Standing Their Ground
As a former fire-fighter/first responder, mother of a firefighter, and widow of a firefighter-paramedic, 911 hit my family especially hard. One notable lawmaker, Senator Barbara Milkulski (MD), who hailed from a fire-fighting family, was also especially moved by the tragedy. This painting hangs in her Senate office as a tribute to the brave men and women who gave all that day and in honor of her ceaseless support of first responders everywhere.
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Unsung Hero
While we often mourn and honor the first responders of Ground Zero, let us not forget the unsung heroes who spent countless hours digging in the pile for survivors. These workers had no idea at the time that they were digging their own graves by inhaling deadly toxins and particulates that later claimed their lives through silicosis and cancer. To them, there were simply people in need and they were there to help; and in so doing, sacrificed their own lives.
Artist Bio
Jan Briddell-Stevens
My journey to art was an honest one, albeit a winding convoluted one. My cousins were famous artists, my aunt a gifted painter, my dad a renaissance man, and I soaked up all the creativity I could. I was lucky to learn at their feet, and later, to study under the patient tutelage of the great Patrick Henry and paint with his friendly band of talented professional artists including the late Ron Lambert, Lynne Lockhart and Kirk McBride.
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These consummate artists graciously allowed me to join in on sketch walks and plein air trips, where I was able to observe each artist's unique process. Ironically, however, all my landscapes simply HAD to include people or pets, from shopkeepers to hunters, to my fellow artists at their easels. No matter where we went, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the fauna! As such, I became the portraitist of the group, and I used whatever medium I could get my hands on - allowing the subject to drive the materials and treatment. It became a passion to allow each person or pet's spirit and soul to shine through, and it was my calling to capture or reveal it.
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After I began to paint portraits for families of 911 victims, fellow fire-fighters, I was asked to do a tribute piece for Senator Barbara Milkulski, CNN's Morgan Spurlock, Spike TV's Ink Master Al Fliction, and people from all walks of life, capturing special moments from the woman at the finish line of the Reebok Challenge to beaming newlyweds, from the couple introducing their newest family member, to the final portrait of a beloved matriarch. All moments are equally precious.
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Therefore, as I approach each project, I feel as if I am stepping onto Holy Ground - as if God is presenting me with one of His special children saying, "See the magnificence of what I have made?" Where upon I answer, "Yes I do, and I am humbled."
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So, what do I see when I paint you? I can only see one thing...
YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE.
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How Do We Take the Next Step?
How You Get Your Masterpiece Now!
I am located in both Washington, DC and the East Coast of Southern, Florida. I am comfortable working from photographs and can usually be creative with themes and settings. I prefer candid poses and taking the photographs personally, but I understand that there are often geographical constraints. I can work from sittings, but I photograph during them for future reference.
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Pricing is based upon several factors including: SIZE of piece, SCOPE of piece (complexity of subject and setting), SUBJECT of piece (face, whole body, etc..), NUMBER of people in piece, ANIMALS (either as subject or included), MATERIALS, and FRAMING selections.
BASIC
Starting at $250.00
Small portrait with simple subject and/or context from 4x6 to approximately 8x10" matted and framed.
STANDARD
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Starting at $450.00
Multi-media or single painted medium from 5x7 up to 11x14. One to two subjects with minimal background and detail, matted, framed, glassed, or framed if on canvas.
DELUXE
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Starting at $1000.00
Multi-media or single painted medium on canvas or museum board from 11x14 up to 48x72" framed.
Contact Me
Thank you for your interest. For any inquiries, commission requests or studio visits, please contact Jan Briddell-Stevens Portrait and Fine Artist today at 443-880-2263 or email at Contact@janbriddellstevens-art.com.