Jerry Whitworth achieves compelling realistic images while also conveying a sense of vibrancy with his paintings.  His respect for the traditions of portraiture is evident in his work as he has developed his style from extensive study of the Old Masters.  At the same time, he effects a spontaneity in his portraits that renders them distinctively contemporary.

    A native of Alabama, Whitworth earned a BFA in painting from the University of Alabama and studied at the Art Students League of New York.  He has been a recipient of the Edward G McDowell Traveling Scholarship, and was a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome.  His paintings have been featured in solo and group exhibitions, including shows at the Art Students League and in numerous commercial galleries in New York City.  Whitworth has painted various public officials, including retired Alabama Supreme Court Justice Oscar Adams, Jr. and NASA’s Wernher Von Braun.  His subjects also include business executives, civic leaders, children, and family groups.  

    Whitworth paints with a specific objective in mind.  “My goal is simple - to make the most beautiful portraits possible for each and every client,” he says.  He paints commissioned portraits in his studio after an initial meeting at the client’s location.  During his visit, he takes many photographs of his subject or subjects and reviews them with the client when printed.  Together they choose the best pose to be used as a reference for color, mood, and composition.  When the completed portrait is shipped to the client, suggested edits can be made, whereupon the portrait is returned to Whitworth so that he may make the necessary changes.  Upon completion, the portrait is then shipped back to the client.

    Whitworth has spent considerable time in the museums of Europe looking at the masterpieces.  Living part time in Paris gives him the opportunity to continually learn from the great art of the past through his regular visits to the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many others.