"A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE"
To Whom it May Concern:
"It is my pleasure to recommend Mike McVaugh as an artist.
Moreover I can confidently recommend Mike McVaugh for any
undertaking. For as you see, I have not only had the privilege of
being painted by Mike but we have a longstanding friendship of
approximately 20 years as well. In that time, I have seen Mike
evolve as an artist as well as a person and have come to
recognize and respect the commitment to excellence and intensity
which he brings to both art and life.
It is my intention to keep this letter brief and concise, and in so
doing report what I know to be factual as well as, in light of our
20 year friendship, to offer a couple of opinions which I believe
to be fact.
If art is in fact 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration I'm quite
convinced that Mike has fulfilled both quotas. Mike's inspiration
was easy to recognize 20 years ago as he effortlessly and joyfully
exhibited God given talent to observe and reproduce. Free time
on a prep-school campus is minimal and as a result, in an effort
to devote the kind of time to his art which Mike was apparently
compelled to do at that time, late, long hours were required. It
was obviously necessary to keep up with his school work and
extra curricular commitments which I recall as being a priority to
Mike at the time, and one which he was able to fulfill. Mike was
however compelled to draw and paint and to improve his natural
abilities. As a result, while those of us who were less inspired
slept, Mike painted. I have seen his painting evolve from a
technically strong, photo-realistic quality in the early and middle
years of our relationship to his current ability to capture much
more than just physical characteristics. More specifically, by this
I mean that Mike is able to identify the less tangible qualities of
his subject's character or psyche and to somehow translate this
into color and form.
Mike's development as a person has been no less obvious to me
than his development as an artist and there is no question that the
evolution of the former has contributed to the latter and
visa-versa. I mentioned earlier that I could confidently
recommend Mike for any undertaking and this based on what I
have come to know of his character and his psyche.
Over the course of 20 years, I've seen Mike tackle a number of
challenges, as well as overcome problems and setbacks. I again
attest to Mike's commitment to excellence and his will to
overcome and achieve. I'm proud to recommend Mike for all that
he may aspire to achieve."
Very truly yours,
Sigurd N. Hersloff, III
To Whom it May Concern:
"It is my pleasure to recommend Mike McVaugh as an artist.
Moreover I can confidently recommend Mike McVaugh for any
undertaking. For as you see, I have not only had the privilege of
being painted by Mike but we have a longstanding friendship of
approximately 20 years as well. In that time, I have seen Mike
evolve as an artist as well as a person and have come to
recognize and respect the commitment to excellence and intensity
which he brings to both art and life.
It is my intention to keep this letter brief and concise, and in so
doing report what I know to be factual as well as, in light of our
20 year friendship, to offer a couple of opinions which I believe
to be fact.
If art is in fact 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration I'm quite
convinced that Mike has fulfilled both quotas. Mike's inspiration
was easy to recognize 20 years ago as he effortlessly and joyfully
exhibited God given talent to observe and reproduce. Free time
on a prep-school campus is minimal and as a result, in an effort
to devote the kind of time to his art which Mike was apparently
compelled to do at that time, late, long hours were required. It
was obviously necessary to keep up with his school work and
extra curricular commitments which I recall as being a priority to
Mike at the time, and one which he was able to fulfill. Mike was
however compelled to draw and paint and to improve his natural
abilities. As a result, while those of us who were less inspired
slept, Mike painted. I have seen his painting evolve from a
technically strong, photo-realistic quality in the early and middle
years of our relationship to his current ability to capture much
more than just physical characteristics. More specifically, by this
I mean that Mike is able to identify the less tangible qualities of
his subject's character or psyche and to somehow translate this
into color and form.
Mike's development as a person has been no less obvious to me
than his development as an artist and there is no question that the
evolution of the former has contributed to the latter and
visa-versa. I mentioned earlier that I could confidently
recommend Mike for any undertaking and this based on what I
have come to know of his character and his psyche.
Over the course of 20 years, I've seen Mike tackle a number of
challenges, as well as overcome problems and setbacks. I again
attest to Mike's commitment to excellence and his will to
overcome and achieve. I'm proud to recommend Mike for all that
he may aspire to achieve."
Very truly yours,
Sigurd N. Hersloff, III
SIGURD NILES HERSLOFF, III, Oil on linen canvas, 36" x 30"
Painted from live sittings and from photos taken by the artist.
Painted from live sittings and from photos taken by the artist.
E. "M I K E" M c V A U G H
P o r t r a i t A r t i s t
P o r t r a i t A r t i s t