Armistead Wellford Portrait Artist

Armistead Wellford paints traditional oil portraits in the style of Classical Realism.

He was born and raised in Virginia, and grew up around the subjects and settings he paints.  He has an innate love of dogs, cats and horses, his best known subjects, and a deep appreciation of the beautiful landscapes Virginia has to offer.

He displayed artistic talent early in life, when he once added heads, arms and feet to coffee stains on a legal pad, and turned them into animated, running creatures.  From that time on he was a prolific cartoonist, drawing people and animals in humorous scenarios.  Recognizing his talent, his parents sent him to VCU art school summer programs while in elementary and middle school, and as a teenager to the Schuler School in Baltimore, MD.  It was there under the tutelage of Ann Schuler that he first learned the oil techniques of the Old Masters, and since that time he has remained a serious student of the Classical Realism painting style.

Armistead studied Art at the University of Georgia, and graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design.  During this time period he also became an active part of the Athens music scene, and although he had a career in music for 20 years, he never completely put down the brush and palette. In 1998 he returned to the Schuler School to refine his technique in Old Masters human portraiture.

His subjects have expanded from his beloved dogs, cats and horses to wildlife of all sorts, particularly birds, as well as people and landscapes.  All of his work reflects his artistic appreciation for the beauty he sees in what he paints.

If you would like more information please call (804) 272-7002 or email him at armistead@armistead-wellford.com