Seth Haverkamp - Magical Portraits

This past April, artist Seth Haverkamp was Tawarded the Draper Grand Prize for his painting, Mars Rising, at the 21 st annual The Art of the Portrait Conference in Atlanta.

- Krystle Stricklin

The award-winning work is an intimate portrait of his son, Caspian, standing confidently within a fantastical setting. It was an emotional night for many to watch Seth, a frequent competition finalist and conference faculty member, take the stage to accept his award. The Tennessee-based artist has established himself as a leader in the figurative art world and is best known for his enigmatic and imaginative portraits of his wife and children.

Like many artists, Seth knew from a young age that art was his life’s calling and he briefly considered a career as an illustrator, with a special interest in fantasy books. That early interest is certainly evident in his paintings today, which are often described as whimsical, mysterious and even magical. After beginning his studies at the Memphis College of Art and the Cleveland University of Art, Seth graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Carson- Newman College in 2003. Then in the summer of 2004, Seth attended a workshop at Studio Incamminati with acclaimed artist Nelson Shanks, later enrolling in their intensive art program. Seth recalls, “I had a very instructive year up at Studio Incamminati in 2006. They gave me a process I really responded to and embraced.” And his wife, Catherine, also an artist who he met his first week at Cleveland University of Art, has decided to continue her education there as well.