Finished! - Portrait of Pope Leo XIV
Sent: 2/4/2026 8:11:13 AM


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Finished Portrait of Pope Leo XIV Portrait of Pope Leo XIV Portrait of Pope Leo XIV , oil on panel, 20 x 26" 2026 In November of 2025, I began work on a commission of our current Pope, Leo XIV. When the project was first discussed in the summer of 2025, we decided to use an older pose of Pope Pius XII, depicting him seated in a three-quarter composition. Due to a miscommunication on my part, I believed the project had been changed to a portrait of Pope Pius XII. With that understanding, I embarked on painting one of the most ornate portraits of my 32-year painting career. I was nearing completion when I reached out to my client to share the progress. Their response was, "Beautiful portrait, but it is the wrong pope." After weeks of work, I couldn't muster much more than, "No problem, I'll make it right." I could not help but laugh. What do you do in a situation like that? I was mistaken, and fortunately, I had the ability to fix it. Over the next week, I began the process, and slowly but surely, Pope Pius XII became Pope Leo XIV. I even shared a video of this transformation on social media, if you would like to see it. I have posted some progress photos below. IMG_0807 Pope Pius XII IMG_0808 Pope Pius XII - hour 1 changing face IMG_0810 Pope Leo XIV - hour 5 of changes Coat of Arms of Pope Piux XII before changes IMG_0811 Then, as if that were not challenging enough, I realized, thanks to the comments of a few people on my Facebook fan page, that the stole of Pope Pius XII bore his family coat of arms. A few days ago, I began once again to alter the coat of arms so that it properly represents that of Pope Leo XIV. I will be honest with you, this was one of the most challenging and detail-heavy portraits I've ever painted. In addition, I had to make two major changes during the process, which added both time and stress in my effort to get this portrait right. In reflecting on this experience, it reminded me how imperfect I am, and it was humbling to make such a mistake. However, the challenge of correcting it only pushed me to become a better artist, which is something I strive for every day and expect from all of my students. We all have far more potential than we realize. I hope you find this portrait inspiring. I will be offering a series of two limited-edition prints of Pope Leo XIV. One will be an 11 x 14 inch giclée on Somerset Velvet paper, and the other will be a 16 x 20 inch giclée on stretched canvas. Both are available now and will be signed editions of 100. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated in support of the FSSP Seminary. _____ New Prints Available Limited Edition Prints of Pope Leo XIV Limited Edition Prints of Pope Leo XIV 11 x 14" BUY NOW Limited Edition Canvas Print of Pope Leo XIV Limited Edition Canvas Print of Pope Leo XIV 16 x 20" BUY NOW To see more of the signed, limited edition prints I have available, click here _____ "Persephone" wins finalist in Boldbrush Competition Persephone I was very honored to have my new painting of Persephone picked as a finalist in the November Boldbrush Competition! https://faso.com/boldbrush/winner/411802 The painting is 36 x 48" oil on panel and available for purchase. _____ NEW ORIGINAL WORK AVAILABLE Portrait of Abraham Lincoln Portrait of Abraham Lincoln Persephone Persephone _____ Recent Sales Father Samuel Mazzuchelli Father Samuel Mazzuchelli Mercy of the Good Shepard Mercy of the Good Shepard _____ Dante's Inferno Painted Series eric-armusik-dantes-inferno-july-2025 July 3, 2025 - Standing in my Great Room with 16 of the 40 paintings In the past month I've announced two new ways to support the completion of this work: GoFundMe and GiveSendGo . I am so grateful for the support I've received so far and it has allowed me to purchase the necessary materials to begin Canto 11: Thank you for all of your support. It continues to drive the heart and soul of this project. If you're interested in supporting or sharing this work, here's a page with all the available options. 2025-AACA-Workshop-Ad Individual Workshop Intensives If anyone is interested in a one-on-one Individual Workshop Intensive at my studio in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, I'm currently reserving spots for February and March - Click here for more information . We have a B&B right next door, and each year students from around the world visit to grow in both technical skill and art business knowledge. _____ Signed Books Drawing Book 2023 Charcoal Drawings 2022-Cover-mockup Religious Paintings II {{FASO_DOMAIN_VISIBLE}} {{AM_COMPANY_NAME}} {{AM_COMPANY_ADDRESS}} {{AM_CSZ}} {{AM_COUNTRY}} Unsubscribe Sent with ArtfulMail