EMPATHETIC EDUCATOR - Dr. Louis Zona

A generous, distinguished gentleman, Dr. Louis Zona is Director of the famed Butler Institute of American Art, in Youngstown, Ohio, USA. Answering the search for a formal space in which to sculpt visiting leaders of the Russian ballet community during the Kirov's 1990 tour, Dr. Zona spontaneously offered his gallery studio to accommodate the portrait sittings.

A brilliant man, Dr. Zona possesses the personality, education and inclination to raise the profile of fine arts in his community. Both an interested patron and an actively involved academic, Dr. Zona cultivates a strong connection with the youth of his community. His warm, approachable interactions with students from the neighbouring art college speak volumes of his dedication to each individual student seeking his kindly counsel and support.

Intended to reflect Dr. Zona's genuinely affable nature, his Arkangel portrait captures him leaning over as though he were addressing a small child, in an honest, non-judgmental sense -- a pose of modesty that emphasizes his beauty as a human being.

"There is a saying that paper is more patient than man."

-- Ann Frank