President Welch's Official Portrait by Arkadelphia Artist Unveiled
07/14/2015
The official portrait of Arkansas State University System President Chuck Welch was unveiled today in a small ceremony at the system office in Little Rock.
Award-winning artist Rita Earles of Arkadelphia was commissioned with private funds to paint the portrait, which will be displayed in the ASU System office. Arkansas State University has traditionally displayed portraits of its presidents and chancellors in the Dean B. Ellis Library on the Jonesboro campus.
ASU System Board of Trustees Chairman Charles Luter of Paragould unveiled the portrait, which Welch insisted be painted by an Arkansan.
Earles began her art career as an interior decorator and then worked in finance for several years before returning to painting full-time. Her two main areas of focus are portraits and miniatures, and her style is realistic yet retains a painterly feeling. Rita has won awards in world miniature competitions including first place in portraits at the 27th International Miniature Show in Florida and Best of Show at the El Dorado Gallery Miniature Show in Colorado Springs, Colo. She has been accepted in World Miniature Exhibitions held in London, England, Tasmania, Australia, Washington, D.C., and Moscow, Russia. Her commissioned portraits hang in private collections and many public venues.
