Written by HEATHER JOHN FOGARTY

IMAN “Iman limped to our sitting (it was our British artist DAVID DOWNTON has second) on a broken foot on a sweltering day

in New York, an inconvenience she hardly AND IMAN: TIM PETERSEN. DOWNTON DOWNTON. DAVID COPYRIGHT IMAN ILLUSTRATION: acknowledged. The carved, totemic goddess captured some of the most beautiful women in the of a thousand photo shoots is, in life, a whirl of kinetic energy and ricocheting laughter. A deity still, but earthbound.” world, anthologized in a new L.A. EXHIBITION “I’m trying to capture the essence, the sense of a memory, as if they’ve just floated onto the surface of the paper,” says por- traitist David Downton from his suite at Claridge’s in London. “I want it to look as if something just happened, something was left unsaid.” With his elegant brushstrokes, the British artist has created portraits of some of the world’s most recognizable and beautiful women, including Cate Blanch- ett, Catherine Deneuve, Diane von Fursten- berg and Dita Von Teese. Downton has just arrived in Los Angeles to launch his latest venture: a one-year exhibition of his “Icon

Series” at Mary Ta’s Minotti Los Angeles THANDIE NEWTON and Mass Beverly showrooms, featuring “I ran into Thandie at the Schiaparelli show in in January and large-scale portraits on paper of celebrated arranged a sitting in London (she women, small drawings, medium-format wore the same Schiaparelli couture). With her ongoing role in Westworld works and a limited number of exclusive and the guest lead in the U.K. crime portrait commissions that start at $15,000. drama Line of Duty, she is at the top of her game—beauty and intensity When Downton sits to sketch his sub- personified.” jects, often he has only an hour or two with Opposite: DITA VON TEESE each. “I get to know the person as much as “I have drawn Dita often. She is, as I can in the sitting. What I look for above I’m fond of saying, a genuine fake. Or perhaps a real illusion would be more everything is a sense of self,” he says. “A polite: the blonde from Michigan who dreamed big (and in color) and

classic beauty isn’t of much interest to TEESE AND THANDIE VON SNYMAN. DITA JACOBUS DOWNTON: DOWNTON. DAVID COPYRIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS: NEWTON made the world see things her way. ‘Glamour every minute, every day’ is her mantra, and she is as good as C 122 MAY 2017 her word.” C

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OCTOBER 2015 photo-saturated world.” artists andillustrators inour magazine—a smallvictory for selling inthehistory ofthe issue alsobecamethefastest of agoldstandard), butthe Blanchett (everyone’s idea brilliant andbeautifulCate only didIgetto work withthe was abannerday for me. Not Vogue Australia in2009. It “This was for thecover of

CREDITS

CATE BLANCHETT AND SOFIA COPPOLA ILLUSTRATIONS: COPYRIGHT DAVID DOWNTON. people, and he actually listens and looks people, andheactually listens and looks spirit ofeachsubject. and measured—that crystallizetheunique of brushstrokes—elegantlyoverlapping he doestheheavyliftingwithlightest material,” butit’s backatthestudiothat subjects, collecting what he calls “the raw sketches pageafterwhiletalkingto together. Itranslateandrespond.”He ality andintelligence;allofthiscomes draw. Ilovethatgreatcharm,individu “David’s talentisthathereallyenjoys - reputed guests, from SarahJessicaParkerto hotel’s most well- someofthe rendering artist inresidenceat Claridge’s, been Vogue to work hasbeenfeaturedeverywherefrom houses likeChanelandValentino, and his more than20yearsago,sketchingfor portraits arealmostlikereflections.” He stops.listens.perceives.His “These days we are so busy we don’t stop. at youwalkingacrosstheroom,”saysTa. Downton began as a fashion illustrator Downton began as a fashion illustrator Vanity Fair.Since2011,hehas

massbeverly.com; daviddownton.com• I’ve begunanewdance.” says. “Itfeelslikea new beginning,like that thereisalwaysfurthertogo,”he with anewaudience,there’s areminder the nextstepinastoriedcareer. “Engaging nia inparticular. ForDownton,itmarks market, withaconcentrationon Califor introduce BritishartiststotheAmerican tive by hisU.S.agentLaurenGurvichto Angeles comesaspartofabroaderinitia Los to art his . Bringing memorable sitting.” elusive and easy to capture. A and appraising, shewas both I’d stolen anashtray.) Chic, cool a four-year renovation. (Iwish Paris days before itclosedfor Windsor suite at theRitzin “I drew Sofiainthe Duke of SOFIA COPPOLA minotti-la.com; - -