Smithsonian.com

"Dad," a painting by Stanley Rayfield. Courtesy of the artist.

Stanley Rayfield grew up in Richmond, where he spent his summers drawing caricatures at Kings Dominion, the local theme park. Now, he has a painting in the National Portrait Gallery.

The 21-year-old artist submitted an intimate portrait of his diabetic father—wearing an eye patch and oxygen tubes, and leaning on a cane, his shirt open and exposing a scar on his chest—to the Portrait Gallery’s second annual Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. The competition invited all professional artists to enter a portrait—self, or of a friend, stranger or relative—in the form of a painting, drawing, photograph, sculpture, film or digital animation.

The artwork of about 60 of the finalists, selected by a jury this past June, will be included in an exhibition opening this Friday, October 23 and running through August 22, 2010. Rayfield is one of seven artists shortlisted for the $25,000 grand prize and the opportunity to create a portrait of a remarkable living American for the museum’s permanent collection. The winner will be announced tonight.