Stanley Rayfield realized his love for art early in life, pursuing his passion before graduating high school. In 2009, Stanley graduated from a nationally ranked fine arts program, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts in Richmond, VA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Communication Arts. He furthered his study by undergoing intensive training in classical realism through Grand Central Atelier in Long Island, NY. Stanley cites his Christian faith and the likes of Henry O.Tanner and John Singer Sargent as some of his sources of inspiration. Stanley’s portraits possess a photo-realistic likeness and skillfully capture the soul and spirit of the subject. With this gift, portraiture became central in Stanley’s fine art career, most notably when he entered the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Portrait Competition at age 19. The painting of his father entitled, “Dad”, earned 2nd place in the competition. Currently, Stanley enjoys mainly producing Fine Art paintings and drawings for collectors and museums. He has honed his portraiture skills throughout the years and has been fortunate to have his award-winning fine art portraits acquired by The United States Pentagon, museums, one being Virginia Museum of Fine Art, universities, collectors, as well as featured in prominent art publications. Collectors of Stanley’s artwork include Academy Award-winning director, Spike Lee. In 2022 Stanley painted the official portrait of the 73rd Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam. Stanley is the first African American to paint a gubernatorial portrait in the state of Virginia. Stanley has displayed his artwork at several solo shows with Glave Kocen Gallery in Richmond VA, regional and national competitions, and group exhibitions. He has painted U.S. Armed Forces Service Members, local county dignitaries, University dignitaries, theologians, CEOs, pets, and a host of other subjects. These subjects and more, Stanley continues to paint with the same passion he discovered at the onset of his career and the same heart he possessed to create his cherished, “Dad” in 2008.