Commissions

My starting point has always been to do what makes me happy, so its quite challenging to work on a commission to make someone else happy.  Even though its for someone else, I still have to find an emotional connection, either to the piece I have been asked to create, or to the person, or their particular story if I am to create something authentic.  I usually find after a chat, meeting or swapping of emails, I can always find that spark that starts the connection I need to kick off the creative process.

Mostly commissions are centred around someone’s own experience such as their wedding or holidays, otherwise they would just buy a big painting to match their sofa, which again, I have often done for collectors, but the reasons people commission a painting never cease to surprise me.

This wonderful gentleman asked me to paint his late wife. Initially I had said no, because I am no good at portraits! But when he told me he had tried unsuccessfully to capture her likeness, I had to do it for him,  there were tears, and I ended up feeling honoured that he had asked me, and allowed me to share in his story. I used watercolours in washy layers, and black pen. I used dots instead of actually drawing. I thought the dots created a more ethereal image, in keeping with someone who is always present, but no longer part of our physical world.

I have painted many houses, gardens, cars and boats!, wedding flowers and even pets. But mainly, I am asked to create abstract pieces to mirror the personality of the person or their space.