Commissions

I was chatting with an artist friend recently who said, “I hate doing commissions!” She was not the first one to say that and I was surprised again.

LOVE doing commissions! I painted a portrait for a work friend recently, of him and his wife sharing a kiss at their wedding. It is a gorgeous painting. I felt so much love and hope in that kiss, and painting it was so beautiful. It was a first anniversary gift for his wife, who was so happy with it.

I have painted horses, dogs, cats, babies, goats, couples, favorite places—all so fun! I painted a grandson in a boat fishing with Grandpa. I painted a favorite horse friend, looking out of their stall. I painted a view of a local landmark for a friend’s mother, who grew up there. I painted a day old infant.

With a commission, I am creating a painting for someone who is going to love it. I enjoy that connection that is created between me (the artist), the painting, and the person commissioning the work. Sometimes it is a secret project. It is always a fun process, and I like to share the progress of the project as I go—photographing the painting in stages.

I also keep my prices reasonable, because this is not as much about making money as it is about making happiness. It feels like I am magnifying love, and the ripples roll deeply, and richly.