Rockwell Portraits is 10 Years in Clearwater, Florida!
The Story of Brown & White Portraits
When we first came to Clearwater in April of 1999, we started getting the word out with Brown & White, Head & Shoulder single child portraits for a great sales price. I must have done 20 of those portraits. Since then I have painted 100's of children and adults in color and brown & white, in full length, 3/4 (showing the hands), and head & shoulder poses.
Do you know The Story of my Brown & White Portraits? It started with my training which followed the way that the Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Raphael painted. They approached the canvas with a single color such as brown or a brownish-red or even gray first, establishing the composition and the tonal values (i.e., the gradations from light to dark) with this neutral color plus white. Once this was done, they turned their attention to color.
For me, the discovery that Brown & White portraits were desirable came when I was painting a surprise portrait for an anniversary present for a woman's husband—scheduled to be done by Christmas. However, she also asked me if there would be any way that she could display a sketch of the portrait at their actual anniversary date in August. I agreed to get something to show in the Brown & White stage. Well, he liked it so much he didn't want me to take it away! (They did let me finish it, however.) That's when we thought others might like this look too.
And others have liked it! It's both heartwarming and Old Worldly.
“It is truly a masterpiece. It takes my breath away. When people even just look at it they go ‘wwwwhew!’. Anybody who gets painted by you is so lucky.”
“I like the way it looks at you—that’s what she does. You captured her look and her spirit more than a photograph ever could... It’s truly a reflection of our shining star!! Thank you so much for this timeless treasure.”
”It is breathtaking... perfect... exquisite... Hands, eyes... It’s her... the light on the face, the hair in little wisps, her expression. It’s every bit of what I thought it would be and more.”
"I could not be more pleased. I'm at a loss of words. I wasn't expecting it to be so emotional."
Before I give you more successes, I just want to tell you that I can create timeless Old World treasures for you too. Interested?
Feel free to call me at 727-442-5553, or email: info101@rockwellportraits.com
Thanks and all the best to you!
PROUD COUSIN TO NORMAN ROCKWELL, AMERICA'S FAVORITE ILLUSTRATOR
More "Brown & White" testimonials:
“Beautiful. Excellent. He’s gonna love it. What a great picture. Look at his eyes—they’re so perfect. I think even he’ll like that. He’s going to love his hair. I like it that it still captures that little bit of youth in there—he’s not totally a grown man.”
“My son gave the ultimate compliment for a 17-year-old: ’Can I have that for my room?’ He likes the way he looks in it.”
“It’s them. I love it. Even the way they tilt their heads. It captures their love for each other.”
“Gorgeous! I’ve wanted a portrait of them for a long time. Wow. You can really see their eyes. You can see the depth of their caring for each other..”
“When I saw your paintings originally I could appreciate their beauty on their own, but it was not until I saw my own children painted by you that I fully recognized your talent. It is absolutely them. They could walk off the canvas.”
“The portrait arrived and looks just beautful. I can’t take my eyes off it! You are such a wonderful talented artist! Of course I think of you often, your work is on my walls just where I work. An inspiration.
“I was absolutely Blown Away by your work....most important of all, is that you really captured them spiritually....my children are so wonderful and you truly duplicated that!
Wow, you really did it! I am Totally Knocked Out!!!
Very Well Done! ...Lovely, Lovely, Lovely.”
"Really wonderful. You caught a good aspect of him. He looks like the Chairman of the Board. Very commanding and powerful. You’ll always know who he is."
"Oh, my gosh! It’s beautiful, just beautiful!"
"As long as I live that portrait is not going anywhere. It’s like a vision of femininity."
“You’ve definitely captured their personalities and closeness and a time in their life that I won’t be able to recapture. It’s beautiful. I love it.”
"The portrait is beautiful We are proud to have such a special painting of our daughter. It also has been a pleasure meeting you. PS: You are my daughter's idol."
"That is so beautiful. I love the background. It’s so perfect. I love the way you do the eyes. They have the twinkle—just like in real life. Time has to stop—we have you captured now. You can’t get any bigger."
“I’m going to get BIG!”
“I know you’re going to get really bigger—just don’t do it too fast. Oh, I am so thrilled. Thank you so much!”
"Absolutely beautiful. Such a likeness—it’s a joy to look at."
"That’s my little beauty!"
"You’ve really captured my son. Oh! I am so amazed!"
"Everybody who knows her comments how much the portrait captures her personality."
"They are wonderful—my babies—frozen in time. I’ll have them forever.”
"It’s beautiful. It looks just like her. Oh, gosh!.”
“Love, love—I love it. You truly captured her. It’s absolutely wonderful. I love the way you did the lace and the dress.” (Since the painting was hung in the home, everyone who visits is escorted by the little girl to see her special portrait hanging there.)
"That’s Jack. It looks exactly like him. Very, very beautiful. We love it. It really looks great. I can’t stop looking at it. It’s great. I’m really happy."
"That’s my little girl. It’s great... I love the paintings you are doing for my family."
"Very nice, hands are great, smile, lips, eyes are so real. I like the way it looks at you, not looking away. That’s what she does."
"Oh, my god, they are beautiful! They are perfect! You captured the sweetness of both of them. It's breathtaking. Look at how sweet they are. It's making me cry. It's phenomenal. Look at their little faces. His little fingers, holding his little finger. You could not have captured those two little boys any better. It's interesting, you can see how their smiles are the same and so are the shapes of their eyes.
"Their eyes are so alive. Like they are looking at me. They're giving me that sweet look just before doing something they know they shouldn't. ... 'I didn't do that! I'm good!'
"It's been a wonderful experience working with you."
"It is so life-like. She is away at school and I miss her, but I can still look at her and see her life and it feels like I still have her with me. It just seems so natural to look over at it and say, 'What’s happening?'
"When I talk to her on the phone and look over at the portrait I feel she is really with me. Having her portrait kind of makes up a little for not having her here with me every day.
"You were wonderful to deal with. You had creative ideas on how to show her in a portrait, to capture her likeness. In the photo session you knew how to get her relaxed. You went the extra mile to create something really incredible."
"Oh, god! It's so pretty. It's so soft. Just beautiful. Unbelievable. It's me. I'm in awe.
"He's going to die when he gets this. Oh, Jessica, you are just amazing. It's wonderful. It's more than that. There is no way to describe this piece of art.
"I felt so comfortable with you guys. The create [photographic reference] was just happening and as we did it all the parts were figured out and the pieces just fit together. You guys have this special talent.
"I am teary eyed. It couldn't be any more perfect.
"Your subjects just want to walk out of the paintings and come talk with you. They all have their attention focused on you so you have to fall in love with them.
"I told my sister about this project and I said I knew it was going to be beautful—when you see her work you know that it can't be anything else. Even then, I underestimated.
"I love it."
"It was very, very unique, very special. Whenever we get together (and we do all the time) it is still a topic of conversation. It still means so much. They have it hanging in a very special place, over a fireplace, with some other mementos of his life. We've heard from numerous family members and friends and they are all quite taken aback by it. We debated back and forth what we should do and if we should do this and we decided it is what it is and we don't want to forget. Do you want to be reminded of him every day and we are all of the same opinion that we do, we don't want to forget. The portrait is very special. It has a life of its own and the quote was the topping. It was all very unique and special—and still is.
"To quote Griswald's Christmas movie—'It's the gift that keeps on giving.'"