Lovely Carla, captured for her mother now, and then for Carla’s children later on.
Here is a commissioned custom portrait painting that I particularly had fun creating. First I had the pleasure of painting Carla and her brother in 2003. She was 12 and he was 14. You can see them in the related posts and pages below.
Then their mother wanted a separate portrait of each of them at 18. We took the reference shots for George and I painted his portrait in 2007. When it came time for Carla’s portrait there was always some trip or she was off at school or doing other different interesting things that delayed the portrait. I really thought it wasn’t going to happen and then it [continue reading…]
Oil portrait artist and husband sit for spring greeting card
Even though I may write you most often from the viewpoint of an artist creating oil portraits, I join each person on earth in making a myriad of things every day in his life. From neatening a room, to cooking a pancake, making a trip, buying a postcard, writing an email, making an announcement, hearing and understanding someone’s troubles and then comforting [continue reading…]
A rider with her horse makes for an aesthetic portrait
Here is another custom oil portrait of horse and rider that I did for Karen. Horses are a very special animal, that’s for sure. In this portrait she wanted to feature Barnaby at full stance. We went to her riding range and took photographs at a few different locations and angles. Barnaby was on his best behavior. I liked this one because even though the horse dominated due to his size, Karen was also very visible. Also, dappled shadows can be so expressive in outdoor scenes. Although the background wasn’t perfect, there were a few elegantly tall oleander bushes and a smattering of colorful flowers here and there. That’s all the input needed to spark a painter’s license [continue reading…]
See the video clip that WEDU (PBS station) made for their Arts Plus program. Just click cover image, above.
A little stir was created in our quiet neighborhood the day that a brightly colored van showed up at our house. It displayed WEDU with bold letters and scenes of newscasters and shows. Some of our neighbors told us they couldn’t help but be curious as to what was going on. [continue reading…]
A portrait of an imaginary world inspired by the subject
Oil portraits of imagination: That’s a favorite place to be for all of us, isn’t it? I love to make portraits that have just a touch of make-believe in them. I visualized portraying a lovely client of mine as a wood nymph. I mentioned it to her, Mona, the mother of 2 beautiful teenage girls I had just painted. She was instantly stirred by the idea too. She then added to my dream by getting an old-time classical dress made. Gerry photographed her in our studio for my reference. She became my muse! I put her in a sylvan setting that suited her, with lighting just so, for the right amount of daydreaming. This portrait quickly became the latest best-loved painting [continue reading…]
Beautifully painted portraits make for treasured family heirlooms.
You’ll see the unveiling of two painted portraits for a family from last September, a visit from a teenager and his mother with his portrait of 11 years ago, and an interview with the artist.
Here is a sneak preview of the new paintings with recent remarks from the owners:
“I look at the paintings every night. I have the lamps on the table turned out with soft white lighting to illuminate them. How magical they appear! Often late at night with just those small lamps on I find myself bringing a chair over from the kitchen to sit down in the foyer and admire them!” said the busy doctor and father last week. [continue reading…]
To receive a beautiful piece of art of yourselves
is a thrill without equal.
When Gregg commissioned me to do the charcoal portrait of his sister and new husband, he shared a dramatic family story with me: First, his English father and American mother lived in London with their son. Then, in the 1960s, father left them for another woman. Gregg’s mother brought her son to America. Gregg’s father remarried and had 2 more children. History repeated itself when he left his second family on their own too. In their struggle, they were helped by very famous neighbor and friend, the late Margaret Thatcher who later became Prime Minister of England. Then, many years after, Gregg’s half-sister [continue reading…]
I was delighted when the little one scrunched 
his hands together and wriggled his toes—I really think young children do that to entertain us. The other siblings showed their own personalities to great advantage too. That’s was inevitably what happens when you have four children in a custom portrait painting—you might think it a small challenge to take the reference photos—but so much fun.
The mother also wanted me to paint something of her newly-planted rose garden in the portrait. I went out to the back of her house to see it, and was surprised [continue reading…]
This oil portrait painting was commissioned 
by the father of 27-year-old twins. He was moving into a new penthouse condo and his interior decorator/close friend had recommended that he get me to make a portrait for him. They met at my studio, had the tour of many portraits and we worked out all the particulars. Since his son is an integral part of their family business, he was available locally, but we had to schedule the photoshoot a few weeks later to coincide with a visit from his daughter who lives out of state. We arranged to do it her last day here, at eight in the morning because she had to leave at 10:15 to catch her flight home! [continue reading…]
It was such a treat for me to do a custom family oil portrait painting of 4 captivating sisters. They ranged in ages from approaching adulthood, teen, pre-teen to 5 years old.
When I did this painting, I had the help of my representative who arranged everything. I was able just to show up with my husband to do the [continue reading…]
