Creating this portrait commission was an amazingly wonderful experience. My client approached me while I was giving a portrait painting demo at the Art League in January. She was drawn to me because of an article in the Alexandria Gazette-Packet she had read about me and my "Place Settings" solo exhibit. So she came to talk to me armed with a photo of her six grandkids that had been taken by a photographer three years prior. A while later, I went to her house and discussed the project -- and it was clearly a match. She was fantastic to work with, I love the painting ... and she definitely does, too. The unveiling is a moment in time that I consider the most rewarding in my art pursuit. Being able to paint is an amazing gift and this portrait really touched my client's life.
Here's an excerpt from an email I received from Jill (we share a name, too) after she had gotten her painting back from the framer (FrameMasters in Chantilly -- they're great!):
"Jill, I picked up the painting yesterday and its proudly hanging in my LR....it is magnificent...the frame is most perfect....even the framer said he had never sold that frame but will push it now after seeing how it looks .......he was thrilled with it too....our son is here with his family....they love it of course...I keep the light turned on over it....and I nearly fall over stuff because when I enter the LR, I cannot take my eyes off it.......thank you a gillion times over for your abilities...and your kindness.....I want you and your husband to see it...you can come anytime but on down the line we want to have a party to show it off...love, Jill"
The subject line of the email read "My masterpiece"
Those are the kind of messages you want to get.
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