I love commissions!!

 

I used to get nervous about them but as I do more, I gain confidence.  It is kind of a leap of faith for someone to say, I love your work, can you do this for me?  Occasionally I will turn down a commission if I feel it isn’t my style or if the timeline is too short.  I hate to do this but I also want to turn out a quality product that will be loved.  Usually the person commissioning me is a friend, an acquaintance or they met me at a show.    They are familiar with my style and trust I will produce a beautiful painting created just for them. But for me (and probably for the client), it might be a little intimidating too.

 

My latest “Tisha’s Garden” is a great example.  I know Tisha and her hubby through Rotary and I really like them a lot.  Let’s just say Tisha is my kind of girl!  In August, she contacted me and asked me to create a painting for their East Coast home.  This painting should be blue and white, and feature Alaskan Forget-me-Not flowers.  Generally this is the request I get from a client.  They don’t know exactly what they want, but they do know what they want to ‘feel’ when viewing  their painting. She wanted a reminder of Alaska summers.  We then agreed on size (which dictates price) and timeline.  I sent her a contract requesting 50% down payment and after she signed, I began. 

 

The first part is me sending her a ‘thumbnail’ sketch of my vision.  To be quite honest, her thumbnail was very vague and in this case was in black and white.  Basically, it had some flowers.  Since she knows my style and trusts me, I didn’t have to spend a lot of time with the sketch.  In some cases, where I have a client asking for more specific items and the composition requires discussion and collaboration, the thumbnail can be very time-consuming and becomes it’s own masterpiece. One thumbnail I created for a client sold to another patron because it turned out so beautiful!!

 

After we sign the contract, I begin the process.  Some commissions require me to do research, spend time interviewing people, traveling to areas to gather info, visiting pets in their home or brainstorming while enjoying adult beverages on a sunny deck.  All Good!  The more I know a person, the more I am connected to their painting.

 

With Tisha’s request, it was simple because florals are my favorite and she loves my work.  We have a similar background, both growing up in Alaska and when she asks for forget-me-nots, I get it!!  I know she will like what I paint, since I LOVE what I paint.   I created a video of the process from inspiration in my morning neighborhood / garden walks, to ‘blocking in’ the painting, to the final details of adding a very small bumble bee.  The time it takes for each painting differs based on subject matter, time of year, how many projects I have, and if it is fishing season!  Tisha’s took a little longer because it was summer, we HAD to go fishing for a week, and I was immersed in some other projects.  I generally quote about 2-3 months for a commission. This may seem like a lot of time, but I have to consider existing projects, art shows (I usually do one every other month but not an issue this year), art classes I teach, and any other personal events – vacation, etc.  This summer I was working on a series of Lazy Susan’s that ended up taking a LOT more time than anticipated, and luckily I built in enough time in her commission proposal to finish it on time.  Usually I deliver quicker than I quote, but I would rather give myself the luxury to create something exceptional and not feel pressured by a calendar.

 

As I’m working a painting, things happen…  I create the basic subject – for example flowers…. But then the painting wants something behind the flowers.  It wants a backdrop (something we hadn’t discussed).  Then mountains appear.  But then, I realize I WANT this mountain range to be sleeping lady.  Now if I paint something in and it doesn’t work – I can re-do it.  That is the beauty of paint. If only life were so simple.  So the final product is usually a process of what the client has requested, my interpretation of that vision,   and finally, what the painting demands…  Kind of a three-way collaboration.

 

Tisha is out of town, so I sent her a photo and she loves it!! Whew – I knew she would, but I always hold my breath until I hear back from the client … I guess butterflies in my stomach remind me that I really care about each painting I create! 

 

If you are interested in a commission, feel free to contact me and we can chat.  I have a few friends that want to commission me but they are just not ready to commit yet.  That’s ok.  I understand.  But I do like to discuss the subject ahead of time because it gives me time to ‘think about their ideas’ and consider options.  No obligation, ever.