This painting was commissioned by a client. I think it may be the best painting I've ever done!
Painting is like so many other skills, practice makes you better! I’ve realized that when I get to paint a lot, not only does it get easier for me, but my paintings really get better. I have been painting quite a bit lately and I think it shows. This is my newest painting. It’s a commission. I don’t consider myself a portrait painter, but I love to paint people doing things that they do–playing, working, busy with life. This client, the mother, gave me full control as an artist. A friend of mine who is a photographer and I both took pictures of these sisters one windy, summer day–out in the pasture, near a creek and a cabin. The mom never looked at the photos, told me to pick the one that I thought would make the best painting. She probably didn’t realize how smart that really was. But any artist will do a better job when given the freedom to make those decisions that make art. My goal for this painting was to capture this moment with Jordan and Maddy! We had been shooting for a while when one of them said, “Let’s have a conference.” And they put their heads together to plan a new way to sabotage that photo shoot (LOL)! Little did they know that it would be the shot of the day! I want the viewer to feel as if he/she is stepping into their world and sharing that moment with them. That was my goal. A camera can capture their likeness–but it takes an artist to capture the passion of that moment, the love between sisters, the excitement of the plan. But on top of that–it really does look like those two beautiful little girls. I hope this will be a treasured possession for many years to come! It brought joy and confidence to this artist. I’ve had many great art teachers since I’ve started painting. Each one has given me a different gift. Lou Hansen has been my mentor for over 30 years and has taught me so much about how to paint. Another of my favorite teachers is Marilyn Yanke. Just looking at one of her beautiful paintings is an inspiration. She is a very intuitive person and has such natural ability when it comes to design and color. She taught me to allow myself into each painting that I do. Developing a style of my own has become a goal for me. I’d like to think that one of these days, people would see one of my paintings and know that I painted it by the style, colors, design–just like when you see Marilyn’s work–you know she is the only one that could have done that particular painting.
