While I always love the Christmas season, these days holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations demand that we buy presents for people who have everything they need or will ever want. A commissioned artwork can offer a very personal gift that encapsulates what the giftee loves, or something that represents their view of the world.
President Kennedy in a rocking chair, by William F. Draper.
I’m not the first painter in the family to paint commissions. My grandmother’s cousin William Draper was a “society painter” in the decades following World War II. He lived in New York and painted formal portraits of well-to-do, and well-known politicians and captains of industry. He painted some actual presidents including NIxon and Kennedy. When he painted Kennedy, the president was posed in a rocking chair. Apparently Jackie was not amused. Cousin William said, ”What did she want, a throne?” It did not end up as the official presidential portrait but was sold and is currently for sale through the Artemis Gallery.
President Barack Obama, by Robert McCurdy, and First Lady Michelle Obama, by Sharon Sprung.
I thought of this when I saw those two new Obama portraits. It’s easy to read symbolism into every aspect of a painting. She’s sitting, he’s standing, she’s relaxed, he’s upright but casual. She’s on a chair and he is in a white void. I like the portraits. They are beautiful likenesses, but I’m not sure why he is in that empty white room. What’s the symbolism there?
Portrait of a daughter, by Louisa McCabe
With these ideas in mind, I will be offering commissed paintings this fall for Christmas. There are different kinds of commissions. A portrait can be entail sitting for many hours, like what cousin William did. Or you can choose a photo of a place or your favorite people and have them recreated as a painting, either as a faithful reproduction or as a jumping off point for the artist’s vision.
We can discuss you or your giftee’s life, goals, people or places, or cherished objects. These can be incorporated into the artwork. You can let me do my thing, or be part of the process every step of the way.
Local market painting showing different generations of the family working the tables, by Louisa McCabe
I once did a portrait of a dear friend who died. Unfortunately the photo of this portrait got lost. Bob loved skittle bands and played the washboard. His face was the main focus of the painting, but faintly in the background you could see the translucent images of him playing the washboard with the rest of the band. It was very sad but also comforting to see him in a notional heaven, doing what he loved.
The ancient Puente de la Magdalena in Pamplonam by Louisa McCabe. My parents got engaged in Pamplona and I finally managed to visit. I suppose Pamplona kind of played a part in my existence. I bet they walked over this bridge all those years ago. What are some of your favorite places? How would you like an artistic evocation of that time or place?
There are only 12 weeks until Christmas. A commission can take from two to six weeks depending on the size and complexity. In order to give your present the proper time and attention I will need to start the process before the first week of November at the very latest.
What do you think? I’d love to discuss any ideas you may have, and to find out if we could work well together. If you want to a commissioned artwork by Christmas, that would be step one.
Cheers all. Louisa