Portrait Commissions

Capturing moments

I grew up with a photographer Dad. Professionally and in our family life, my Dad took pictures. That means that we have hundreds of family photos, not all of them with my Dad in them. I got my Dad’s artistic genes, which in part means I’m hardly in any of our family photos but also that I love to capture moments, just like him.

I’ve been blessed with two children who are often the subject of my paintings. In between the cooking, laundry, school run and other moments that make up family life, I catch glimpses of them that inspire me, that need to be put down in paint.

My most favourite portrait was inspired by a trip to the BP PortraitAward with my eldest. As we relaxed, mid-art, in the basement café, I was awestruck as the daylight streamed through from the overhead glass panels and, together with the limestone bricks, lit her better than I could have arranged for.

Magical times

When people see my portraits, they sometimes ask how I got them to sit still so long. I can paint from life, but life doesn’t always let me. I’m a working mum with two children and household chores, so I paint when I can, which invariably means painting from photos and I’m sure life’s just as hectic for you. But the joy of being able to use photo references is that I can capture the moments that might otherwise be missed if I only painted from life – the brief moments of time where something magical happens.

If you have people in your life, little people or big people, who have moments you’d like to capture, I’d like to help you do it. Let’s start a conversation and see if you have any moments that I can work with, or we can work together to create some. Maybe you’re that parent who’s never in the photos, let’s change that and capture a moment for you to cherish.

Meet and greet

It’s not always easy painting someone you’ve never met, working from a single photo. I like to meet the people I’m painting if I can, to get a better sense of them, so I’ll know I’m doing a good job. However, with the benefits of modern technology, we could do that from our armchairs with Skype, if we’re not geographically close.

Drop me a line if you’d like to chat about a painting, with no obligation. Let’s start a conversation.

 

All paintings are in oil on good-quality standard-depth stretched canvas, sent unframed. Prices start at £200.