|
|
The Interview
Since the client lives in Australia, half-way around the world, the interview process took place via email.
This portrait of Jennifer was commissisoned by her adoring husband, Warrick. Warrick sent me an email that expressed
at length his affection for his wife. The main thing that popped out to me was that he loves all aspects of his soul mate:
both her rose-side, and her thorn-side.
My words here are only a feeble attempt at translation of Warrick's elequant description of his wide. Through his emails
I derived that Jennifer is an intelligent, beautiful, career-oriented (she is a radiologist) woman who is able to hold her
own in tough sitations, but is also a soft, feminine, loving wife and mother with all of the softness, compassion, and caring
qualities of a loving, life companion.
He wanted the portrait to express both sides of Jennifer, which he finds so beautiful and attractive, so that was the
starting point of this commission.
The Reference Photos
Given the long-distance of this commission, I was sadly unable to meet Warrick and Jennifer in person. So much of getting
to know Jennifer had to be accomplished through the emails, and through photos the Duthys sent me.
I asked Warrick and Jennifer to send me a selection of photos that they felt captured Jennifer's personality. The things
she loves to do, her mannerisms, the gestures that make her recognizable. They did a fantastic job of providing a selection
of pics that showed Jennifer's carefree spirit as well as facial features to work from for likeness.
They also sent me some close up pics of jewelry that has sentimental value to Jennifer. Since she likes both gold and
copper, I included this jewelry in her portrait, and adorned it with some gold and copper metal leafing.
Below are a few of the Duthys photos I worked from for this commission.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
The Preliminary Sketches
I did up a few sketches and emailed them off to the client. Warrick and Jennifer liked the sketch where Jennifer is smiling,
but they also liked the sketch with the rose.
The portrait ended Up being a combination of the two sketches: the smiling sketch with the rose added.
The rose because the symbol for Jennifer's two sides. By its nature and appearance, the rose communicates femininity,
softness and beauty. And the thornes are representational of all of the tough and prickly aspects of her personality that
make her strong, capable, and tough.
|
| |
|
|
The Painting in Progress
This painting took FOREVER to complete. Let me attempt to explain:
The painting process, at least for me, is not methodical. Few non-creative people will understand this, and it may even
elude some who call themselves creatives.
Each painting is its own entity - each is guaranteed to be a different journey to get to the finished piece.
I can only paint portraits from a emotional vantage point. I have to slip inside the glove that is the "feeling"
behind the portrait. Sometimes that is the personality of the person being painted, sometimes it is the reason the portrait
has been commissioned. Either way, the feeling is the core and essence of the portrait, and the appearance is always secondary.
I had a very tough time painting this particular portrait. As I put myself into the feelings of this portrait, Warrick's
great love for Jennifer, how much he cares for her, I found myself slipping into a state of complete and total loneliness
(which I rarely feel). It actually caught me off guard: it was entirely unexpected and was my challenge and curve-ball throughout
this portrait. The strong love this couple has for each other made me feel a great deal of sadness that I myself have not
had the good fortune to find such a soulmate. The feeling became so consuming that, for a time, I was unable to work of the
portrait: afraid that my sadness would "bleed" into the potrait.
The portrait was finished in tiny increments. It took a little over a year to complete, which is rare for me. I am usually
a fast painter, working from a surge of energy that flows like water. This is one of the very rare pieces that I had to step
away from repeatedly, almost allow myself to recover from the sorrow, and then go back to it to work some more.
I am very happy with the final portrait, but I think I can honestly say it is one of the most emotionally difficult paintings
I have ever done.
 |
|
| |
|
A Note of Thanks to the Duthys
My sincere thanks to Warrick and Jennifer, for commissioning this piece, and for their patience and understanding during the
long time period it took to complete it.
I thank you for the opportunity, and the challenge, to creat this portrait and work under an emotional constraint I have
yet to have experienced. It has pushed me to learn new things about my painting, and myself.
I am now working on a second commission for the Duthys. Fittingly, it is a portrait of Warrick, commissioned to hang
next to his wife, Jennifer's, portrait. I absolutely love that.
Look for Warrick's page to be added soon to my commissioned portraits page on this site.
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
