These are some examples of bespoke paintings done for clients. Commissioned paintings are often made using the client’s favorite possessions, thus creating a still life so personal that it becomes a portrait.
Commissions can include anything. The subjects should simply be things that the the person likes; they need bear no relation to other things chosen. It is for the painter to find a narrative that brings the items together—this is what I most enjoy about doing them. Fishing gear, an old book, ornament, boot or bottle, they can all have a relevance in the painting. Often commissions have been different versions of paintings I have done before, using the client’s own things or simply revisiting a theme.
While setting up the picture I will often paint a small oil sketch so that both parties have a visual reference of how the finished picture will look. At this point we can both make revisions and changes to suit the original idea. Later when I have been working for weeks on the project, the sketch serves me as referral to my first impressions of the setup; in short it keeps the idea fresh. PB