Commission a Painting
Over the years, I have been very fortunate to have a web of clients that have kept me in the game. Through working on dozens of commissions, large and small, I have developed a formula for a great painting. I have always been feverishly against the idea that the artist is some untouchable force. There is a public perception that discussing an artists work while he is creating is crossing some line. I disagree with this.
I believe that communication is key. I want you to tell me everything that you want. I want your ideas and my ideas to make a beautiful brain soup. I want that soup to slosh around in my skull while I paint for you. I want you to tell me if you are happy, or disappointed, or nervous, or excited, or hungry ( i guess). Together, we can make art.
This is how it works:
If you decide that you would like information about a custom piece of art, call us, contact us via email, or this box
Once we hear from you, we can negotiate size and price:
I can build any size canvas that you can dream up. Quite simply, nothing is impossible. I have professionally shipped paintings as large as 74" x 54" through a local crating and shipping company. Anything under 48" x 48" , I pack and ship myself (this cuts a major cost). Anything larger than that can be broken down into segments etc. Anything that is ridiculously huge, I would deliver myself in a rented box-truck with graffiti on the sides (hopefully).
There is no price point that I can not work with. In most cases, you can come to me with a budget and I can suggest a size or vice versa.
When the price is agreed upon, a deposit is required to continue. The deposit is always 50% or more of the total cost of the painting including shipping. I will draw up a contract and an invoice to keep things all buttoned up.
Once we have the physical and financial details ironed out:
I will ask you to visit my online gallery and instagram page...Check out all of the examples of my work and pick out some that you specifically enjoy. Even if you have a specific scene that you want me to re-envision, this is an important step. It helps me identify what colors, tones and general atmospheric qualities that you enjoy.
When we are ready, I will draw up a few sketches for your approval. If you have an idea for a painting of a specific area, I will go there if I can and take photos,, do drawings and take in the scenery with my wife.
I will then get to work:
Depending on the size of the piece, paintings can take between 4 and 16 weeks to paint. I will put together a contract detailing the specific date of completion for your painting. Oil paint takes a long time to work with, in a pinch, I can paint with heavy body acrylics and mediums to mimic oil that will dry much faster. I can paint an acrylic painting in a few weeks.
Here are some examples of commissions that I have done in the past:
2016
In 2013, I was commissioned to do the painting on the left by a gentleman in Philadelphia. It was a 48" x 60" beast of a painting that was crated and shipped to the client. It has been living on his wall since.
In 2016, I was contacted by a woman who had seen and loved the painting on the left. I re-imagined the painting and created a new, custom painting just for her. The painting on the right is the result of that process. I really enjoy re-thinking old lessons learned.
2015
In 2015, I was contacted by a man who grew up in the mountains in Colorado, just outside of Ward. He now resides in Arizona but wanted a piece of artwork that reminded him of the sentiment of that place. We agreed on the size and price of the painting, I arranged the shipping and we hashed out the details.
He had an image, a photo he had taken himself of the mountain range above. I decided that, while the reference was nice, I needed to visit the place. To hear it and smell it and drink it. My wife and I headed into the mountains and took photos alongside the old dirt roads. I stopped and sketched by a pond. It was a magical way to learn about a place and a person.
The resulting painting resonated with me. The size and imagery made this a memorable piece for me. It was another 48" x 60".