We shape our homes and then our homes shape us
Winston Churchill
Have nothing in your home that you don’t know to be useful or believe to be beautiful
William Morris
Art should make you think and feel. It doesn’t have to match your couch
Damali Ayo
Commissioning a painting is a huge statement of trust, and I’m honoured that you’re interested in working with me!
I’m an abstract painter. This means that I don’t paint from reference photos or attempt to replicate any particular locale in my paintings. I don’t paint portraits or pictures of pets. My goal is to create a piece that makes you feel a particular way. For many collectors, that feeling is related to a place, a person or a moment in time. As such, I may request photos from you during the process of creating the painting, but only to help me tap into the mood and the colour palette that will help you connect with the work.
I work primarily in acrylic paint, with graphite, oil pastel and paper collage elements sometimes making an appearance. My preferred substrate to paint on is 1 1/2 inch deep cradled birch panels; they’re light, contemporary-feeling and are super responsive to the sanding, scraping and etching techniques I like to use to create texture. Best of all, they don’t require framing (which adds considerable expense to a painting, as well as to the cost of shipping the framed piece).
The cost of the painting will depend primarily on it’s size.
The larger the piece, the higher the price (and the more expensive it will be to ship). If you already know the size of the painting you’d like to commission, great. If not, we can determine that together, taking the location you’d like to display the piece in, as well as your budget into consideration. (To get a general idea of the price of commissioned work, take a look at the pieces in my Online Shop and add 10%; note that I don’t commission work any smaller than 20 x 20 inches).
I consider the process of creating a commission to be a bit like a dance.
We go back and forth, sharing ideas, distilling them into something that works with my creative cycle and your hopes for the painting. There will be times when I need your feedback and times when I need to be left to my process. There will be opportunities for you to see the work as it progresses (unless you’d prefer to just be surprised at the end…). Note that I’m a process painter, and will not aim to replicate a previous painting, even if it’s your favourite.
When I’m painting, I always work on a number of pieces simultaneously.
These works are similar in size and utilize the same colour palette and themes. Artists call this ‘working in series’ and we do it to help us remain ‘loose’ while painting and because we’re often impatient to wait for paint to dry ;-). Commission work is no different. The upside of this for you is that at the end of the painting process there will be a number of pieces for you to choose from. Any pieces that you don’t decide to purchase will be made available to others via my Online Shop.
The entire process goes something like this:
You:
- spend a little time on my website and Instagram page looking at my work and noticing which pieces grab your attention
- take screen captures of the things you like, including colours, shapes and themes in the work
- share these images with me to help me understand what general direction the work will take
- provide me with photos of the wall and room that you’re planning on displaying the work in, including measurements of the wall
Me:
- distill the above information
- make recommendations as to the size of the proposed work(s)
- suggest a colour palette
- provide an estimate of the cost of the painting and any shipping charges that will be added to the total
You + Me Together (over email, telephone or a FaceTime call)
- settle on a substrate size (or sizes in the case of diptychs and triptychs)
- agree on the primary colour palette (understanding that there may be additional colours I introduce as the painting progresses)
- agree on a general theme for the work
- discuss a general timeline for completion of the project
- discuss finances and a schedule for payment
- document all of the above in writing
You:
- pay 1/3 of the estimated cost of the painting(s) prior to the onset of the work (this deposit is non-refundable, but in the very unlikely event that you don’t fall in love with one of the paintings I create, can be applied to future work created by me)
- payment can be made by electronic transfer or PayPal (including their credit card options)
Me:
- purchase materials and start painting
- communicate with you about the status of the work(s) on a regular basis
- provide you with opportunities to view the work(s) in progress and provide feedback
- finish the painting(s) and share with you
- upon receipt of final payment, arrange for careful packaging and safe, tracked shipping of the piece(s) to your address
- if you live within the greater Vancouver area, I can hand-deliver your painting(s) and assist with installation if desired