Commissions are often fulfilling when the recipient is surprised and delighted. Two of these works were commissioned as gifts and surprises. One was a self-commission for a wedding gift.
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Matthew and Norberto, June 2025, oil on panel, 12" x 12"
My friend Matthew and his fiancé, Norberto, married this summer in a beautiful outdoor setting. Matthew is a landscaper with an art degree that definitely shows in his gardens. When I offered to create a painting as a wedding gift, he was delighted and helped with the subject. He wanted a honey bee and a snake set among greenery. The bee is Matthew and represents his work with plants. The snake represents Nor (I have no idea why and will not ask).
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| Winnie Kate, 2025, Oil on Panel, 14" x 11" |
My brother, John Ed, is close and dear friend's with his Pastor and family. They tragically lost their daughter, Winnie Kate, when she was 6 to an unexpected asthma attack. Because he loves that family so, he asked if I would paint a portrait of Winnie for them as a surprise.. I was happy to. But, warned him that working from a photograph of someone I never knew creates problems with the likeness. I looked at several on line. Of course, each one was just a bit different in the eyes, in the smile. I ask JE to please let them know this was meant to be an impression of Winnie's spirit. When JE and Cindy (JE's wife) gifted the painting is was received with surprise and delight. A few weeks later, Winnie's mom called to thank me and express her great gratitude. That call was all I needed.
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Karen and Mark, 2025, oil on panel, 16" x 20"
My cousin, Karen Friedlander, a jeweler, asked me to paint two crows that would represent her and her husband, Mark. Mark loves crows, admires my paintings of crows and once remarked to Karen, "crows mate for life." From that she embraced the idea that the crows would symbolize their life of dedicated and committed love. It was fun working with Karen as she chose the crows and their pectoral relationship. This was a surprise Christmas gift for Mark. If you look closed below the crow's beak on the left, you will see an indication of a piece of Karen's jewelry.
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