(remember to click images to enlarge)
“D&M” 11×14 commission oil portrait on canvas
“D&M” 11×14 commission oil portrait on canvas
I love love love how this portrait fell together. The photo of the hubby was nice and clear to work from. But the one for M posed a bit of a challenge because though they are good looking people, they just have limited pics of themselves! And I’m such a sucker for love stories and couldn’t wait to do this portrait. They’ve been sweethearts since teens and now successfully married and just attended their eldest daughter’s wedding. She found me on Etsy! She originally hired me to do a portrait of her hubby for their anniversary until he found out and was sad that she wasn’t going to be painted too. So there ya go, we have, as we do in real life, D&M together forever! And truly is one of the best clients I’ve ever met. She saw the email and responded SHE LOVES IT and the final payment is in the mail YAY! And this painting is off to Michigan! Hmm there’s here left ear peeking twixt her hair which shows fleshy unlike the photo so I don’t know what happened there…
Alice Thompson asked me to post old work and open them up for discussion. Ok it’s dark and I’ve stopped painting for now so I can play a little. I’ve chosen a series I did right before I moved to Arkansas
in 2004. It all started with one painting for a show that EBSQ called “Cirque”. After painting the first one, I enjoyed playing with the colors so much that I eventually ended up painting 3! Each one 18’x24″ on canvas. The first and last were acrylics; the 2nd in oils. They were originally titled “Cirque 1 -3” lol But after I saw them together, they became the “Leap of Faith” series. Unintentionally, each piece progressively told a story. The first one was tethered like the cirque du soleil performers. The 2nd piece, looks like she went and jumped off with the ball. And the third looks like she has finally mastered the leap and was actually able to float gracefully. All these have sold! This year I sold and shipped the last and my favorite of the three painting #2 to Australia to one of my Ebay buyers who saw the painting in my website 🙂 Man was that a learning experience to send a big flat package there! Incidentally, each was especially composed from my fuzzy head; none was based on a 
specific photo. The first was inspired by someone’s Halloween costume, the second one I completely concocted the figure and the background inspired by a ceiling of a building in Cuba, the last one was inspired by a buddhist tent at an annual food bash they hold annually in Sacramento. 🙂 What a triumphant series to be able to sell pieces I made all up in my head. They really made me feel like the artist I want to be when I grow up!
in 2004. It all started with one painting for a show that EBSQ called “Cirque”. After painting the first one, I enjoyed playing with the colors so much that I eventually ended up painting 3! Each one 18’x24″ on canvas. The first and last were acrylics; the 2nd in oils. They were originally titled “Cirque 1 -3” lol But after I saw them together, they became the “Leap of Faith” series. Unintentionally, each piece progressively told a story. The first one was tethered like the cirque du soleil performers. The 2nd piece, looks like she went and jumped off with the ball. And the third looks like she has finally mastered the leap and was actually able to float gracefully. All these have sold! This year I sold and shipped the last and my favorite of the three painting #2 to Australia to one of my Ebay buyers who saw the painting in my website 🙂 Man was that a learning experience to send a big flat package there! Incidentally, each was especially composed from my fuzzy head; none was based on a 
specific photo. The first was inspired by someone’s Halloween costume, the second one I completely concocted the figure and the background inspired by a ceiling of a building in Cuba, the last one was inspired by a buddhist tent at an annual food bash they hold annually in Sacramento. 🙂 What a triumphant series to be able to sell pieces I made all up in my head. They really made me feel like the artist I want to be when I grow up!
Chop chop, I’m in the middle of painting Sandy and Domino now!
The glamorous life and times of an artist!
The Leap of faith series is PHENOMENAL! What a beautiful and skilled imagination you have. You absolutely captured the feeling of movement and fantasy of the cirque. I love the dynamic compositions and bold colors. Lucky buyers.
Your finished portrait is lovely. I know the owners will treasure what you’ve done.
While the entire double portrait is beautiful, I especially love how you rendered his wavy tousled hair. They each have a definite spark – I imagine this is attributed to the fact that you so enjoyed their story! Also, I loved hearing the story behind the cirque/leap of faith series – I’ve had the priviledge to see these in person, but now I have the whole story!
Hi Alice glad you like the series. It’s always so gratifying when a vision takes on a tangible form. We are blessed as artists that way aren’t? And of course the final blessing is when they are purchased and find themselves a home. Being artists we take on so many roles, one of them as surrogate moms 😉
I hope they treasure their portrait as you say, I know I will treasure the joy of knowing them.
Hillary, I’m happy to report that the portrait was a labor of love on my part and I believe it shows. I’m such a sappy romantic person LOL!
Oh little one, I’m glad I still have many layers you haven’t encountered though it seems I’ve known you forever xo
I’m so impressed with your online art sales! Except it keeps me from seeing you enough…cloud demo coming up probably in January, K?
luvuvr
I know Red, especially with Mom arriving Sunday and will be here for December. But come January I’ll be so ready! Thanks for the cloud demo it will be a blast! xox
I like the Cirque artwork. Nice colors.
Wow! I’m soooo happy about this portrait Erika that you can’t imagine! I will treasure this painting and all the work you put into it for the rest of my life. It’s hard to believe that we’ve never met and you were able to capture us with the crappy pictures I sent you. I’ll have to get someone to take a photo of us now in the same pose and send it to you. After being with Del since 1972 we may have changed a little. Just a little. I think we still see each other as we were in the portrait. I think it’s called blinded by love. Thank you Erika so very much!
MICHELLE you sweet woman! I’m so very touched that you’ve posted on my blog and blessed me with your kind word! There are some paintings that tend to paint itself and your portrait was most definitely one of them. I’m so glad you like it, can’t wait for you to see it and like you said, maybe a pic with you and Del with your portrait! I’ll display it proudly in my website! xox
Wonderful work Erika!!! You continue to inspire! Highly imaginative and with your signature color!
Glad I can inspire you as well Theresa because you certainly inspire me!
Erika, these are so beautiful! Love love love the colors and the feeling conveyed; I feel like I’m up there flying and floating myself — so wonderful. And all from your imagination? Wow, Cool!