« Family Portrait in Seattle »

I am frequently commissioned to paint portraits and I love these opportunities to create meaningful pieces that will hang in people's homes for years.

The internet makes it so easy to work with people far and wide, so I was especially amused when I was contacted by a woman who had researched my work and decided that it would be perfect for her family. Turns out she was a fellow parent at my kid's elementary school, and she had no idea it was "me," nor that I was an illustrator. After a few hilarious emails and texts, we decided on a custom-sized illustration that would be incorporated into an existing mirror as a birthday surprise for her husband.

This painting is a little larger than I normally do-- it required some modification to my work area to accomodate the width as well as a slight change in my work angle. As a result, I gained some new "tricks" for future pieces.

I'm pleased to share the portrait of this lovely family with you. It is gouache on watercolor paper, roughly 34"x12".