The Latest Four Legged Family Portraits!

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I just finished the second of two Fun Family Portrait commissions – fun being of the four-legged nature. I met Laura L. of Illinois, through mutual friends. A few weeks after the introductions, I received an email from Laura asking me to paint a portrait of her daughter, Lia and her horse, Marcus. As we embarked on the project, Laura commissioned a second portrait of the family’s wonderful dog, Abbey. Abbey’s portrait will be a gift for her husband who absolutely loves this special dog.

I enjoy these commissions. I feel as though I become acquainted with each person and animal through the collaborative process of developing these portraits. Photographic reference is necessary, but I like to learn about personalities, traits, favorite colors, favorite toys, what builds the bond between subjects. And I work hard to include these meaningful symbols in each portrait.

For Lia and Marcus, they are a jumping duo and enjoy competing at horse shows. This portrait shows Marcus at a younger age when he was more grey dappled with dark mane and tail. This painting portrays the strength of their competitive partnership, leaping the rails, looking toward the next jump.

The portrait of Abbey is simple and direct. Abbey loves tennis balls. So I placed her in a grassy yard surrounded by all colors of tennis balls.

As I’m posting this blog, I’ve just received an email from Laura. Yea! Another commission for the family cat, Zoey! Stay tuned!

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