I would like to be able to say that I don’t get nervous before presenting a portrait to its subject anymore, but I do.  Though I’m less anxious than I was when I first started out, there’s still a little voice inside my head that nags at me, insisting that the person could very well not like the work.  And, while I am the final authority on my work and will never change a piece once I deem in complete, I make portraits—both in my commission work and in my conceptual work—with the intention of making the subjects happy, so their reactions are important. 

When Courtney met her reflection, she screamed and jumped up and down with delight.  That might be my most favorite response EVER.

To learn more about the making of this portrait bag, please visit this article on my blog.  And to find out more about Courtney and what she does, visit www.courtneyfreed.com.