As part of the commission process, I ask clients to describe what they like and don’t like about my work.  Though this is an exercise that can be delicate for all involved, it’s well worth it for both parties.  On my end, I gain invaluable information about how my work in general is communicating (or not) as well as hints about what the patron would like to see in her-his portrait.  What’s more, I learn to accept feedback in a constructive manner—a necessary skill for any artist who wants to grow!  For the client, it’s a chance to express wants in a concrete manner, using specific examples from my oeuvre.

More often than not, patrons are very positive in their descriptions—they are, after all, commissioning me so they must see something good in my work.  But I learn a lot from where they choose to focus their compliments.  In Mary’s case, her husband was particularly interested in this painting, so I took elements of that composition and combined them with the sense of playful mischief that I saw in Mary to make her portrait.

To learn more about the making of this painting, please visit this article on my blog.