Lauren's Sunflowers

"Lauren's Sunflowers" I created for the image on a rehearsal dinner invitiation.  Lauren, the bride, loves sunflowers and used them abundantly in the attendants' bouquets, her own bouquet, and the reception decorations.
This painting is small-- I'm not sure of the dimensions, as the newlyweds own it now.  I used watercolors and ink on watercolor paper.

King Street, Charleston, SC-- looking south

I took some photos while riding in the car, a year or two ago.  They recently inspired me to paint this scene.  This is a small acrylic painting, 8" x 10".  It will be on sale at the Afternoon Tea Art Exhibition at St. Matthew's Church.  The steeple on the right is the church.

Rusty, a beloved dog

Rusty loved to sit in the sunlight.  This portrait was commissioned by the dog's "mom" as a gift for her husband.  She provided wonderful photos, and this is the result. 

Why commission a portrait?

Five good reasons to commission a portrait: 

•    Capture your child's sweetness before he or she gets any older.
•    Create a portrait of "the way they were"-- Dig up that old photo... (See the example above.)
•    Commemorate a special occasion or milestone.
•    Freeze in time a beautiful image that will last for generations.
•    Give a portrait as a gift.

The painting of Roger and Rodney, done in acrylic on an 12" x 12" canvas, was commissioned for a special occasion-- A milestone anniversary (60th!) soon to be celebrated by their parents.  The old photo that was provided by the client is somewhat damaged, but the cuteness of their faces shines through well enough to inspire a successful portrait. 

So-- Why have a portrait painted just for you?  All of the above!
Contact me for prices and more information:  nromness@comcast.net     

Courtyard Camellias

This painting was inspired by a photo I took, in February, of a camellia bush in the courtyard of St. Matthew's Church in Charleston, SC.  The composition of the photo was not very interesting, but cropping the image into a square made it more appealing to me.  I like all the diagonals that resulted.

a painting to remember a favorite vacation

This painting shows a moment in time from a young woman's trip to Spain-- specifically Plaza de Santa Ana in Madrid. She chose a favorite photo from her shots of that holiday. The painting is done in acrylic on an 18" x 24" canvas. What an excellent idea she had to remember an enjoyable trip this way. Sure, she bought some souvenirs, but they are small and most likely tucked away in a drawer. She can look at this scene every day.

This is probably the most detailed painting I have done!

Lowcountry Landscape: a different type of house portrait

This peaceful place is on the Stono River, about 18 miles from downtown Charleston, SC. In this acrylic-on-canvas landscape, the family home takes a secondary role; the water, woods, and marsh dominate the spotlight. The canvas measures 3ft by 2 ft. I painted this over a three-week period.

Roxy: A Puppy Portrait

This elegant lady was painted for a Christmas gift. Roxy is also a "grand-dog" of the client who commissioned "Cooper," below. The canvas is just 8" x 10", so it's a nice compact piece of art.

Cooper-- Portrait of a Dog

This cute beagle mix was painted for a woman to give to her son for Christmas. She calls Cooper her grand-dog. She supplied me with about six photos to use. A painting this size may be framed and hung on the wall or set on a decorative easel on a table.

The Old Midwestern Barn

This painting was done by several participants at Respite Care Ministries in Charleston, SC. It was finished in early December. Five different painters worked on this, one at a time. I watched and guided (and planned the project from the beginning). It took only five sessions to complete.

No one seemed bothered that they had to use blue and purple to paint the snow. But when asked what color the snow was, each insisted that "Snow is white." We couldn't decide if it was early morning or late in the day in the photo we used for inspiration.

This was a fun project. The image may be used to make note cards to sell to raise funds for the programs, which serve people with memory loss and Parkinsons.

October Bride

This pretty bride was a delight to paint. If she had actually posed live, she would have had to stand still for more than 45 hours! However, she carefully selected an inspiration photo from the many taken before her wedding. I work very slowly when doing a portrait-- It must be precise. I especially enjoyed working on the lace.

A Celebration Portrait

This portrait was commissioned for the celebration of a beautiful woman's birthday-- A "big" one, though she looks much younger, both in real life and in paint. The inspiration photo was taken at a festive event on a cruise. The background of the photo has a lot of red in it, and some unidentifiable ship equipment. For the painting, the background colors were chosen to fit with the room where it is displayed. The mossy greens are a flattering-to-the-face choice, as well.

South Carolina Home Among the Oaks, pen & ink drawing

This house, located outside Charleston, SC, is set among Spanish moss-laden live oaks. The drawing was done for a real estate agent to give to her client.

Hanna on the Beach

This is a different sort of portrait. The owner of Hanna wanted a lowcountry seascape-- with his German Shorthaired Pointer in it. He chose a pose from photos I took of Hanna. This painting is an acrylic on canvas and measures 14" x 18". Hanna loves being on the beach, so this is an appropriate setting for her portrait.

Wild and Gentle...

These paintings are not mine, but were created by participants at a respite care program for people with memory loss. I coordinated the projects, but the painting work is done by others. I plan, suggest, guide, and help mix the colors, but I leave the brushwork to the participants. As tempting as it is to "fix" a stroke of the brush, I refrain from doing that. The charm and "primative" look of the completed painting come from the quirks of each painter's individual mind and hand. The paintings will probably be auctioned at a fundraiser to benefit Quality Time Respite Care in Charleston, SC.