Lucy the Cocker Spaniel had posed in front of a sofa in the photo submitted by the owner.  It's color was so close to the hue of Lucy's fur that it was not going to be flattering.  The owner agreed that a "brush stroke" background would work.

 

"Rusty"-- a boxer

"Dock Street Moment," painted for the Women on View show, March 2015

Dock Street Moment, by Nancy Irwin Romness

This painting was shown at Women on View, March 2015.  Acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24" 

It captures a single point in time at the historic Charleston, SC theatre.

Painted Suitcase, an unusual custom painting work

This is a Royal Traveler suitcase from the 1960s.  The owner wanted a guitar painted on it.  I took photos of two guitars from his collection, and chose this Gibson.  I used acrylic paint, and finished it with Rustoleum 2X Ultra Cover Clear Gloss sealer.  I would not recommend checking this bag at the airport, though!
Handpainted vintage suitcases seem to be a popular idea, but most I've seen have floral designs on them.  The guitar theme is unique.

Little Rocking Horse, handpainted, for a Christmas fundraiser

This wooden rocking horse, in its unpainted state, was donated to Christkindlmarkt, a fundraiser boutique at the Community Center of St. Matthew's, Charleston, SC.  The event takes place in early December.  I took the horse home and gave it a new life.  I kept the pink and purple to a minimum, so I think it would be a gift for either a girl or a boy.  The seat is 11" off the ground, perfect for a toddler.
 http://charlestonteatime.org/christkindlmarkt/

New Dog Portrait: a dog named after a river

The owner of Stono (who is named after the Stono River, Johns Island, SC) will be surprised on his birthday with this portrait of his good buddy, a chocolate Labrador retriever.  Dark-colored dogs can be difficult to paint, as the details of the face are often hard to see.  A great photo makes all the difference!  (You don't think dogs SIT for their portraits, do you?)  The gift-giver and I photographed Stono on a sunny day, making sure that his head was in the light.  We got down on his level to get the best shot.  Some little treats were Stono's reward for posing.  :-)

I love to paint children's chairs!

A pair of soon-to-be great-grandparents elected to have me decorate this chair, which they had purchased at Cracker Barrel.  I thought that the slatted seat might pose a problem, but they birds fit just fine.  The parents are expecting a girl, and the nursery is decorated in lavender and crème brulée.

old chair for a young child

This little chair is about 80 years old.  It had been painted white and donated to "my" charity boutique.  I chose a bright blue background, and then added colorful birds and leaves.  Some doting grandparents bought it, and now it belongs to their one and a half year old granddaughter.  The grandparents found no one at home, so they left the chair in the garage.  When the family returned, the little one saw the chair, knew it was meant for her, and promptly sat on it!

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!