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.

Child's portrait-- Hadley

This portrait is done in acrylic on canvas and measures 16" x 20." The background is a mix of blues, greys and beiges.

I have recorded all the measurements-- centimetres from top of head to chin, and so forth-- so that in a couple of years, and a few years after that, I can do matching paintings of Hadley's younger brother and sister when they reach age 5. Their mom is already thinking ahead-- What if her daughter has long hair and a bow on the top? I have planned space for that. The three are beautiful children and I look forward to painting the siblings.

Daniel Island House

This pen & ink drawing, about 15" wide, is a bit too large to fit into my scanner, but most of it appears here. The home is estate-like, with a free-standing guest house.

We'll Always Have Paris

The young couple offered a black & white photo that they had taken of themselves near the Eiffel Tower. This is the resulting painting, which is done in acrylic on canvas and measures 16" x 20". Painting in black and white is probably more difficult than painting in color, because there are infinite shades of grey. I could mix a shade that looked just right on the brush and on the palette, but it might be way off when I applied it to the canvas. I am happy with the finished work, though... I hope that the young lovers will be pleased with it, too.

Relaxed and Happy

This portrait was done in acrylic on a canvas that measures 20" x 24". My client presented a favorite photo of her husband, but she requested a tropical setting with palms, beach and ocean. This worked because the inspiration photo had been taken outdoors on a sunny day.
I think she will be getting exactly what she wanted.

South Carolina Island Home, Custom Watercolor

This house is in a wooded setting on one of the coastal islands near Charleston, SC. The homeowner wanted a small watercolor painting to fit into a particular display area. I also made note cards for her with this image on them, which she likes a lot.

To do a house portrait, I visit the site to take photos (if possible). For a small matted painting, I charge $175-$200.

North Beach

"North Beach" is a 14" x 18" study for a larger oil painting.  It depicts a morning in the autumn on North Beach, Seabrook Island, South Carolina.  There were a few walkers, but otherwise the beach was empty.  It's a peaceful place to be-- The only sounds are from waves and birds.