"Children hold spring so tightly in their brown fists ~ just as growups, who are less sure of it, hold it in their hearts." ~ E.B. White

A NEW SERVICE ~ PERSONAL PORTRAITS

For the past 40+ years, I've built a reputation painting dozens of beautiful homes, landmarks, parks and other architectural settings and subjects.

I'm pleased to announce that I am now offering personal portraits, as well. The painting featured here is of my granddaughter, Addison Lee, pictured to the right with her very proud Grandma Patti.

I completed the art of little Addison as a gift for my son and daughter-in-law in honor of her second birthday. Here she is, and we can't believe that she'll be three soon. Time just doesn't stand still, does it?!?

Since she's a March baby, her birthday often falls near Easter. In 2008, she arrived at our home that holiday in a sweet yellow frock (lovingly bought by her other grandma, Patsy), striped slippers and fuzzy bunny ears. This rubber duckling was in her Easter basket, and she ended up carrying it around most of the day.

This resulted in some truly endearing photographs ~ thus the inspiration for this painting.

I just HAD to capture her innocent pleasure in the day. She loved wearing this little dress, and amazingly, those ears stayed in place most of the day as she padded around and played with goodies tucked into her Easter basket.

CAPTURING THAT SPECIAL MOMENT IN TIME

I have found in working with clients, that a handful of very personal photographs (either part of my client's collection or some that I take myself) make all the difference.

Add to that an in-depth interview with stories and anecdotes about the subject.

As they say, it's all in the DETAILS . . . so if a portrait appeals to you, gather some of your subject's favorite unique toys, clothing, etc. to share at our initial consultation. This will help you get the best results.

My granddaughter is a sweet little girl with an engaging smile ~ and whatever I created would have delighted Matt and Heidi ~ but those ears, that duck, and the spring flowers at her feet really went the extra mile to preserve this special Easter Sunday moment.

If you are interested in this NEW service, please telephone me at 425.868.9238. We can discuss your options and set up an appointment.

Look for more portraits in the upcoming months on this web page.

CHOOSE FROM ARTWORK IN THREE STYLES:

NOTE: Paintings are best suited for the portrait work above as it's easiest to make alterations to achieve the best likeness with that media.

COMMISSION FEES:

Prices for commission pieces vary widely. Fees are based on the media selected and the amount of time it takes to complete the artwork.

OUR HOMES ARE OUR "CASTLES"

For MANY of us, this is true! We fuss over them ~ decorating, polishing, and doing everything to make them our "own." We agonize over choosing just the right furnishings and accessories to leave our "thumbprint." Our libraries are full of books and magazines expounding the joys of building bookshelves, fixing plumbing ~ even folding sheets! Holidays find us "theme-decorating" for Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. We are HOMEOWNERS!

"SPRINGTIME COMES TO SIMPSON STREET"

This painting of the spring-themed neighborhood showcases five very different houses. "Springtime Comes to Simpson Street" means a great deal to me, as it honors homes that I have lived in and loved over these past 60 years.

The pretty white cottage and the Dutch Colonial in the upper left were "home" when I was very young, growing up on the South Hill in Spokane.

I spent my teenage years in suburban Spokane Valley with my folks, five brothers and sisters (and two dogs) in the 70s-style place in the upper right. Very "Brady Bunch-like," don't you think?

Today I'm sharing the grey and brick Tudor with my husband, Doug. We're pictured with our extended family, including granddaughter Addison, whose portrait I've featured above. (I need to add our toddler grandson, Austin to this piece.)

The brick craftsman in the lower right is our future home on the South Hill in Spokane, where Doug and I plan to spend lots of time when we retire. It's a block from Manito Park, one of the city's loveliest settings.

Because I'm one of those "castle people," I LOVE painting portraits of homes ~ both exteriors and interiors. It's so rewarding working with clients to capture whatever is meaningful to them.

Below, I've shared a gallery of 14 sample commissions (6 paintings; 4 pen & inks; and 4 pen, ink & pastels (another NEW service) showcasing several architectural styles and subjects. Beneath this gallery, you'll find helpful tips for planning your commission, followed by a "Problems/Solutions" section, with more sample artwork and photographs.

ACRYLIC ON CANVAS PAINTINGS (6 Examples of Varied Architectural Styles)

PEN, INK & PASTELS RENDITIONS ~ A NEW Service (4 Examples of Architectural Portraits)

PEN & INK LINE DRAWINGS (4 Examples of Different Settings and Subjects)

ONE STEP FURTHER . . .

Holiday Cards Featuring Your Artwork ~ For several of my clients I've adapted a print of the original artwork by adding holiday details like wreaths, snow, family ~ and of course, a Christmas tree in the window. Voilé! Artwork for Christmas cards!

Wedding Invitations ~ For an engaged couple, after painting an autumn-themed portrait of their home (see below, "The Beautiful Day,") I re-worked a print, converting it into a New Year's Eve scene with them in wedding attire. The invitation was a very personal way to commemorate their at-home ceremony. (Click on my Bridal page to see that artwork.)

Meeting ~ All of my work is custom, so the first step is scheduling a meeting. We'll choose a time of day when there will be plenty of natural light for shooting digitals.

I'll share my portfolio with sample artwork, we'll discuss your wishes, and peruse your own photographs. We'll determine which portrait style is the right "fit" for you. The goal is to not only produce a lovely piece of fine artwork, but to capture "your" personality.

If you have good photos, I may be able to work from those (especially if you live in another part of the country), but more often than not, I'll shoot my own ~ everything from long shots to pictures of your front door, lighting fixtures, garden gates, bird baths, etc. Once again, it's the details!

Planning the Painting ~ Next we work out a "thumbnail" sketch and make notes on the following:

Determining the Fee ~ We'll negotiate an estimated fee. My formula is simple: I charge by the media selected and the number of hours I believe it will take me to complete the work ~ taking into account all of the notes taken in the planning session.

At this time, I receive a 50% deposit of the estimate.

Delivery of Your Artwork ~ When I deliver your artwork, I'll receive your balance due (50% plus or minus, depending on the hours spent, plus sales tax).

NOTE ~ In some cases, I let my clients divide the fee into three payments.

As my gift to you (unless you wish to handle this), I have your artwork matted and framed. You will also receive a set of note cards of your artwork.

You may wish to order additional cards, prints for family members or calendars (if your artwork is featured there). We can also discuss producing holiday cards or "we've moved" notes, etc.

CONGRATULATIONS! ~ You are the proud owner of a very personal fine-art portrait of your home!

Problem solving can be a challenging, but always rewarding! I have over 300 samples of portraits of homes in my inventory to share with prospective clients. Nearly every commission presents one problem or another, so refer to the artwork/photo samples I've shared on this page to see sample solutions.

PROBLEM ~ "Cannon Hill Cozy" (ABOVE RIGHT) This pretty bungalow on Cannon Hill Pond in Spokane's South Hill neighborhood was the Pat and Janie Shelledy family home for decades. When I began this piece, Pat was in declining health. The challenge was to gather photos as quickly as possible so that I could work in "fast track" mode.

SOLUTION ~ With some direction for me, Pat's daughter and son, Patty and Dave, dug up not only snapshots, but the history of three generations of Shelledys (they gave me lots to work with, so that I didn't have to guess!). I finished the artwork in time for Pat to enjoy the painting on the wall of his hospital room.

PROBLEM ~ "The House in the Park" (ABOVE RIGHT) In front of this lovely grey rambler was a huge hedge which completely hid the house from the street ~ and my camera.

SOLUTION ~ I took photos over and around the hedge and pieced them together in PhotoShop. Then I shortened the hedge in the painting and made the house slightly taller. I personalized it by adding garden touches, colored glass bottles in the front window, the A-frame birdhouse ~ and my client, Merri Berg, when she was a youngster heading off to school.

PROBLEM ~ "Bowers of Flowers at The Buiocchi's" (ABOVE LEFT) This house was perched on a very steep hillside ~ tough to shoot, plus it was often in the shadows created by the tall trees in the greenbelt.

SOLUTION ~ Once again, I pieced photos together digitally to create a composite to work from. I also ended up painting the exterior of the home twice, as the shadows caused the green to come out dark. I sat in front of the residence and mixed paint "on the spot" to get the right shade.

PROBLEM ~ "The Beautiful Day" (ABOVE RIGHT) This was a handsome, contemporary home that I was commissioned to recreate within the confines of my American Primitive style. The challenge was to keep the finished piece from looking too "cute."

SOLUTION ~ I introduced plenty of perspective and focused on their natural surrounding property ~ the forest greenbelt filled with eagles, hawks, seagulls and other wildlife. When I delivered the artwork, the couple was delighted, and requested an altered wedding-themed version for invitations to their at-home ceremony. Click on Bridal to see this artwork.

QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE ABOVE?

TELEPHONE: Tel 425.868.9238

EMAIL: artist@pattisimpsonward.com

WEB SITE: www.pattisimpsonward.com