I’m offering live portrait painting commissions to collectors who are looking for an archival, unique, and timeless gift painted in person at my studio in Grafton, WI. All commissioned portraits are for one subject only. I do not offer group or family portraits, but diptychs and a series of individual paintings is accepted.
 
Portrait painting is a longstanding and traditional form of art where the painter works to convey their sitter’s visual likeness and personal expression. I’ve trained and honed my craft of observational painting over 14 years to paint what I see. When painting portraits my goal is to capture the unique character and likeness of the sitter.
 
Whenever possible I prefer to paint from direct observation (by looking at the sitter/model in real time without using photographs). My paintings are not intended to be photo-realistic, instead they’re made through my interpretation and intuition that I’ve refined through countless hours of painting. You can view examples of portraits I’ve created from direct observation over the last few months which averaged 2.5 hours of  painting. I enjoy working towards a balance of tight rendering and expressive "painterly" marks in paint.
 
I typically start a painting with a fresh, loose, and painterly application and then refine the shapes and details as the portrait emerges on the canvas/panel. I work from general information to specific so the paintings will often look unrecognizable for the first hour, it's all part of the process!
 
My portraits are made using artist-grade high quality oil paint on a sealed archival handmade canvas or paper panel. I take the choices in my materials as seriously as the process of painting. You can trust that your commission will uphold its physical integrity for years to come. If you choose to add a float frame to your commission the canvas panel will be cradled so that it fits the depth of the frame that I have built or purchased from a supplier. Orders with black frames will have their paintings already mounted inside of the frame so the paintings will be ready to take and hang as they continue to dry (allow at least 2 weeks for the painting to be touch dry). Don’t varnish the painting until it’s been dry for at least 3 months but preferably 6 months to a year. Premature varnishing can cause the surface of the painting to develop small but noticeable cracks due to the paint and varnish drying at different speeds. Varnishing is optional, however it may help even out the surface of the paintings where dull areas have appeared as the painting dries and bring back the rich and wet look of a fresh oil painting. 
 
Please note that I do not offer to ship portraits for a client. Once a portrait is finished the client will take the wet painting home. Plan to transport a wet painting from my studio. I recommend bringing a cardboard box or lid to safely transport the painting.
 
These portrait commissions will be made in my studio. I do not offer to travel to client homes to create the painting. If you order a commissioned portrait you are agreeing to travel to my studio for the estimated hours listed on my page here. Please refer to the expected time commitments in the "Canvas Size" section when ordering. (they range from 2 - 6 hours of sitting not including time for periodic 5 minute breaks every 30 minutes of sitting).
 
All orders must be paid in full before we begin your portrait. Please review my return/refund policy below for more information regarding payment and returns. 
 
I'm pleased to offer my portrait paintings at an affordable price for new and seasoned collectors willing to travel to my studio for a session. My portrait commission prices are formulated using an hourly rate that includes the costs of my time and materials. These portrait paintings are offered as a service where the client is traveling to my studio and the painting time is predetermined. Therefore, my prices for these sizes will not mirror paintings in my personal work (studio or plein air) of the same size.
 
Portraits can be commissioned months in advance and scheduled accordingly. Consider a portrait painting as unique gifts for birthdays, weddings, retirement parties, anniversaries, and more. You can order a portrait of someone else as a surprise gift, but please ensure that your sitter will be able to sit comfortably for the time expected before ordering a commission. I will not change or adjust my time estimates for portrait commissions.
 
If you have any questions on ordering your portrait commission, materials used, scheduling, framing, etc. please email me. Thank you for your interest!