Wednesday, February 15, 2012

portraits

I am switching gears entirely. I love sewing, but I am a painter and I want to paint.

I've had this idea for an enormous piece I want to do of the kids in the bathtub, and I did some sketches and some mock-ups, and the momentum is still there, but I decided to shelve that particular piece for now. Instead, I want to do portraits.

I started with my kids, but I want to do yours, too.

They'll be small, around 5 or 6 square inches, rendered from a photograph, and painted in oil on canvas or board.









It was just a coincidence that both pictures I chose of the kids show them with their heads slightly turned to the right and looking either wistful or pensive. That they're cropped exactly the same was my artistic license (or laziness! you decide!). Side-by-side they look a little "matchy," so, live and learn. I won't hang them next to each other.  

They turned out beautifully, even more so than the pictures here can capture. It's a great way to turn an ordinary photo (or one with a strange prop, like a red shovel) into an original piece of art unique to your family. 

These two are basic and straightforward, but I'm excited to try some more experimental stuff, with collaged layers and more abstract, artsy elements. I'll post more pieces as I go, so stay posted.

To jump-start this project, I'm going to host a contest to win a free portrait!

To enter: just leave a comment with your email address. I'll close the comments on Saturday, February 18th at noon (EST), and randomly choose two winners from all the comments. You supply the picture, select the surface you'd like, and specify any color preferences.

Stick around even if you don't win, though -- I will be available for commissions starting at $50 for small original portraits. 

Good luck!

*

23 comments:

MamaGray said...

How lovely!!

jdg said...

yea! sweetjuniper@gmail.com

EZ Pants said...

oooh! i would love one of arlito! elizabethmaryzeeuw@gmail.com

*brittan* said...

brilliant! bitobritt@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Robin- these portraits are simply beautiful. Love the brush strokes and colors. Can I go straight to the commission part?
tara.tullius@gmail.com

morgan said...

i'm in! these are wonderful. i'd rather not leave my email out in public if that's okay, but you know how to reach me (morgan, milo's dad)

Anonymous said...

I'm in, too, Robin... :-) dulcinea1 at live.com

Be sure to send out details of the commission's, too!
Dulci

Liz in Naples said...

I agree, these are terrific. The kids are so big! I remember holding Auden after he was a few days old. If I don't win, I will be in the market for a commissioned piece. Can you do two cats in one portrait? I would find it hard to choose which one to immortalize.
evk0109@yahoo.com

Aaron Schiller said...

Robin, these are so beautiful! Count me in! schillea at uwm . edu

Chris said...

former colleague of your hubby's, always enjoyed your artwork and LOVE these portraits!
csaugsburger @ gmail.com

Denise Schiller said...

Ooh! I'd be super excited to win one. They're beautiful.

Shana Miyoko Koutecky said...

I had no idea you were so talented, I knew you made fantastic slippers but these pieces are so awesome!

shana667@yahoo.com

EGB said...

beautiful work. I hope I get randomly picked. :-)

EGB said...

oops - it's EGB again. My e-mail is eringalligan@gmail.com.

Great work, Robin.

Anonymous said...

How can I resist?
weibeld@gvsu.edu

emily said...

Robin, these are gorgeous! I would love to have you do the Abby & Kate. You are going to be one busy lady!

Anonymous said...

These are absolutely gorgeous! I would love one of my wonderful little boy, Halpert. johnna_robinson@brown.edu. Good luck with all your amazing talents!

Unknown said...

Love the painting Robin!

kat.green99 at gmail.com

Janel said...

LOVE! This is kinda crazy but would you consider doing one of Momma Cat? I really want to have a picture of her at work but I think that would be kinda weird but if I had a beautiful portrait of MC, no one would think anything of it! (okay maybe not but I still want a portrait of her!)

sillylizzy said...

Your talent never ceases to amaze me. What an amazing gift to your children for them to have these portraits forever, not to mention having you as a mommy. Love to you all!

elizabethpasimio@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

So awesome! How about portraits of grandbabies?
doracevm@att.net

andrea from raising peanut said...

I'm in!!!

Auden still looks like Auden. The baby girl is all grown up!

I miss you!

Oliver still sometimes talks about Auden.

xo xo

Christine said...

Beautiful Miss Robin, I'd love to you render 'Superman Lelan' - Christine Marooney