Christmas Commissions

I got a commission from my cousin Liz and her husband this Christmas to recreate some photos for her parents that they had taken on one of their many trips to their favorite places in Hawaii. I ended up doing a series of three 8 x 10 charcoal/pastel portraits in order to really capture the feel of Hawaii. I didn't get to talk to her parents for very long about them, but I think they were really happy with such a thoughtful gift and I was really thrilled to have the opportunity to help. :)

On the left an island shoreline, the middle is a tropical sunset, and the third is a waterfall into a cave with a palm tree (which you can't see very well). Please forgive the laundry on the the couch and bad glare on the photos!!! XD

Hope House Art Tree

The 4 x 4 art Christmas tree got auctioned off for $1200, all going towards the Hope House of Fredericksburg. Mission success! :) Sorry there aren't more pics!

Hope House

The Hope House is a sanctuary for abused women and their children in Fredericksburg. This year they are doing a charity christmas tree auction. I donated a piece for an art tree. Mrs. Iishi put together this tree, and collected dozens of 4 x 4 paintings from local artists to hang as ornaments. The minimum bid for the tree will be $500. http://www.hopehouseva.org/fot.html  I would DIE to have this tree! If only I had $500+ lying around to spend on art... :( Here is the piece I donated:

Christmas is drawing near!

It's will be here faster than you know! This year I would really love to make some holiday greeting cards and rent a table at a craft fair to sell them, but realistically I know that won't happen. I have a list of about 20 designs that I want to do, and I haven't had time to complete the first one I started yet. Perhaps I'll have all of them done by Christmas 2011, haha? We'll see. So I won't worry about that for this year. But I do have to start thinking about gifts!

Last year I started shopping 3 months early, using a little from each paycheck and still had to rush at the end. We'll be in Michigan this year, doing stockings again. As much as I'd like to make a painting for all of my friends and family, totally not going to happen either. So I'm thinking that I'll have a few prints made of a couple of my best paintings (that already exist) and let each family choose between them. There, Christmas gifts are already done, just need to make a quick trip to Kinkos!

If anyone has any paintings of mine that they like, but aren't ready to commit to an original, just let me know. I will have a couple extra prints made, and would be happy to sell them upon request. :)

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS! :D