Painting Commissions: A great reward for practicing artists.

"Jared", oil on panel, 8"x10"

"The artist is the opposite of the politically minded individual, the opposite of the reformer, the opposite of the idealist.  The artist does not tinker with the universe, he recreates it out of his own experience and understanding of life." ~Henry Miller

The only thing as sure as that there are artists out there creating art is that there are people who want to commission them. I am talking, dear friends, about paintings commissions. Commissions have sustained artists for millennia. It is an invaluable method to supplement an artist's typically sporadic income. It also is a very symbiotic relationship and has many many benefits.

I do many painting commissions every year, including the portrait of Jared above and his sister Keira below. Some commissions are for strangers and some are for friends. Many are for strangers who subsequently become friends. I value and enjoy this process. I love working on a piece of art that will be in a collection for many years to come. It is wonderful to do a painting that you know will make someone happy. A loved one, a house, a landscape, whatever resonates with the client/friend, is what I will do. Half the fun is collecting the reference (I often travel to the client to shoot the reference myself). This way I am able to engage with the clients and have developed many good friendships as a result of this. After the photo shoot I travel back to my studio and begin work on their painting. If time and the opportunity permits I deliver the piece to them in person. If not, I carefully wrap it and ship it to them. There are few things as moving as unveiling a commission and having the client become emotional at the site of the piece. That is one of the best feelings as a painter...to move someone strongly when they look at your work.

"Keira", oil on panel, 10"x8"

If you are interested in a painting commission please do not hesitate to contact me in the "contact" section of this blog. I will respond to you as soon as I can. Here are a couple of other paintings that I have really enjoyed completing for clients and friends recently...

"Mills", oil on panel, 16"x20"

"Uzes Street", oil on canvas, 40"x60"

"Sneggy", oil on canvas, 16"x20"

Some people have said to me "But when you do commissions you aren't painting what you want to paint!" It is all a matter of perspective. I am painting what will make someone else happy and to also help me continue to be able to paint what I want when I am not working on these commissions! It all works together. I have made some lifelong friends through painting commissions. It is a great benefit of being an artist.

In other news I am starting the process of converting my current, clunky and just generally outdated website to a Wordpress site. I used Flash to make my site years ago and it is time for a change. I want folks to be able to access my paintings on a mobile device, hence the switch. Look for these changes in the coming weeks. My website name will remain the same: heatherhorton.com

Here is a new painting in progress that will be featured in my upcoming exhibition at Abbozzo Gallery in Oakville, Ontario. This piece is 36"x48", oil on wood panel. It is about 90% complete. Two paintings have already sold for this exhibition so make sure to keep an eye out for new pieces as they are produced! You can purchase paintings in advance through the gallery. They are happy to answer any questions you might have.

Finally, I had the great pleasure of seeing Radiohead recently in Kansas City. Such a fun show! Here are some shots from a spectacular evening...

Behold the coveted wristband indicating general admission access to the concert floor:)

They played a great selection of songs from a variety of different albums.

Most songs were from The King Of Limbs but others were taken from Kid A and

Amnesiac. 

A month today I will be in Kentucky to lecture at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. What an exciting opportunity! I will be participating in critiques, having a small exhibition of paintings and giving a lecture to the Fine Art Department! Any chance to talk to other artists and engage them in the process of creating art is a great thing :) I am very thankful to the university for extending this invitation to me.

Thanks for taking the time to read about these updates and happenings. I hope this entry finds you well and creating new work, words or ways in your life!

Heather

"Painting is a strange business."~J. M. W. Turner

"Rebecca"

"If you could say it in words there would be no reason to paint."

~Edward Hopper

"Rebecca", oil on canvas, 36"x36" was one of those commissions that came about very naturally and enjoyably. Perhaps it is because the composition and feel of the painting is similar to figurative work that I usually paint. For whatever reason, it felt like I was returning to the comfortable, the familiar.

My friends were fantastic about giving me the freedom to organize the painting according to what felt appropriate. They had a general idea of what they were looking for but gave me a lot of room to play with composition, lighting etc. This is a liberating feeling for a painter and is a great example of creative co-operation.

After working on Newfoundland paintings for over a year, and it has been an enjoyable year for sure, it felt good to deal with the figure in a way that I have been working for a long time. I love rendering sheets (I say that now, but it can be challenging!), and a figure in repose with lots of negative space and a muted palette are elements that really appeal to me. I love a limited amount of colour and then a splash of colour where flesh is....I think it serves to draw the eye in and adds focus and vibrancy in little pockets of concentration. The objective always is always to treat the entire piece to function as one narrative with all of the elements weaving together in a way that works.

When I work often I turn a painting on its side or sometimes even upside down. The odd canvas is intended to hang on the wall so that the subject is upside down..these canvases I usually paint right side up! The point is that how we perceive things varies greatly, even with a tilt of 90 degrees...I find that when I work on paintings and turn them periodically that I am usually happier with them when they are completed. Just as many teachers will suggest that you should occasionally look at your paintings in the mirror to spot inaccuracies, I think turning your canvas if you are able and working on it from different orientations only serves to benefit your painting.

One of the most rewarding elements as a painter comes with the simple joy of not doing the same thing two days in a row. Every day essentially is a new road that I go down, but with paint, rather than my little 1991 Toyota Corolla (who is running like a dream still at 225,000 kms). No two roads are the same, as are no two paths, nor two canvases...it is an aspect of my career that I appreciate and never take for granted. Plus, unveiling a painting for clients who are thrilled with it is a highlight too...it is one thing to be happy yourself, but when you love what you do that happiness comes across in the work and in turn others are filled with joy as well.

I will be speaking at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario next week as a guest lecturer. I am looking forward to this opportunity to speak to students enrolled in their Art and Design Fundamentals program very much. I will discuss my methods, body of work, past shows and upcoming projects as well as answering questions from the audience.

The opening reception of my solo exhibition is one month today! I really hope that you can make it out to the show. I will be giving an informal talk on November 14th as well from 2-4 pm at the gallery.

Have a beautiful day and share some happiness,

Heather

"Creativity is a drug I cannot live without." ~Cecil B. DeMille

Portraits Of Newfoundland

November 5-22nd, 2009

Opening Reception November 6th, 7-10pm

Abbozzo Gallery

179 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Come out, see some artwork and listen to special musical guests

The Killin' Time Band who will be playing

some East Coast-inspired songs for your enjoyment!