A Serendipitous Commission

I’ve been blessed with several commissions recently and I am so excited to tell you this story. Mid-summer, I worked with gallery clients who wanted to purchase Coffee Date36×36, but it was too tall for over their fireplace. They loved the colors and boldness of this piece, and needed something equally exciting, but in a shorter height. We embarked on the commission process and pure magic happened!

Introducing… Concierto No. 1 24×36

The clients had it framed and brought it back in on the day of a gallery event where I was featured, just to have a photo made with me. I was so honored. Happy clients, ecstatic me!

A few other things I have to tell you about this commission. We had a consultation over zoom and I asked all the questions I am led to ask, such as, “What do you love about Coffee Date (the reference painting) and what do you NOT love? What needs to be different?” Nothing.They would have bought it on the spot had it been the right size.

I explained that their commissioned piece could be similar, but it wouldn’t be a duplicate. For one, the size difference wouldn’t allow that, going from square to rectangular. But the main thing to know is that a painting wants to do what a painting wants to do—they truly have a mind/spirit of their own! The clients were good with that as long as it was “in the family” and bold like Coffee Date.

As I worked on this piece, I noticed how various musical elements began to appear. I felt like I was creating a jazz piece or something, whereas the other one wasn’t musical, really. I trusted the process and let its story unfold.

When I began to consider what to name it, “Concierto No. 1” popped into my head. It’s crazy how paintings often name themselves with a very clear title that surfaces when I ask about it. Witth that name, I knew for sure that someone in the famiiy must have musical talent, musical connections, or something musical.

When the painting was picked up, the gallery consultant asked them if anyone in the family was musically-inclined. The husband said, “Oh yes, I am. I’m also one of the directors of music at Vanderbilt University.

Is that crazy or what?! This is why I love making art. There is a spiritual component in the creative process who loves to delight and surprise us. In addition to having a beautiful, custom piece in their home, my sweet clients will always know this creation unfolded just for them. (I didn’t decide to make it musically-themed. I had no idea that would be meaningful to them!)

When they came back in with the framed piece to have a photo taken with me, I was overcome with gratitude and a strong awareness that they had as much to do with the creation of this piece as I did. We did it together! They joked that I had a little more to do with it than they did, but is that really true? Without them, it wouldn’t exist. Without me, it wouldn’t exist. We did it together.

Maybe we’re all not artists who can create a painting by holding the brush, but through the commission process, everyone can create an original. I love my job! What can I create for you?