Commission a Landscape Painting
A Meaningful Place, Interpreted as an Original Work of Art
Some landscapes become part of us.
It may be a view from a family property, a place discovered while traveling, a lake visited every summer, or simply a landscape connected to a memory you want to keep close.
A commissioned painting offers the opportunity to transform that connection into an original work of art—created specifically for you and the space where it will live.
My commissioned landscapes are not intended to be photographic reproductions. I approach them as I approach all of my paintings: looking for the light, color, atmosphere and sense of place that make a landscape memorable.
The result is a painting rooted in something meaningful to you, interpreted through my own contemporary Impressionist approach to color and light.
Beginning With a Conversation
Every commission begins with a conversation.
I want to understand what you are hoping the painting will become. You may have a particular landscape with a strong emotional connection to it, or you may be looking for something less literal—a painting that captures the feeling of a place, season or experience.
As I listen, I’m also thinking about my own experiences of landscape and where they intersect with what you are describing. That connection is often where the idea for the painting begins.
Our first conversation also gives us an opportunity to determine whether the project is a good fit for my work. Accepting a commission means believing I can bring something meaningful of my own to it.
Created for the Space Where It Will Live
Sometimes the starting point isn't only the landscape. It's the room.
Perhaps you have a significant wall above a sofa or fireplace, a large open stairwell or high-ceilinged room—or a more intimate space calling for something smaller.
Photographs and measurements of the wall can help us determine dimensions and proportions appropriate to the space. We'll also discuss budget and timing early in the process, particularly if the painting is intended for an anniversary, new home, corporate setting or another important occasion.
Color can be part of that conversation, but I don't believe a painting should simply be designed to match a sofa or wall color.
Interiors change. A successful original painting should have an identity and presence of its own—something capable of living comfortably within a room today and remaining meaningful as that room evolves over time.
How a Commission Takes Shape
1. Conversation
We talk about the landscape or idea, what makes it meaningful to you, the space where the painting will live, appropriate scale, budget and timing. This also allows both of us to determine whether the project and my work are a good fit.
2. Concept
I develop a concept sketch so we can discuss the composition and make any necessary adjustments before painting begins. Depending upon the project, photographs, sketches, plein air studies, color studies or firsthand experience of the landscape may also become part of my reference material.
3. Agreement
Once the concept is approved, we establish the dimensions, price and anticipated completion date. Commission pricing is generally comparable to similarly sized paintings in my available collection. A deposit begins the commission.
4. Painting
I begin interpreting the concept through my own approach to color, light and paint. You are commissioning my artistic interpretation rather than a predetermined rendering of every detail, but you won't disappear from the process. I share the work as it develops and welcome your feedback along the way.
5. Completion
You will see the completed painting before the remaining balance is due. Whenever practical, I prefer to personally deliver a commissioned painting. When distance makes shipping necessary, shipping is included in the price.
Is a Commission Right for You?
A commissioned landscape painting may be worth considering if:
A landscape or natural place holds particular meaning for you.
You want to commemorate a family property, journey or experience through an original work of art.
You are drawn to my paintings but have a particular landscape or visual idea in mind.
You have a significant residential or professional space that calls for a painting of a particular scale or proportion.
You don't need to know exactly what the finished painting should look like before contacting me. That's part of what our initial conversation is for.
Begin the Conversation
If you are considering commissioning a landscape painting, tell me what you have in mind.
Photographs of the landscape are helpful if you have them. If the painting is intended for a particular location, approximate wall dimensions and a photograph of the space can also help.
But you don't need to have everything figured out.
We can begin with the place, the memory, the idea—or even the empty wall.