Summer's commission...

For as long as I've been painting - 40+ years - I've been in creative partnerships with others to travel the ideas we discuss into finalised, unique one off art works. A few times a year I open up my studio practice to collaborate with others to achieve an art work dream, the most recent one being ealier this year in Summer and it was more than a little outside of my usual scope...

The work proposed was to be a double 'pets'/ 'working canines' portrait.

After emailing, and phone call discussions, our common ground was well established and I set to crafting a single compostion to paint, from a range of reference photos I'd been given, blending these using the effects as they happened in the Patron's description of making this work happen to be a significant memorial gift, "in recognition the unique service they gave". These were no ordinary dogs, they were founding pet therapy working dog. As I learned about the work they'd had accomplished in our brief chats, connections formed that informed the essence of the work I planned to paint.

This is how my commission works occur. The conversations start a process that lead to image sharing, ones I used to influence and establish the draft composition for approval to be painted. This time, I used my combined fine art and digital art skills to draft the final image that I would take into an oil painting. They now own this oil painting, with it's 'Letter of Authenticity' and the buyers summary-story behind the painting. With every portrait, I spend time meeting and being with those whom I am painting. It is such a beautiful aspect of painting portraits and one I can rely on to embody and that infuse unique meaning into every work. To see something of what I'm meaning, you might just like to take a moment to study or be with the finshed work

In each commissioned art work, I engage in and am in ae of, the mutual offer of trust I an my client's enter into so to achieve what together we are imaging. It's both an exciting, and nourishing way to work, one that brings a lovely balance to the art I make from my own solo life experiences, in my studio practice, those ones I take through a developmental process and into a body of work, or collection, for sharing at exhibition.

As much as I like telling my own visual stories at exhibition, I do like the deliberate act of helping some one achieve their own 'visual art’ dream. I find purpose in knowing that any one could buy their next art work from me, to make something that really matters and speaks to their life from the walls of their own home or work spaces into their years to come.

This particular commission was made in Summer 2025.

Since then I've had unexpected hand care to tend and sadly our dear little airbnb 'Leila at Malmsbury' has gone to market. I've kept up with my constances of sketchbook work, flower growing, painting little faces, and providing some very grounded Arts Therapy Supervision in these changing times in Australian health care, and I've kept my Spoonflower Surface Pattern Shop open and tended. And amongst it all my continuing Studio Arts practice, painting works for a building a collection keeps me nurtured and in a gentle flow. I'll keep you posted about these, with an update next Season as they build.

I'm thrilled you've been here to read about the things going on in the YSh Studio. Feel welcome if the need arrises, to get in touch so we can talk art, and about dreams you have fforyour living spaces, and I'll see you on the socials and here again next month.

My best to you,