This is my first blog – I am a little nervous. I see this blog as a way to share my artistic process – a process that I invented using many kinds of paper. So, for my inaugural blog, let me tell you about a big commission I just finished.
I was pleased with how it came out, and I must tell you; Commissions can be nerve-racking. My first commission, about seven years ago, didn’t go well. I accepted half of the payment before I began, and the rest when I was finished. What I didn’t realize was that I lost control of the piece when I accepted payment at the beginning. In this case, the person came over to see it when I was close to finished, and she asked that I change a few things: More sky and fewer trees, etc. I was upset about it, and I didn’t feel good about the piece at the end.
Now, I don’t accept any payment until I’m done. If the person doesn’t like the piece, they are under no obligation to buy it. I have control of the work, and I make all decisions about it.
This last commission was easy in that I had a clear vision of what my client wanted. They liked one of my pieces, “Pink Among the Trees,” but it was a vertical and they wanted a horizontal. So I got to work on it and it went well. They like the piece – I like the piece – and everybody’s happy.