What I take on
Four kinds of commission
All of it is hand-painted — watercolour and gouache on cold-pressed cotton rag, or oil on stretched canvas. If what you have in mind isn't quite any of these, ask anyway.
From a photograph
Send me a photo of the place — a beach you keep going back to, the view from a kitchen window, the paddock behind a family house. I paint from it rather than copy it.
From a description
No photo, or the photo doesn't hold what you remember. Tell me about the light, the season, what was growing. This suits places that have since changed.
Weddings and events
Venue illustrations, invitations, menus and place cards — painted first, then set up as print-ready files. Best started a few months out.
Pets and houses
A dog in the long grass, a front door, a house with its garden around it. Painted the same slow way as everything else — a portrait of something you live with.
How it works
Four steps, no surprises
Tell me about it
Fill in the form below with what you have in mind — as much or as little as you know so far.
We settle the details
I'll come back with a quote, a size, a medium and a rough timeline. If it isn't something I can paint well, I'll say so.
I paint it
Once we've agreed, you go into the queue. I'll send a photo partway through, so nothing is a surprise at the end.
It arrives
Posted insured either way — work on paper travels flat, oil on canvas is boxed on its stretcher.
Before you ask
How much does a commission cost?
It depends on the size, the medium and how much is in the picture, so I quote each one. Send an enquiry and I'll come back with a number before anything is committed to.
How long does it take?
It varies with what's already in the queue, and oil takes longer than watercolour or gouache — it has to dry between layers. You'll get a timeline along with the quote, and if you're working to a date, tell me and I'll say honestly whether it's possible.
Watercolour, gouache or oil?
Watercolour and gouache are what the shop is built on — both go on cold-pressed cotton rag, and they keep the softness you can see in the prints. Oil is worked up on stretched canvas instead, and it suits larger pieces and deeper colour. If you're not sure, choose "happy for advice" on the form and I'll suggest what fits.
What do I need to send you?
A photograph if you have one, and a few words about why the place matters. That second part shapes the painting more than you'd think. I'll ask for anything else I need.
Does it come framed?
Not unless we've arranged it. Work on paper is sent unframed and flat, so you can frame it to suit the wall it's going on. Oil comes stretched over a wooden frame and can hang just as it is.
Start here
Tell me about it
The more you can tell me, the better a sense I get of whether I'm the right person to paint it. I'll come back to you with a quote and a timeline.