diving into a commission

sabine has been a friend of mine for nearly ten years - she is all sorts of amazing and inspiring.

so, when she commissioned a large piece from me, i was as equally honored as i was excited . . . especially when her vision was very straight forward, and allowed for my personal style to have a place within it.

i invite you to read about our process working together on this piece, as well as sabine’s recently published article about free diving in The Evolve Mag!

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inspired by a minimalist piece i had painted of baldwin beach in paia, maui - sabine wanted something very similar, but adding her own twist - a surfer couple standing next to the lifeguard tower, about to head into the water to catch a few waves. i loved the idea.

sounds simple enough, right?

yes and no.

when i paint in this style - there is no room for error. therefore, it is imperative for me to take the following steps to ensure my client, and in this case a dear friend, will be entirely happy with the final piece.

  • initial sketch : i generally like to know everything surrounding a client’s thought process around their painting - what they envision, whether or not it is intended to be sentimental as well as functional, where it will be hanging, sizing and pricing options, and determining the timeline for the project. during these preliminary conversations, i use one piece of paper to note what they want for their painting, as well as the initial sketch, so we can make sure we’re on the same page right away. sabine and i cranked this all out over a working lunch - it was fun and productive! oh yeah, and save that piece of paper, because it will come in handy later . . .

  • tech samples : for this particular piece, each element had to be executed in one shot. in this way, i practiced painting each of the elements on a piece of scrap paper and ran them by sabine for her feedback. i refer to this sheet as my tech samples, as they display technical skill and artistic technique, and these are helpful for a few reasons 1.) this is another opportunity to see if you and your client are on the same page 2.) to practice painting these elements before the execution of the final piece. for a minimal painting like this, if i paint each element a few times, i’ve not only worked out the kinks, but i’ve also developed a muscle memory for painting them, so that when it comes time for the final execution, i’ve developed a strategy to successfully paint them in one shot. for sabine’s piece, she picked out the style of lifeguard tower she wanted, and certain elements of the surfers she liked.

  • final layout : this hack is my pride and joy. again, for pieces like this, there is no second chance. so, i keep the wrapping on the canvas, and i draw on the clear plastic wrapping with a white board marker. this is another way i can familiarize myself with the size of the canvas, and even build more muscle memory for the final piece. i send a picture to the client, and if they want to make adjustments, you can easily do so. once the client has approved the final layout, i measure everything out and record those measurements - on the initial sketch (aren’t you glad you saved that piece of paper?). in this way, all the information you need for each project is always on one piece of paper.

  • execution : referring to the measurements written down on the initial sketch, i lightly use a pencil to mark where everything will belong on the canvas. for this piece, i painted everything in the following order - sand, lifeguard tower, waves, palm trees and then the surfer couple.

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S P E C I A L D E L I V E R Y !

Beach Lovers | 48” X 36”

it is always an honor to work on a piece for a friend, and for them to be pleased with the final outcome.

as an artist, i truly appreciated sabine’s flexibility in letting me take the lead on certain creative decisions, and her unwavering trust in my execution of the final painting. that relaxed approach is probably why sabine thrives so incredibly well in the depths of the ocean - with only one breath . . .

her fearlessness is truly impressive and interesting to read about - in the words of sabine, “…was really fun writing an article for The Evolve Mag about one of the things I really love doing...”

click here to read the full article in The Evolve Mag

thanks for jumping in, and diving deep, into the process of this recently commissioned painting!

march / april sounds ...

“time hard” … “airborne” … ” too much pressure” … notice a theme?

in the face of this bizarre time, finding humor in the little things is helping me stay positive.

i’ve found solace in listening to upbeat songs about stressful situations.

i’ve also found these songs are perfect to listen to while you’re doing the dishes, reorganizing your closet, being the ultimate couch potato and/or dancing around the house.

The Pioneers - “Time Hard” from Trojan Records, released 1972.

e v e r y d a y things are getting worse… enough said.

Cut Copy - “Airborne” from the album Haiku from Zero, released 2017.

i was introduced to cut copy shortly after i graduated college, while visiting a friend in australia. i was hooked. australia puts out great music. i still remember listening to their first album, in ghost colours, every time i’d go for a run around albert park in melbourne.

so here i am, back on the cut copy, and they’ve been my go-to while painting ~ or dancing around the house. every album is amazing, but i’ve found i’ve been loving this album the most :)

The Selecter - “Too Much Pressure” from their first album, released 1980.

i began listening to ska in college - and the selecter became one of my favorite bands of all time. not just because pauline black is a badass, but because they truly capture the spirit of ska.

if you enjoyed this song, i also recommend “missing words”, “on my radio”, “out on the streets”, “danger” or “the whisper” - just to name a few.

stay safe, be considerate & don’t forget to…

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