Dream Commission

CAROLINE'S GARDEN (commission)
30x40, acrylic and oil pastel on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2019

This painting right here...truly a "dream commission"!

I created this painting based on another floral garden I had worked on this past Fall. It is still my favorite garden to date...although this commission right here...vying for top spot in my heart for sure.

Baby Caroline, I'm so humbled that your mommy and daddy come me to create your first piece of original art. I hope you look up from your crib and see a wonderland of whimsical blooms to enchant you for many years to come.

PS-Babies deserve fine art too.

🌸🍼🎀

If there is something special I can create for your precious little girl, don't hesitate to reach out. I'd love to custom create something just for her...or you.

Softball and Sunflowers....

Softball and Sunflowers
8x10, acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2018

My latest commission. 🌻🐻🐞

For more about this piece click here to read a bit about my creative process. And for commissions/custom paintings, contact me here and I'll do my very best to accommodate you.

Now back to the dozens of other creations I have in the queue. 😊

A little dive into my creative process for my current commission...

when a sweet friend of mine approached me a couple of weeks ago for a custom painting for her niece who loves softball and isn't very "girly", I immediately thought-this probably isn't the commission for me. It seems my work has gone down a much more "girly" path both subconsciously and consciously. Definitely a true reflection of the artist. 🎀

Despite the internal struggle of not wanting to say not to a friend for fear of not being able to do her request justice, I took it as a challenge of sorts. I knew that the jersey number was 12 and that the university colors are maroon and gold. Of course, my vision didn't include a jersey with the number 12. I was thinking some sort of whimsical dress, as usual. But wait, she's a tomboy. A dress could be problem. 😔

In that moment, I had to apply the principal that gets me through every single time I run into the creative proverbial "brick wall". Question-what do I do best (or feel I do best)? Answer-whimsical girls, cute animals and flowers. Lots of flowers. Once I get back on that page, the lightbulb goes off. Fast forward to the finished sketch for the painting...

a sweet little mascot of a bear and styling' tee shirt patchwork flare jeans wearing girl. Just chilling' in a patch of 12 sunflowers after their little game of softball. {Note the extra tiny sunflower on her jeans. It's like a baker's dozen. 😉}

Creative brick wall-demolished. Sweet friend-very, very happy.

WINNING. 🐻⚾🌻

Puppies and Petals....

Emily's Commission
12x16, acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2018

or sleeping puppies and lots of pink roses, to be more exact. My latest commission was a complete dream to paint. So girly. So me. And, I mean, who can resist some cute little sleeping puppies resting on a rose petal dress.

🐶🌸🌸🐶

Making the world a little sweeter...one painting at a time.

🎀

{If you'd like something special created for your little beauty, contact me and I'll do my very best to accommodate you.}

Sleeping puppies and pink rose mountains...

Truth be told. I don't usually share my sketches for commissions until after they are complete paintings. I'm a little superstitious like that. However, it was a request from a friend of mine on Facebook who commissioned me to do a special painting for her daughter's Sweet 16. She wanted to "share" it so I obliged. Helped me conquer my little superstitious fear along the way so I was all for it. 

Puppies, pink roses, blonde hair and brown eyes were the only must haves in the painting. My mind goes right to sleeping puppies on a dress made of rose petals amid large pink rose mountains in the background. Add some whimsical vines and rosebuds (which I have since added to the sketch) and Emily's 16th birthday painting is on it's way to the canvas.

They LOVED the sketch so I will be happily be working on this painting for the next few weeks. Larger scale at 12x16 but I'm super stoked for it.

Sleeping puppies and pink rose mountains...making the world a little sweeter, one painting at a time.

💕🐶🌹🌹🐶💕

heart happy! :)

custom painting
11x14, acrylic on canvas

limited edition prints, matted and framed

the feeling of seeing my art on a child's wall NEVER (and i repeat "NEVER") gets old!! so glad you love your new room, Avery.

if you'd like a custom painting for your little one, contact me and i'll do my very best to accommodate you.

LIMITED EDITION PRINTS (as seen in photo below) are available here.

kokeshi commission!

kokeshi commission
12x12, acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2016

a few weeks ago i had a commission request for a little kokeshi from the sweetest lady via etsy. obsessed with all things japanese/kawaii since birth, well she didn't have to ask me twice. ;) her response to the finished painting made the rest of my year..."That is the cutest thing I have ever seen!! Thank you so much - I am so excited about it. It is perfect colors, perfect sweet girl. Our grandma was Japanese so it means a lot to us to have something to remind us of her!"

{PRINTS AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK!!}

this makes my heart happy....

seeing my work hanging in a child's room. the joy never gets old. 

never.

commission for Collin
11x14 acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2016

a bit of a challenge....

custom painting for collin
11x14 acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2016

this last commission was for me. i don't usually paint in silhouette nor do i pant graphically (for a lack of a better word). however, when the client gives you carte blanche, well life is a whole lot easier. :)

below are the reference photos i was given, my sketch and the finished painting is above.

{i think i did ok....never met a challenge i didn't like. ;)}

happy birthday to this legend!!!

starry eyed mickey
12x12 acrylic on canvas

i debated whether or not to *share* this on my blog (as you won't find it on my website or my public facebook page) because it's disney and we all know how disney is with their characters/copyrights (rightfully so). however...

after some dark days recently in the world (and the fact that it is this legend's birthday today) well, i thought i would brighten up the times with some COLOR and HAPPINESS! i mean c'mon, how can you not SMILE when you see Mickey Mouse?! :)

***{i am NOT a fan of painting other people's characters, especially so spot on, for obvious reasons although i know people do it all the time. this was a special request from a friend who is a HUGE Mickey fan. my head is overflowing with ideas for my own work so therefore i am NOT taking commissions for things such as this. anything else, please don't hesitate to contact me for something special...be it a custom painting or drawing. i'd be more than happy to accommodate you.}***

this guy though...not too shabby for 87, eh? ;)

all you need is love....

doesn't matter what shape, size and/or color.

this piece was a commission from a friend of mine whose daughter i taught a few years back. a bot more about their story here.

it's always a cherished moment when someone calls upon me for a custom painting. it's an even bigger treasure when it's a friend. this piece was truly a pleasure to create. 

i am offering a LIMITED amount of prints which can be found here.

onto another commission...:)

bad blogger lately....

but for a good reason. :)

have been super busy working on a special commission for the family of a little girl i once taught almost ten moons ago. (yikes, feeling old!)

the mom came to me asking for a custom painting based on the gorgeously illustrated book entitled, "motherbridge of love". in a nut shell, it's a sweet book about adoption...east meets west (u.s.a. and china).  well, i couldn't have been happier to put my spin on parts of that beautiful book.

just about wrapping up this painting this week and i'm so looking forward to presenting it to them. such a lovely mother and adorable daughter, they are....:)

illustration friday~mermaid

slow and steady~commission
11x14 acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel

with this week's IF theme being *mermaid*, well i thought this commission from last August was rather fitting. it's one of my favorites to date. must be the pink hair....:)

PRINTS (AND OTHER TREATS) FOUND HERE

{ps and btw, fine art america makes AWESOME tote bags. just sayin'....}

so....

i don't usually post full sketches until after my paintings are done, especially commissions....but because this was a request from the wonderful woman/mother who commissioned me in the first place, well i couldn't say no. :)

7/8 years ago i taught a really sweet little girl who was adopted into the arms of a really great lady. she reached out to me wanting a painting based on the illustrations in the beautiful book entitled, Motherbridge of Love...a custom painting (in my style) to represent the merging of cultures, ethnicities and, of course, the unconditional love that will forever envelop that very special little girl (who is not quite so little anymore-6th grade already?!) for a lifetime to come.

it's always a pleasure to take on any commission as i am always humbled and appreciative for the opportunity to have someone trust in my creative visions. to me, there is no greater compliment.

finishing touches....

©the enchanted easel 2015

on these two commissioned cuties.

that's what's going on tonight!

©the enchanted easel 2015

{will be selling PRINTS of this painting SOON! :)}

slow and steady....

slow and steady
©the enchanted easel 2014

not only wins the race...but the heart of a beautiful, strawberry pink haired mermaid. :)

these two cuties were shipped off to new york this past monday and are ready to be welcomed into their new home in a baby girl's nursery.

{that pink hair...be still my heart. ;)}

PRINTS AVAILABLE THOUGH THE SHOP LINK FOUND HERE:

www.theenchantedeasel.com

new york bound!

©the enchanted easel 2014

these two are off to the big apple...and i'm feeling a little bittersweet about it. kinda fell in love with these sweet little faces the last couple of weeks.

it's always such a bittersweet feeling when you let go of an original painting (for me, anyway). i don't know why...maybe because each one of them are like my babies (if i had them). i get so attached. however, nothing makes me happier than custom work and knowing that some sweet little child will be smiling for a long time to come. yep, that's the best part of my *job*...and i use that world very loosely as it NEVER feels like work to me.

{PRINTS COMING SOON!}

strawberry pink hair....

©the enchanted easel 2014

{and you know I'm living vicariously...;)}

custom painting, just about done.

©the enchanted easel 2014

this beauty....

©the enchanted easel 2014

on the easel this week.

a custom mermaid....and a very cute, very enamored little sea turtle.

{so, take that mr. hare. slow and steady definitely wins this race...or at least the heart of a very beautiful little mermaid. :)}

sketching swirly strands...

©the enchanted easel 2014

of mermaid hair!

custom painting in the works the next week or so. and guess what it is? *hint-i have painted lots of them in the last year...and they have great hair days every day, despite the fact they live in the water...or so the myth goes.* give up? i am painting yet another MERMAID. no complaints though...i LOVE painting hair. and this little beauty in the works? she will have PINK hair. not just any pink, but my signature strawberry pink. and hey, let's face it...don't we all dream of having super awesome, super strawberry pink hair? it's ok, you don't have to answer that...;)

bring on another mermaid! the easel is awaiting!

{a peek at the thumbnail process below. that's how it all begins folks...with a pink ink joy pen. :)}

©the enchanted easel 2014