Commissions

  

 

I have a perfect commission collector. Those are hard to find. He brings me lovely vintage frames, and I do paintings to fit them for him.

He sometimes gives me vague subjects of interest and sometimes just tells me to do what I like. He never gives me a specific timeline and he never butts in,asking me to change the painting. When I show it to him, he says it is exactly right. What a dream collector! I’ve never had another like him.

 Most of my commissions go fairly smoothly, with minor changes along the way. Some are from corporations, some from interior designers, some from individuals. 

 I have been lucky to have only two commissions that were disasters. One lasted 18 months before the collector was satisfied. She expected many changes over the time line. It was finally finished. What a relief. The other went through three large canvases with no satisfaction to be found. I finally sent the client her deposit just to end the pain. She never thanked me or responded again. 

 Commissions take patience and understanding. It is always about the collector, never about the Artist. Leave your artist ego at home if you do commissions. 

 Country painters love their collectors…