HELLA Scary (but I'm doin' it anyway)

Commissions. They are kinda scary 'cause, as an artist, I always worry that the recipient won't LOVE the work, and as a control freak, it's tough to hand over the reigns.  Custom works are also incredibly fun and fulfilling - especially when someone really loves your style and they just want you to 'do your thing' with some basic guidelines (color, favorite images, etc.).  The feeling of giving them something completely unique is incomparable to anything else.

The fulfilling and fun part has officially won out over the scary part and I've decided to take more pet portrait commissions (<-- check out the link to compare the original critter photos to my interpretations).  Prices start at $115 for a small (8x10") pyrography and mixed-media on wood plaque and go up according to size, number of animals / items, etc. 



So.... ya want one for yourself or as a gift?  It's super easy!  Just visit the custom orders section of my online shop or drop me a line telling me what size and the basics of what you'd like (e.g., "3 skeleton dogs" or "2 parrots popping over a heart" or "1 stylized (long-necked) cat with a skull", etc.), and I'll get back to you with all the particulars.

While I have taken all of the commissions I can get "under the tree" in time for the holidays, I can create a printable gift certificate to give for Hannukah, to stick in a stocking or to hand to your special someone over a New Year's glass of champagne at midnight (pretty much right up until the last minute). That means that if you're still looking for that perfect gift, you're NOT "S.O.L." just yet.

Turnaround time for the actual piece is approximately 2-4 weeks from the time I receive all the stuff I need:

• your pet's photos 
• your list of preferred colors, 
• likes, dislikes, and/or 
• examples of other pieces of my work that you would like me to use as a starting point.  

The creative process takes so long becuase it's currently winter and the layers of paint and glaze dry  v e r y  S L O W L Y.   From May - October, I can churn these babies out in record time!

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Here are some of the pieces I've completed this year:


This skele-doggie portrait was for a musically inclined friend from high school who said (roughly),  "I love my Chihuahua, Day of the Dead & Edward Gorey" which resulted in this painting:




An artist and friend asked me to interpret her kitties in the Love Cats style with them popping over a skull (like Grinding to a Hault).  She also told me she liked the background A Brand New Sky.... I painted this (and it must have turned out OK as the prints are selling like hotcakes):



Of course, this all started because my goofball of a my husband asked semi-jokingly if I could, instead of painting pretty little stylized girls, paint him a "WALKING EYE" from The Venture Bros.  Answer: Yes. Yes I can.


Just in case you think I only do crazy ass skulls and robots stuff, here's a piece that's in progress for a friend's sister.  She isn't into Day of the Dead, likes dusty teal (which isn't usually part of my color palette) and loves her Chihuahua named Paco (nicknamed Pookie) whose favorite toy is a pink pacifier.


Any questions? Just e-mail me.