Commission a Painting
Each year, I take on a select number of private commissions, both large and small. I'd be delighted to talk to you about the possibility of creating a bespoke painting for your home or office - or as a unique and special gift for a loved one.
I'm often asked how the process works, so I thought it would be helpful to provide a brief overview...
Initial Consultation
The process for a commission always starts with consultation. It's essential for me to understand what you're looking for, and how I might bring it to life for you. These early discussions can take place over the phone, by email, or in person; they're always a great way for me to get a sense of the brief - and for you to ensure that I'm the right artist to produce your commission for you!
There is never any obligation to take things forward at this stage, so it's worth having a chat so we can see whether I can help with what you're looking for.
Selecting a Subject
Some clients are attracted to one of my bodies of work in particular - for example, woodland streams - and are keen for me to paint a similar piece for them. We'll discuss details such as the best dimensions to fit the planned hanging space, as well as what you particularly like about the work I've done previously (perhaps the colour palette, the way I've captured light through foliage or the sense of rushing water; a particular atmosphere or mood, or a compositional technique).
These pieces are generally quite straightforward as I'm able to draw on time already spent in a location I know well, and I can reference sketches and photos that I may have already amassed. Even when a client gives me quite a lot of free rein, I'll communicate with them regularly throughout the process (including providing intial sketches for approval before any work begins).
Capturing Your Special Place
Other clients have a specific location that means a great deal to them, and which they'd like me to embody in a painting (see photos above of a large-scale commission produced in 2024, capturing a stretch of the River Thames that has particular personal significance for the couple who commissioned it).
This can be a more involved process as, wherever possible, I'll want to visit the location and develop my own connection with that place. I'll also want to talk to you in more detail about the location, to get a deeper sense of what makes it important to you. All of this will eventually feed into your painting - to create a piece that encapsulates what you love about your chosen place, but which also benefits from my artistic instincts and my personal engagement with the location.
A Collaborative Process
While most of my paintings develop from my own personal connection with the landscape, in the case of a commission the client's input is essential, and I always do everything I can to ensure that they end up with the perfect painting for them. Commissioning a painting will take a little longer than buying a piece off the gallery wall - but most of my previous commission clients would say that their involvement in the process has made the finished painting even more meaningful to them.
Practical Details...
After initial consultation, I will always provide either a fixed quote or estimate, based on what you're looking for. We'll also agree an approximate time frame for completion of the painting.
As every commission is different, I'm not able to provide a 'standard' price on this page, but it's worth mentioning that commissions are usually priced a little higher than other paintings. This is purely in recognition of the additional time and complexity involved in working to a client's brief - and I'm always happy to explain my quote when I provide it!
I hope you've found this page useful, and that you might consider commissioning a painting! For more information, or to discuss what you have in mind, please feel free to contact me.