Commissions are always a strange and flattering thing.  It’s wonderful when someone picks you out specifically, as an artist, to do something personal for them.  It’s nervewracking because you are creating a piece, while yes..with their respect and blessing…but still FOR someone else…not as a gift, but for hire.   Especially with a friend, you do not want to disappoint them and create some awkward social dynamics.  Recently a dear friend of mine commissioned a piece from me…a favorite viewpoint in New York.  I can’t even remember the last time I painted a cityscape…probably college…and it probably wasn’t successful.  My friend was aware that cityscapes aren’t my normal thang…but had enough faith that I could pull it off.  In this case, Emily’s faith became my faith, and I ended up doing/(and enjoying) a painting I never would have thought to have tackled.  This was a good reminder of a simple fact:  strengthening your studio practice is like strengthening your muscles….different workouts have different results…and you sometimes find muscles you didn’t know you had.  This painting was a nice muscular stretch.

Below is the result:

Commissioned Painting. Acrylic on Canvas. 2011

(*For any folks interested in commissions, feel free to email me at Drawsomethingawful@gmail.com)