Margaux, Age 4, Oil on canvas
What a year 2020 has been! Despite the pandemic, my portrait commission schedule was a busy as ever as I continued to work with families in different parts of the country, helping them capture and celebrate their kids.
And after having a baby, I truly understand what that means and how important it is!
I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Viney’s for severals years. They’re college friends of my husband’s and live in Dallas. A few years ago, I painted their first child Robert at around 3 1/2 years old. A few years later it was time to paint Margaux’s portrait. I was amazed at how much she had changed since I last saw her.
She’s grown into a sweet and delicate child who loves “date nights” with her dad and being a sister to her two brothers. Her mom, Elizabeth, wanted portraits of her kids because they’re the most important things in her life. She wants to capture them at this special time.
It’s important to me to continue working with families to paint portraits of all their kids. That’s why I flew to Dallas just to spend time with Margaux and take her pictures myself.
I’m often asked if I work from photos, and the answer is yes, BUT only from photos I take. It’s crucial to my artistic process to be able to meet and spend time with the child, getting to know their personality. It’s from this interaction that I’m able to create the portrait using my photos.
Plus, it just makes the process so much better to spend time with these kids and their families. I want them to feel loved and special, so I take the time to make sure I get the best photos possible.
That’s why I do this work and love it! It’s all part of my mission to help kids feel loved and valued for who they are. I simply can’t do this as well if I haven’t met the child. It’s my lifelong mission and it gives my life meaning a purpose.