Charlie VonSternberg, Age 4, Charcoal
One of the questions I get asked most often about my portraits of children is, when is the perfect age?!
Moms know how quickly their children grow and change when they’re young. As a new mom myself, I can attest to that! It feels like my five-month-old does something new everyday. I look back on pictures of him and can’t believe how much he’s changed! Where is the time going?!
My answer to this question is there is no “perfect age” in the life of a child. As long as they’re children, they will possess something special at each stage. Whether it’s a two-year-old with all the baby cuteness, or a six-year-old with his own interests and personality.
I will say, however, that most of the children I paint are between age three and six. That seems to be the magic sweet spot when they still have that baby innocence but are beginning to look more like themselves.
What makes my job so special is capturing that special time before it disappears. I LOVE helping families celebrate these precious little ones. They need us so much for a short period of time, and then they’re off on their own. But we can still hold them in our hearts:)
My mission, that I talk so much about, is to help children feel loved and valued for who they are. My portraits capture their personality and tell them they are the greatest gift. As parents we feel so privileged to be the ones to raise them. There’s nothing like it.
A commissioned portrait is a celebration of all that: the best thing in life, our kids, which make it worth living.