Commission Work
Many of the paintings seen in the portfolio section of this website were created as commissions.
In the twentieth century, it became popular among art buyers to search for artwork in sales galleries. However, virtually all the paintings found in museums around the world were originally commissioned works.
Again today, art collectors find great virtue in working with the artist (as they do with an architect) when commissioning a specific work that is to serve in a special environment: home, office, or public setting.
Painting commissions are almost always preferred by buyers who want the work to fulfill specific requirements such as a desired subject, painting size and proportion, vertical or horizontal design, a composition tailored to work best at the viewing distance required for the position in which the painting is to hang, and desired color character and light quality. Successful treatment of all these issues is important to the preferences of the collector and the successful impact of the finished work.
A good effect for the painting requires harmony with the specific place in which it is designed to be seen. I've found, for example, that even the direction of the natural light, which illuminates the wall on which the work is to hang, can be effectively incorporated into the direction of the light in the composition of the painting itself. The harmony that results can have an excellent effect. Fulfilling these special requirements, as well as others important to the buyer's interests, is the unique attraction to commissioned works of art.
Accomplishing these requirements, along with the enjoyment of the process, is a rewarding experience. The artist and the collector, pursuing the creation of the perfect painting, share the process as co-partners in the creation of the work. Employing this process, I've consistently found a very high level of satisfaction on the part of buyers.
The process is as follows: first, contact is made, and the buyer lets me know the nature of the work in which he or she is interested. Once a sincere willingness to go forward is shared, the artist meets with the collector at the site where the work is to hang. At this meeting, the buyer and the artist share ideas that grow into a common understanding of the painting that will work best.
Subsequently, charcoal drawings are made in the studio to put the ideas that have been shared into graphic form. These are presented to the buyer for approval, rejection, or re-do. New sketches are sometimes required. Ultimately, work on the canvas begins only after the collector is fully satisfied and approves a drawing, which acts as the plan for the painting to follow.
Frame style, design, and finish are also important aesthetic considerations for the success of the work. The frame must work not only for the painting, but must also be appropriate for the environment in which the painting is to hang.
My paintings have published prices (which, of course, include finely crafted custom frames). Because there is a direct relationship between the size of the painting and the time required to produce it, there must also be a relationship between time and price. Prices are always related to size.
Satisfying my buyer is, for me, my paramount objective. But I must also satisfy myself. I achieve this through high-quality performance, continuous pursuit of knowledge pertaining to my field, and cordial relationships with my collectors, who, invariably, become my friends.
Click on Portfolio to view recent paintings.
For commissions, private lessons, or workshops, contact Shari and Bill at ahrendtbill111@gmail.com or (480) 390-9607.
Giclée's (reproductions of Bill's original work) contact Shari at azshari@me.com or
(480) 390-9607.