Texas lady

[Patricia Joyce]

Kim,
Congratulations on the BIG commission! I can't wait to watch this unfold. Witnessing your progression through a painting is a tremendous education for myself and other students here, too.

Besides I love your work!

[Kimberly Dow]

Thanks Patricia!

Linda - Yes! Yes! You said exactly what I was thinking. I got to read this before I left so it confirmed what I wanted to guide her towards.

We actually agreed to go to the place where this one was done and use that same mission-style outside hallway - just have her leaning the opposite way. It is at a local ranch. Her husband is there today hunting with...Tom Selleck. When I arrived she was on the phone with Heloise....she says "do you know Heloise?" and of course I say, "Heloise who?" she meant the Heloise that does the Hints From Heloise. The first hour was spent with her telling me about all their friends, the poets, writers, actors, etc... Nick Nolte, Sam Elliot, Raquel Welch! She says she has only met one celebrity who was quite the snob, and believe it or not - it was Jimmy Stewart. I pretended not to be impressed.

Now she just has to decide between two outfits I helped her choose. One is flirty and fun - southwest with jeans and the other is more sophisticated and classy.

After the actual thought about the painting itself - I am hoping she decides to go with my suggestion and have an Unveiling party...boy do I ever. Then I am trying to figure out how to get her email list and address book. I cant break in - that place has more guns than a military base...

[Mike McCarty]

Did my name come up at all?

[Kimberly Dow]

Of course! She kept referring to MOM - I knew it was you.

Actually, Mike - you were born here, correct? I'd never whisper your name - if they found out I was a native Yankee I might get fired. I'm going to have to change my birth records.

[Chris Saper]

Kim,

How exciting! I like the echo of the composition in the husband's portrait - regarding size, I think you should go for the same size portrait - after all the wall will become its own 'canvas' and I can't bear the asymmetry of the clock flanked by two different size portraits. I think the best way for you to consider it is to make a three value thumbnail sketch of the ENTIRE wall, to scale, including the clock, and both portraits.

Regarding the size, I think you should measure the husband's painted head size to see how closely it is to life size, and whether you feel comfortable painting in a scale that matches (in relation to % of life-size) Then I'd go with a like proportion of her head size. The enormous difference in their heights might make for a design problem that is difficult to overcome. I fyou decide to do a matching vertical composition, you might still be able to indicate their relative heights, perhaps running some wisteria or other foliage across the top like a trellis, in order to avoid the feeling that she is sinking off the bottom of the canvas.

I guess I would ( if it was my wall) prefer to see a proportionally scaled portrait of her in a horizontal format, same size canvas, than two vertical pieces of differing sizes. A horizontal composition would also allow you to place her head closer to the top of the canvas - and on a more comfortable eye-level for the viewer, than would be workable if she were standing in the same place.

I wonder why they didn't buy the original of the husband - just something to consider in your contract

And Double Diamond Ranchwear makes some terrific dress-western clothes!

Good luck,

[Kimberly Dow]

Chris,

Thank you for these suggestions. I like the idea of the horizontal, but honestly don

[Chris Saper]

Kim,

Look at this lovely painting of Linda Brandon's. There are many ways you might work a horizontal composition, and yet still have it agree with the first portrait.

Just one thought: yes, the husband's portrait is a print, although I 'm sure an image they love. Think long term about how you might eventually paint the husband to work with the Dow wife