Something that I consider a perk of my job is that I often use my own walls at home to store my art. Rather than have it sit in a stack of paintings, I get to take my paintings for a test run, so to speak, on my walls until they find their permanent home.

With the new house & its renovation coming along, Austin and I have been dreaming about what we want the finished product to look like. We have covered everything from paint colors, chandeliers, tile, and everything in between. These decisions are certainly the “fun” part of the project (at least a lot more fun than tearing out sheetrock from our walls) and it’s this vision that propels us forward when our arms feel like jello and we want to just go take a nap.

One of the big things that we both want in the house is for one of my paintings to be a permanent fixture in our home. So, basically, I am commissioning myself with a painting. When I got to thinking about what that would look like, I started to feel a little panicky and I felt the weight of what I was committing to. Commissioning a piece for my home made me realize the serious business that is a commissioned painting. I’ve certainly done commissions for clients in the past, but I never understood the gravity of the task until I was hiring myself out for my own home.

I firmly believe that choosing art for your home is a deeply personal decision. I believe that art is the soul of a home, and an integral part of communicating your voice & personality through your home’s design. That’s why I never like giving art as a gift to someone unless I am 100% positive that they’ve previously said they wanted it or I know for a fact that it will jive with their home decor. I would never want to impose a piece of art on someone who doesn’t connect with it.

As I paint, I’ve been asking myself the question lately, “Would I hang this in my home?” as a barometer of what I am communicating with each particular painting. I want a painting to be a window of nature that brings peacefulness and color to a home. I want it to be something that receives more than a passing glance, it should draw you in and transport you to a more beautiful place, even just for a moment.

That is where the beauty of commissions shines! A commission is made to be exactly what you need. It can be a custom size, style, color scheme, and even be based off of one of your own landscape photos to make this piece of work as personal and as specific as possible. It is an opportunity to create a lasting impact in your home, and an honor for me to facilitate.

As I consider what I want for my own home, I’ve adjusted my commission process to be as personal and fulfilling as I want my own commissioned painting to be. Art is an investment, but a worthy one.

Have you ever considered an original painting for your home? I have several available to browse through, or would love to create the perfect custom commissioned piece for you!