My two best clients commissioned me to paint a small (by my standards) painting of their mountain cabin out West near Yuma, Arizona. They requested some different perspectives of their property to be integrated into the painting.

An artists never really knows for sure (especially with no continuing communication this time) what the client will be satisfied with when completing a commissioned piece. My wife, Doris, asked me if I was eager to hear back from Bill and JoAnne about when the painting was to have arrived. I said, “I’m a bit anxious, although I believe I accomplished their request satisfactorily.”

Bingo! Last night they phoned to say how pleased they were with the painting they had just received. Later, Bill requested that I comment in print about the painting. Bill had sent me several photos of the cabin and surrounding areas to work with.

I took the dormer and its roofline gable and repeated a larger, softer version of it and placed it to the left of center with a trees’ bleed through. I used another photo (apparently of the side view of another building?) and inserted it as a picture window just above the front porch. (This second photo surprisingly acts as a reflection of the trees immediately to the left of the cabin). The antlered deer (my idea) just seemed to be the icing on the cake. (Give an artist an inch of artistic license, and he’ll take a mile). The trees to the left of the cabin do an uncharacteristic jag as they continue upward (as shadows?) onto different surfaces, which is one of my frequently used attention getters.

I’m well pleased that Bill and JoAnne are well pleased. This certainly isn’t the first art work these two have purchased from me. As an artist, it’s a wonderful feeling you get when your purchasing clients believe in your art works as much as you do, and are more than willing to follow through on their beliefs with purchases–even before I kick the bucket!