5″x7″ acrylic, 2009. This little painting was covertly commissioned by my husband for his sister for Christmas. Golly, Kris’ childhood bear, now sits overlooking our 3-month-old nephew Kevin’s crib. Amid some extended family chaos, Greg and I abducted Golly and absconded to a bathroom to take pictures for me to work from. And in keeping with family tradition, no one has any explanation for Golly’s exclamatory name.
Category: Custom Portraits
Happy Hippo
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. Hippos hold a significant place in our own family lore, so I was thrilled to be asked to paint this adorable stuffed hippo just before Christmas! His name is Happy, and he’s been the favorite toy of Zoe, 4, since she was one-and-a-half. I love how simple he is — a perfectly abstracted shape, almost minimalist. I was sent some fantastic photos of Zoe together with a very thread-bare Happy and it is clear how loved and important he is! He would fit right in among my younger sister’s collection. She loved hippos as a little girl, and has long been the victim of her family falling back on this fact when buying birthday or Christmas gifts. As Happy demonstrates, sometimes less is more!
Squishy, Take 2
5″x7″ acrylic, 2009. The original version of this painting is hanging in my current exhibit at Uncommon Grounds in Saratoga Springs, but someone purchased it while I was installing the show. He was kind enough to leave it up for the duration. So when another man phoned me expressing dismay that the painting he wanted to buy was marked “sold,” I told him that I still had the Hello Kitty squeeze toy handy and would be happy to paint another from the same motif. The new painting shipped within two days of his order, and he was able to give his Sanrio-crazy daughter-in-law the perfect gift!
Homer
8″x10″ acrylic on canvas, 2009. You and I should be so lucky to be the object of such devotion as this cute stuffed dog! When ten year old Christopher was four, he had a hysterical crying jag. When it subsided, he told his mom Pamela that he had been thinking about what would happen if Homer were lost in a house fire and he would never see him again. Although Christopher can certainly sleep without him these days, he still prefers to have Homer’s company when traveling. And maybe at home too.
Okapi
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. Ah, another case of a child spurning the hand-made toys provided by her stylish parents in favor of a most unexpected lovey! This stuffed okapi was given to Lark on her 1st birthday by a family friend who purchased it at the San Antonio Zoo gift shop. The okapi quickly rose to Number One Lovey status for Lark, who has just turned 3. At her preschool, he is known as “Mr. Coffee” for toddler pronunciation purposes. Lark mostly calls him “‘Kapi” or just “‘Kap.” Lark’s mom Gillian asked her what she likes most about him, and Lark anwered, “his ears.” “He’s my very best friend, Mama,” she added. Chin up, Etsy, some other child will love your hand-knit sock monkeys.
BearBear
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. This stuffed bear has been with Kelly since she was two, but she commisioned this painting for her mother! Bear Bear has had a long life filled with unusual purpose. Kelly’s mom is very fond of Bear Bear, and when she is feeling low, Kelly sends him to her for comfort. When Mom comes to visit Kelly and her husband, the bear sleeps in Mom’s room. Kelly is hoping that the portrait will bring Bear Bear’s presence to her mother even while they are apart.
Grover and Bear
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. These are the favorite toys of Paul, an old friend of mine and an ADULT! I’m extremely psyched to be asked to paint time-tested toys that have hung around so long that they have come to subtley exude their owners’ style and character. Trust me, this Grover does just that. Also, I’m pleased to get to paint a classic Sesame Street personality after recently tackling nkotb Abby Cadabby!
Little Bubba
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. This beautiful stuffed dog, Little Bubba, belongs to Libby, who is Avery’s sister. Bubba presented a challenge to me that I had not previously encountered: He’s pretty realistic. Consequently, it was difficult to make a painting that is clearly a portrait of a toy and not of an actual dog. I suppose what matters is that Libby sees her beloved toy pup when she looks at this picture!
Dottie
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. Ahh, another filet-o-stuffed animal blanket! I am beginning to feel like a neglectful parent since my own child does not have one of these things… they clearly inspire passionate devotion in those lucky children who possess them. Here is Dottie, a cute duck/blanket belonging to Avery, draped luxuriously over a cushion. See portraits of other blanket/animals here, here, and here.
8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. Now that’s what I’m talking about! This thing, whatever it once was (a monkey?), has been loved to pieces! It is the childhood toy of Logan, husband of Melissa. Click