It's All Cousin Cat's Fault

I have some dear family on Facebook who also paint, we bounce a lot of idea's off each other, learn from each other, encourage each other…it's quite a nice relationship(s) and one that I'm very grateful for. A couple of months ago, my (Dad's) cousin Catrina went all Game of Thrones on us and painted this...

You can find her (face painting and more) on Facebook

And I thought to myself…

"I should really have another go at painting portraits. The last one didn't turn out so well, but I should give it another chance."

And talk about a snowball!! I wanted to record a little bit of my own family history, something I could pull out in 20yrs time and be all …

"Awww! Remember that!? I wonder where it is now, we had that [thing] for years!"

So I painted this…

I think it fits the criteria. It's my youngest son, my Baby David, and that elephant goes everywhere with us. He even made me take it shopping on time. He stayed at home…but the elephant came shopping with me. It also gets stuffed into the handle bars when David is tearing around on his bike, wears its own seatbelt and has been smuggled into Pre-Primary a few times. The bed sheets I've also had for several years, I think it'll be a nice scene to look back on years from now. 

Anyways. My nieces, whom live next door to me, stuck their heads over the fence one day and were blown away when they saw it. I don't quite understand how they managed it, but the next thing I know I'd handed over two paintings for $30 and promised them a bonus portrait. Each. 

Never haggle with an 11yr old. 

This was the first one -  Miss O eating hot chippies in her high chair….

And again, it's captured a little piece of our family history - the high chair that she's sitting in is the same one that her sister used and my two younger kids after them. Plus it's got Little Peter Wabbits. We love Beatrix Potter in our house. 

And then I painted this one…

So what happens when you post photos on Facebook and tell all your friends that you're painting pictures of the kids? 

Swamped! I have commissions coming out my ears! 

I have family and friends yelling at me (in CAPS LOCK!) because I'm not doing enough to get my work out there, enter it into comps, badger local art communities, promote myself to the wider public. 

I even have people asking for pet portraits. 

And it's all cousin Cat's fault.

Over the next few days I will be uploading the individual projects that I've been working on recently. I intend this blog to serve as a record of my progress, my paintings and a way to showcase myself to potential customers. It is, however, a secular record. If you really want to get in touch with me, come and find me on Facebook.