This is SO awesome, Michele!

Congratulations, Michelle! Another famous portrait - can't wait to see it and thanks for sharing your experience so far - it is VERY interesting.

I'm so happy for your success :thumbsup:

Congratulations!
 

What a wonderful opportunity, and richly deserved!

Bravo Michelle, I am so happy for you! :)

Michele,

I am delighted to see you land the governor commission. You certainly deserve it. Through great effort and dedication, you have developed your skills. You have everything it takes to do a fine job. You are a fine combination of talent, graciousness, experience, generosity and grit. I have a high regard for you and cherish the time we worked together.

From what you wrote about the contract and your first session with the former governor, you will certainly need all of the above, and maybe more. For while it might seem like a good break for you, it is also an opportunity for a one-term governor to get a powerful historical visual document of excellence that will help him be remembered when he otherwise may very well be forgotten in years to come.

I

Hi Bill,

Good to hear from you as always, and thanks for your very kind words about my abilities!

The confusion that happened during the shoot wasn't a result of a lack of respect for me or the process, it was just the timing: it was only one hour before Governor Gary Locke left office and the new Gov was inaugurated. We had already done a couple of other shoots and this was just the last bit of what we needed to finish up.

At all times over the past few months I felt I was treated with respect and consideration. I actually felt the Governor was much more concerned with what the portrait would look like than I expected. He thought carefully about issues like the type of lighting and brushwork he would like and his staff and I had several discussions on topics like that.

I knew that scheduling the final photo shoot on Inauguration Day was likely to be hectic. I actually thought it was fun, to be at the center of all the activity that day, not a problem.

Congrats,

Very happy about that!

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I want to add my congratulations as well, Michele! What a thrill that must have been to receive the call and to have had the opportunity to work with these people! I can't wait to see how it progresses; are you going to show us the development? That would be both fun and a learning experience, especially in terms of how what I know will be an excellent portrayal is received by the clients as it approaches completion.

I'll be able to post in-progress shots of it after the official unveiling occurs.