SOG Site Brings Governor's Commission
 

About four months ago I was working in my studio when the phone rang. Someone said,

Michele, that's great news, much congratulations!!! It's very respectable of you to thank SOG, but make sure you give yourself some credit for you talent.

Congratulations Michele, this is well deserved.
Allan

Thanks!

It's been a very high pressure process, getting to this point -- and I haven't even started the painting yet! The unveiling a few months from now promises to be in a league of its own too, as far as pressure. The contract negotiations alone were a whole new world to me. My usual family portrait contract is two pages long, intentionally non-intimidating. The State's contract had 12 pages. (Thanks so much to those Forum participants who very kindly offered behind the scenes help during the contract phase of the discussions!)

It's been a whole order of magnitude more intense than anything I've done before. During today's photo shoot, for example, there were a lot of people coming in and out of his office. The Governor of Oregon stopped by to chat, the Chief of Staff came in to alert the Governor to some potential security situation, the First Lady came in to videotape, etc. (Maintaining my focus during all that was almost as difficult as working with a wiggly three year old who doesn't want to hold still for the camera. I think my experience during those kind of shoots helped me to concentrate today!)

Terrific news Michele, and to think we knew you when ...

That sounds like an interesting photo session. I believe you are so right about your experience paying off.

Michele, congratulations!!

Great for you. You deserve it for all the hard work you've been doing.

Fantastic news and congratulations. What an artist and what a website! The whole process sounds invigorating. I can only imagine how you feel.

Congratulations, Michele! Nobody deserves this more than you and I'm not at all surprised that you landed this commission. I can't wait to see it.

Well done and I'm so proud to know you! :thumbsup:

Michele - Congratulations! This is very exciting news.

Simply Fabulous Michele!
 

And well deserved!

Congratulations Michele and SOG!!! It's amazing to see a concrete example of such achievement like yours up close and nearly in person!

Needless to say, I'm absolutely thrilled for you Michele!! Wow, and wow again. I'm happy for you and thrilled to hear it came directly from your SOG site.

Thanks, everyone!

Cynthia, this is the other "possible newsworthy portrait" I was talking to you about a while back. Once it's done it will go on my homepage for sure!

Big congrats Michele!

Jean

My heartfelt congratulations to you Michelle. You have worked hard and deserve this! Very impressive!

Congratulations, Michele.

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT. :) :)

Simply wonderful, Michele. Congratulations!

Congratulations Michele,

My gut was right about you!! Back in February 2004 when I first introduced myself to the forum (after many months of reading only) I made the comment that you were an inspiration to me.

Still holds true.

Way to go!!

WAY TO GO!!!!!!! Richly deserved.

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!

.

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.

Dear Michele,

Congratulations!!!!! You really are the perfect choice for this auspicious commission. (Oh, how I'd love to be a fly on the wall!). I knew you were deservedly on the cusp of something really big. I just didn't realize how big! Again,

Sincere congratulations,

Garth

Thanks for all your help, Garth!

YAY!!!

A big Congrats to you Michele. Wow, another FAMOUS neighbor across the pond! Bill Gates, now YOU! My goodness, this is so very exciting and most well deserved commission. Is this as "cloud nine" as Edgar? Probably more so I would imagine. Way to go! :thumbsup: :sunnysmil

~Geary

Congratulations Michelle, Wow, have you come down from the clouds yet? You should be very proud of yourself. What an experience and journey you are having, 2005 is certainly going to be a defining painting experience for you.

Now that you have all this new experience, don't forget to share it with us, your highs and lows and all the in between bits we could all learn from. The contract it self looks as though you could start your own volume with.

When you paint it, they will come....... or is it ... if you build it they will come..... either way ... you are where you are supposed to be. Well Done, I also would love to be a fly on the wall at your place.

A few members had asked me to post a status update on this project.

The photos came out fine and I sent a few composites to "The Gov" for him to review. He chose one (the one I happened to like the most, too, as it turned out) and a few days ago I started painting.

I'm currently doing a head-and-shoulders study to show him. He has very clear ideas about the particular painterly look he wants for the portrait and I also want to get his approval on the color. Once the study is done and approved I'll paint the three quarter pose for the final portrait.

In the pose he selected he is standing, with his hands resting on the back of a chair which has the official seal of the State of Washington embossed into the leather. There is a high contrast ratio overall with most of the light coming from a tall window to the right, and a small amount of accent light from a window far across the room behind him to the left. The background will be fairly dark, with a deep red curtain hanging down along the right side of the image.

I'm having a good time with the brushwork and it's nice to paint a more rugged, manly face after painting so many sweet-faced little kids!

Next?
 

Michelle, we all know your natural next coup. I'm dying to hear all the details keep us updated.

I've come late to this party, Michele, as I've been away from the forum for a number of months. Nevertheless, I want to add my hearty congratulations to the burgeoning chorus. This is fantastic news! I anxiously look forward to seeing the finished work. May this commission be pure joy in the execution, as stress-free as possible, and a stepping stone to even greater heights. :)