Julianne,
I understand your position. You feel you captured this woman as she was, but she does not like the painting. Although you must be true to your style and your vision of the portrait, part of portraiture is making the client happy.
Everett Raymond Kinstler devoted an entire chapter in his book about this titled "Professional Attitude." I would like to quote a section from that chapter:
Quote:
Your Attitude Toward the Contract
If you choose to paint a landscape, interpreting it in whatever manner pleases you, your painting may be sold to someone who is attracted to that painting. What you paint is your decision, and the painting is sold after the fact. With portraiture, you are commissioned to produce something in advance. Once you agree to do the portrait, you are entering into a contract which can have many limitations. These limitations are challenging to me; they may not be to you.
In accepting a portrait commission it's important to remember that you have made a contract; that you are participating in an agreement and therefore have a responsibility to produce the product being commissioned. Your client has every right to expect a reasonable likeness of the subject.
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Now much of Mr. Kinstler's book and this chapter especially is based on his experience and his working procedures. Since the entire chapter relates to this there is much too much for me to quote here. But the one thing that strikes me after reading your post is that the person commissioning the portrait was also the subject, and yet they never saw the painting as it progressed. How much time did you spend with the subject? How many sittings and did you paint any of it from life?
Again from Mr. Kinstler's book
[QUOTE]
Painting the Portrait
The portrait painter reacts, responds, analyzes