[Monique McFarland]

Here is a commission that has been THE biggest challenge i've EVER faced in my painting life!! Below you will see the original, untouched 20 yr old snapshot that a mother wanted me to paint of her now married sons. I spent a while photoshopping it (the next photo) to help expressions, fix spots, etc, BESIDES the fact she wanted them with bare feet (ask how I pulled THAT one off)....we changed the color of the clothing...and ultimately, after painting in the background as it was in the photo...I completely painting out the background and started over from scratch and did this one out of my head....I hope it works better because the one in the photo may work in the photo, but it did NOT work in this painting.

I delivered the painting today and...well...the response was very humbling. imagine an empty nester mom re-living her childrens' pure-at-heart toddler days...now captured for the rest of her life, on her living room wall....(well, that's what she kept saying to me...the most HUMBLING unveiling I've had to date)