Not your grandma’s oil painting - but how about an oil painting of your grandma?
If you’re looking for a portrait unlike any other, you’ve come to the right place.
Painting a portrait is about more than creating an exact replica of a photo. You want a portrait that captures more than just someone’s skin tone - it needs the zest of their soul, too. As an artist who puts the “real” in surrealism, I do love precision, and I thrive in capturing the fine details, right down to that eyebrow hair of yours that never lays flat, and doing them justice. But with a surrealist bent, I aim beyond a simple reproduction: I make something new that captures that certain something about whoever I’m painting.
And that’s what I’m offering you.
Whether you’re a new mother reclaiming your sense of self, or celebrating your late grandfather’s creative legacy with your family, I’m here to give you and your loved ones a piece of art that speaks to you.
buy this as a gift for someone you love – someone celebrating a milestone or going through something OR treat yourself
Post-retirement, do you love feeding the squirrels out back while you enjoy your morning coffee? Let’s paint a picture of you sipping that joe while a squirrel climbs up your arm. Does your bestie’s fresh breakup (and new apartment) warrant a moody portrait to complete her whimsigoth living room dreams? I’m thinking an oil portrait with a golden halo and a tarot-symbology border. You may need…
A legacy painting of your mother for her 60th birthday, bringing Mother-Maiden-Crone iconography into the 21st century
A portrait of you, proudly emerging out the other side of a major surgery or transition, scars proudly embroidered
A quirky, radical portrait of your partner exactly the way you see them - so they can finally see how beautiful you know they are.
You are a work of art - so let’s celebrate!
When you commission me for an oil painting, I’ll work with you to create something that speaks to you and for you. Don’t worry if your idea is only as specific as, “For his retirement, I want a painting of my uncle, but weird.” I’ve got your back from start to finish.
This ain’t your grandma’s oil painting commission (although your mom might love a painting of her grandma!). Let’s celebrate the weird and the wonderful, embrace you and your loved ones’ individuality, and put me to work painting something that will hang in a place of pride in your home.
Timing depends on the size of your painting, but a good rule of thumb is planning at least three months in advance ahead of any retirement, birthday, or holiday! So reach out now to be ready for that big milestone change on the horizon.
The process
First, we’ll hop on a video chat - or if you live in Toulouse, grab a coffee in Les Carmes. Either way, I’ll come armed with a sketchbook and a series of questions to build the foundations of your piece.
I work through photograph references, so if you have a photo in mind, great! Otherwise, if it’s a portrait of you, you’ll pop by my studio to take a few photos.
Vision in hand, I’ll make digital collage mockups of a few different options, and we’ll pinpoint one that speaks to you. Once we’ve got the mockup of your dreams, I’ll move forward with the underpainting, a monochrome base layer that gives the painting its luminous, finished look.
When the underpainting’s done, we’ll hop on another call - or you can come by my studio again - to discuss last-minute changes.
From then on, I’ll be painting and polishing the portrait! Once it’s finished and dry (oils take their sweet time, like all good things), I’ll ship it to you, bring it to your house, or pour you a glass of red and we can celebrate its future life with you!
The pricing
Small, A3 (30 cm x 40 cm) - 400 €
Medium, for your reading nook (50 cm x 60 cm) - 800 €
Large, a statement piece for any living room or bedroom (60 cm x 75 cm) - 1200€
XL, perfect for over the mantel (100 cm x 90 cm) - 2000€
For other sizes, from square or circular canvases to floor-to-ceiling pieces, reach out to discuss pricing.
Adding embroidery, beading, and collage is one of my specialties, and can be incorporated for an additional 50€-100€, depending on intricacy. We’ll settle on the design and price up front.
After you’ve decided on a size, you can expect:
10% down payment to start the consultation process
25% paid after digital collage samples are settled on and the underpainting sketch is provided
Remainder paid in full when finished, before shipping - we’ll hop on video call so you can see its quality and texture in real time. For shipping all paintings securely, I charge a 60€ flat rate within Europe (80€ worldwide) with the exception of exceptionally large or petite pieces.
And if you’ve always wanted a painting of yourself, your late mother, or your best friend, but price is a barrier, I’m open to making you a smaller painting, a looser style, or watercolor on paper. I may also be game for a reduced price in exchange for the right trade (Are you a vegan chocolatier? Can you build me a hobbit-worthy bookshelf? Teach me to use a sewing machine so I can sew the giant popcorn art installation of my dreams? Are you a whiz at jazzing up a website?). Ask me! Art is beautiful and for everyone - and that includes you.