How does the commissioning process work?
Every commission begins with a discovery call - a relaxed conversation by phone or Zoom about the person you have in mind, the moment you'd like to commemorate, and what you hope the portrait will convey. From there we discuss scale, medium, and the patterns and details that might shape the painting. Once these are agreed, a price can be confirmed. A simple written agreement and 50% deposit secure the commission, and you'll have the opportunity to see and respond to the work at key stages before it is completed.
Where do the sittings take place?
Sittings are usually held in my studio in Chipping Campden, in the Cotswolds - a quiet, light-filled space looking out over gardens and rooftops. If a different setting feels more personal, I am happy to travel to you. Each sitting lasts two to four hours, and one or two are typically enough.
How long does a portrait take?
Most commissions take between three and six months from our first conversation to the finished painting, depending on scale, complexity and where the work sits in my studio schedule. Larger pieces and portraits involving more elaborate compositions or pattern research take longer. We will agree a realistic timeline together at the start.
What does a portrait commission cost?
Commissions typically range from around £1,500 for a smaller work on paper to £7,000 for a large mixed media piece on a wooden panel. Most prices fall in between. All prices include sittings in Chipping Campden and framing.
Do you work from photographs?
Where possible, I prefer to spend time with a sitter in person - there are things you only notice when someone is in the room with you. In practice, I work from a mixture of sittings, sketches and photographs, gathering what I need to continue the painting in the studio. For posthumous portraits, or where distance makes sittings impossible, I will work entirely from photographs and from conversations with those who knew the sitter best.
Do you paint posthumous portraits?
Yes. A posthumous portrait is a particular kind of commission - quieter, more reflective, shaped by memory rather than presence. I work closely with their loved ones, listening for the details that made the person who they were.
Can you paint groups?
I'm happy to paint more than one person - couples, families, parents with children - and we can talk about composition on the discovery call.
Can you paint pets?
I don't take pet commissions. Pattern and decorative detail are central to how I work, and that thread comes from a person's heritage and story; it doesn't translate to animals in the same way.
