Warrior Woman
108 x 144
I find that one of the most difficult parts of a commission is trying to capture the vision of the patron. I might be given a blurry photograph with no context or asked to paint a specific tree that obviously holds deep meaning that I am only witnessing as a spectator.
In 2008, I was commissioned to paint the biggest artwork I have ever completed. The client requested a piece that celebrated the Native American heritage of his wife as well as her strong personality. He was clear enough about his desired look that I could be pretty sure that my usual techniques would not produce the piece he envisioned. I felt like I got a good start with the sketch, but was overwhelmed by the immensity of space to fill. I went several directions before finding footing, one night even bringing my 10 year old daughter (a budding artist herself) to the studio and allowing her to paint in the background. The freedom of watching her paint in joy over the expanse was inspiring. It helped me recover the spontaneity I had lost in the stress of trying to create a piece that fulfilled the commission. If you'd like to see the evolution of this piece, check out my real on Instagram. I'm still proud of the result.
-Tyler
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