Commissions

I welcome opportunities to create commissioned artwork that is customized to the particular interests of individuals, groups, or organizations. My goal in accepting commissions is for the process to be both gratifying for me as an artist and pleasurable for those who have chosen to integrate my art into their living, working, or worship environments.
Upon receiving an inquiry about commissioning artwork, my first response is to ask the prospective client about his/her familiarity with my work. I’ve found that an important element in assuring a successful commissioning process is to be sure that my gifts are a good match for the purchaser’s expectations.

The next step is to be in conversation around a series of questions purposed in movement toward mutual clarity regarding the work being commissioned. For example:
     What about my work is attractive to you?
     What about my work suggests that it would be especially appropriate for the purpose
          you have in mind?
     Will the work be commissioned by an individual, a group, or an organization?
     Is the commissioned work intended to mark the significance of a particular event
          or occasion? Will it honor the memory or accomplishment of a particular person?
          Do you wish for it to reflect a particular theme or to include particular thematic elements?
     What is your budget for accomplishing this work?
     What is the timeline by which you would like for this work to be completed?

For vestments and paraments:
     Is the commissioned work being created for an individual or for a faith community?
     If the work is being created for an individual, does he/she have stylistic preferences
          that need to be considered?
     If the work is being created for a faith community, are there existing environmental
          features (such as architectural style, decorative colors, or other artwork and/or
          appointments) that need to be taken into consideration?

For wall hangings:
     Will the commissioned work reside in a public or private space? What are the
          characteristics of that space?
     Does the commissioned work need to be specifically compatible with existing
          environmental features (such as architectural style, decorative colors, or other artwork)?
     What are the approximate dimensions that you would prefer the finished work to be?


If conversation around these questions results in a sense of mutual enthusiasm for moving forward, a contract will be prepared and work on the project will commence.

I charge an up-front design fee for all projects. If clients choose to move forward with the design, the full amount of the design fee is applied toward the cost of the project; if clients choose not to move forward with the design, I retain the design fee as compensation for my time in developing the design concept. Artwork is usually completed within 6 to 12 months from the date the design is approved by the client.

I price my work using a formula that factors in the dimensions of the work, the costliness of the materials to be used, and the labor-intensity of the techniques and processes that will be employed in creating the work.