Special Order

This is a custom order painting I did for a gallery in Eagle River, Artworks. They carry Greve paintings and have been a great supporter of my work. When one of the owners ask to surprise the other owner with a special order Greve painting I jumped at the opportunity.

Several years ago I painted Greve and Celli enjoying breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants, Snow City Cafe. It was the first time I had done a building with all the angle challenges and getting the feel of looking through the windows. It came out great, the restaurant purchased the piece. I had been anxious to try it again.

In this painting you will note that the sign and the stained glass in the windows are photos. I figured out a technique where I can incorporate real images into the painting. With just the right stroke of the hand you can tone them down so they blend flawlessly into the paint. In the Snow City Cafe piece I placed photos of my paintings on the walls. It's a fun multi media combination.

Trying something new is scary. It's called a comfort zone for a reason. I almost didn't do my Snow City Cafe painting. The building design, photo tie in and window sheen issues had me overwhelmed. I had told my mom my idea and she kept bugging me about doing it. In my mind I had already made excuses to not do it. Her enthusiasm pushed me forward. I present you with a challenge today, do something out of YOUR comfort zone.