Commissioned House Portrait, Coastal South Carolina Home

 

House portrait commissions come to me by referral many times. It is especially gratifying when a client comes back again and again with a new request and a new painting they would like to have me create. 

This lovely family home has many memories for this client and the recipient of the painting. I am honored  when someone shares with me their memories, feelings and family history. It allows me to become more connected with the recipient and their life. It also stays on my mind as I work through the details and intricacies that go into capturing and interpreting a piece. 

At times potential clients do not think their family home or residence merits a portrait. I try to encourage them to look at not only the building they are considering but the memories, emotions, milestones, joys and sorrows that happened in that building. I strive to capture the feeling of a home, not just a structure. 

For more examples of my commissioned house portraits, stop by my website:

https://www.kryspettit.com/viewcollection/163022

For continual updates on works in progress and what inspires me, follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kryspettitartwork/

For information about my art, upcoming events, and just some greatpaintings, join my newsletter here:

https://www.kryspettit.com/email-newsletter

Ancient Oak Tree On The Easel

I am currently working on another oil of one of these majestic live oaks found along the coastal islands in the south.

Working on trees is like doing a portrait. You get to know the individual personalty of the subject, the wrinkles it has acquired during it's life time, the limbs that are strong and supportive, the more frail and aged branches. 

While still in progress I can see where the addition of Spanish moss will add to the feeling of a proud, ancient sentinel in a southern landscape.

More to come when it is done -- for now I have a few shots of the progress to share.

You can find my work at the delightful fine artisan gallery, Wild Oats and Billy Goats, in Decatur GA.

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Take a look at my website for more of my work:

https://www.kryspettit.com

For continual updates on works in progress and what inspires me, follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kryspettitartwork/

Summer Clouds on the Marsh -- New Work

 

"Summer Clouds on the Marsh" 
Krys Pettit
Acrylic on canvas 12" high x 16" wide

It has been a very long year plus. Life is getting a new kind of rhythm. Thankfully the art and creative process never stopped for me. 

I've worked on landscapes alot this past year. Some days I could not bring myself to find much joy in my painting. I languished as I am sure you did. One becomes fearful, anxious, and  you pray this will come to a positive end.  Slowly I can see it will. 

One of the brighter pieces I created recently reminded me of the coastal marshes of Georgia and Florida.  I miss visiting the ocean and the quiet roads along the waters and grasses that take you there.  For now I visit with my art, for just a little bit longer.

You can find my work at the delightful fine artisan gallery, Wild Oats and Billy Goats, in Decatur GA.

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Take a look at my website for more of my work:

https://www.kryspettit.com

For continual updates on works in progress and what inspires me, follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kryspettitartwork/

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Autumn Trees and Abstract Strokes

I have always enjoyed the abstract quality of working with watercolor. Putting down the colors  and letting them mix randomly on paper is what I love best.

However, working in oil presents a bigger challenge because you have to apply the paint more directly than with a watercolor medium. 

I had some luck with this small oil painting of an autumn tree. Lots of paint, mixing on the canvas and random brushstrokes gave me more of an abstract quality with just enough impressionism to satisfy me.

Below is the finished 10" x 8" oil painting of one of my favorite autumn trees.

"Finally Fall"

Krys Pettit

Oil on canvas panel, 10"H x 8"W

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

Creating a Portrait of Hands

"Hands of An Artist"

Krys Pettit

Watercolor on Archival Paper

Private Collection

I typically paint commissioned portraits of houses and buildings, something I enjoy doing because I feel I connect with a client, though the dwelling or the memories they have of a certain structure or place.  Most recently I was given a unique opportunity to create a portrait commission of a fellow artist's hands, truly a different subject than I am used to doing, but equally as connecting and emotional as any other personal portrait. 

I was moved by the request from my friend and at the same time a bit challenged. The objects in the hands  have special meaning to this person and they needed to be placed in the hands in this specific way, capturing a moment in time when they fell into the open palms.  

Originally we discussed creating a black and white drawing but I felt delicate washes of watercolor would tell the story better than the just black and white marks. The washes were kept simple and light but added the right amount of complexity to the painting. 

We often think of portraits of faces, but other parts of our bodies are unique and define us, like the hands of an artist. 

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

Oil Painting - Who Needs a Reference Image?

"Driving Into Autumn"

Krys Pettit

Oil on Canvas

 8" x 10"

I have worked from my own images for decades. I have stacks of reference photos.  Files of digital images.  Books with painting ideas.  Sometimes is a just too much for my creative brain and I want to just paint. 

Artists rely on memory more than we care to admit. All those years of sitting in the car observing while my husband drove gave me a memory palace better than any photo file. "Driving Into Autumn" took about 90 minutes to do. Loose, impressionistic and fresh. It's that scene in the mountains in October I am looking forward to seeing which exists only in my mind.

Below some images of the progression of the piece:

Ready to paint after putting in some basic shapes and colors. Cotton candy colored sky not my fav.

Adding some darker colors in the middle and lots of orange and green for trees

Loving how the orange, green and red hint at fall leaves turning in the distance

Starting the finesse the mountains in the distance with cool lavender, blues and greens. Add more color to the sky for a mood -- sunrise or sunset?

Suggested more variation in the mountains in the distance, pumped up the sky a bit and added some colors in the foreground. 

And that's a good day in the studio.

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist

Exhibiting in Virginia Avery Memorial “Reflections II” Juried Art Exhibition

"Edge of Autumn"

Krys Pettit

Watercolor on Paper

14"H x 20"W

"Windswept"

Krys Pettit

Watercolor on Gesso-coated Paper

11"H x 15"W

I am very honored to have two of my original paintings shown above chosen for exhibit at the Virginia Avery Memorial “Reflections II” Juried Art Exhibition sponsored by the Art Committee of the Atlanta Branch of the The National League of American Pen Women. It was open to all Georgia Women Artists and exhibit dates are August 1~21, 2020. 


It is rare to have an actual physical exhibit lately in the Atlanta area because of the challenges of COVID so I am particularly delighted to have my work physically on display with a talented group of women artists. The exhibit is at the Bowen Center for the Arts in Dawsonville, Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta.

Visit my website for a sampling of my work and custom house portraiture:

https://www.kryspettit.com

Wild Oats and Billy Goats is a great, eclectic fine art and craft gallery in Decatur, GA and I am thrilled be a part of their tribe:

https://wildoatsandbillygoats.com/collections/krys-pettit

Etsy is a great marketplace for fine art and craft and I have had my store there for a number of years.  You'll find prints and my medium-sized oils, acrylic and watercolors.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KrysPettitArtwork

Looking for art to fill your home and within budget?  I regularly put out studies, smaller works, and older pieces for auction at my eBay store.  It's fun to bid and win and I keep the work varied and fresh:

https://www.ebay.com/str/kryspettitartist