Rather than creating this most recent painting series on my own, I worked with the wonderful owners of Restaurant Le Petit Léon to create this work together.
I’m very excited to share this story with you and give you direct insight into what collaborating with me is like.
The key to commissioned art is that it's a dialogue between my vision as an artist and your story as the collector.
In this case, Nick shared his process for creating a dish with me, and Sina shared her visual inspiration for the restaurant. We talked about respect for the natural environment and the changing seasons. Specific things that came up included the familiar ochre stone of the village, regional products like walnuts and truffles, and of course the local wines.
I used those ideas as guidelines and then looked for inspiration in nature and in the village of Saint Léon where the restaurant is located. I spent time outside sketching and taking photographs, looking for things that told the story I heard from them. Sina also sent me a handful of photos that reflected their inspiration and some of their favorite colors.
The main themes became apparent: the river, the water cycle, the long history of humans here in the valley and the art, agriculture, and cuisine we’ve created and continue to evolve.
Blue and white for the water cycles and warm browns with hints of ochre and mauve to represent the river during flood season, the soil, and many local ingredients. Then, I created some small works on canvas to test out ideas and shared them with Nick and Sina.
We agreed the direction was clear, and I jumped into creating the eight paintings in the series. When the paintings were well underway, we checked in to share and discuss the process and confirm the frame choice. After completion, we reviewed the series, installed it, and celebrated a job well done.
Commissioning art brings you into the creative process and gets you unique, quality artwork for your space.
If you’re looking for a way to add value to your property or business and make it look great, commissioned art is the perfect choice.
If you’re excited about working directly with a fine artist, this is your chance to do it.
If you’re passionate about the beauty and culture of the Southwest and you want paintings that will reflect your appreciation for this incredible region, you can get started now.
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