I created this memorial portrait painting of my mother which was completed around Mother's Day of 2020. 

Margery Earl Bush left this world over 30 years ago, at an age much too young. She was the heart and soul of our family, the parent who was always encouraging and nurturing our passions and creative pursuits, from music to the arts. She instilled in us a sense of adventure and self-reliance. This portrait illustrates her poise and hopeful spirit. 

This painting of her was created from an original black & white family photograph. It's a photograph I've always treasured, because the expressions captured were so genuine. 

The transformation of this portrait first began by hand-tinting the original black & white photograph with hues as natural as possible. From the tinted reference image, the painting evolved until the desired feeling in tone and composition was achieved. 

Gardner Defoe was a legendary river guide in the northern woods of Maine.For several decades, he guided young people down the Allagash and St John Riverways on camping & canoeing expeditions, instilling life-long skills of perseverance, self-reliance and integrity. 

In his honor, this painting was created from a treasured photograph taken many years earlier, and was displayed at his Celebration of Life gathering four months following his passing. 

The reference image used for this painting captured his genuine character, full of life and very much at home when he was on the river. 

The finished painted portrait was created in a dynamic alla prima style to reflect the energy of his bigger than life personality. 

All Stevie had was just one photograph to remember his father.

A tiny, low quality flip phone selfie of himself with his father. It was a rare moment in which they were both smiling and enjoying each other's company. 

The photograph was significant as it was a moment in time that was worth remembering. 

Despite the quality of the original reference photograph, I was able to work with the pose and expression I was given, and transform it into a piece worthy of displaying on the wall as a fitting tribute to his father. 

What started with a commissioned painting of a beloved set of grandparents grew into a multi-generational project to honor a series of ancestors. 

Memories of time spent with his grandparents first inspired Peter to seek out a painting to honor his beloved grandparents who were a special presence in his life as a young boy. 

Over the course of the project, we worked together to create a series of paintings from old photos of his ancestors spanning four generations to build an important visual history for the family.