Aspen Commission for Canadian Collectors

36 x 24, Autumn Walk

Karen and Dennis, collectors from Saskatchewan, Canada...first saw my work in San Francisco at Chloe Fine Arts Gallery on Fisherman's Wharf.  They bought "Autumn Walk" on the spot and a few months later, commissioned me to paint them another piece for their dining room.  After browsing  through my website, they decided a similar painting to "Jewels of Autumn" would be the perfect companion piece!  This is the email they sent me before I began their painting.  I post it to show how important it is for client/artist to establish an open dialogue together before the project even begins.  Karen and Dennis did a wonderful job with communicating their thoughts and feeling to me on exactly what they were envisioning for their special piece.  It made my job very easy.  This was their email to me:

Jen,

We had a cozy weekend at home with time to reflect and refresh our thinking for the commissioned piece.  We've put our heads together as a family and we independently and together all agree - what we really want is the original Jewels of Autumn!!

I've attached the photo and in the end, there's really nothing we would change.  We would be grateful for a painting as close to this original as possible!

We love the vibrant and lifelike detail of the bright color leaves along with the placement, size and shape of all bushes and trees, the lovely layers in the landscape, the contrast, depth and openness of the painting - we love it all!

As a family, we discussed all the things we love about it.  Here's what we talked about:

- the detail and realism of the leaves and their rich saturated color (my daughter wants to touch them) as well as the chosen level of detail for the various elements throughout the piece
- full bushes of glorious leaves (the detail of the golden leaves on the right is spectacular!)
- the reach and subtle play of small branches and bright leaves in front of the trunk that is furthest forward, and the others as well
- the 8 lit aspen trunks, and then different types and dimensions of dark trees, trunks and branches into the distance
- the openness, as though you are looking over a hill through the trees into light in the distance

The Jewels of Autumn color palette is perfect.  We deeply appreciate the vibrancy and variety of color, the darker and brighter shades and would only want this preserved to full effect.

 So, there we are.  Jewels of Autumn has captured our hearts and imagination.  We are very happy with this decision and so appreciate your willingness to work with us on this new commission!

Karen, Dennis and family

 After I completed the painting, I emailed Karen and Dennis a photo for their approval.

36 x 60, Canadian Autumn

This was their email back:

Oh Jen - what a gift - this is awesome!! Yes, please do arrange shipment - it will be so exciting to welcome this new addition and it will welcome folks to our home with views from entry through living, dining, sun room and even from our kitchen.  It is a lovely piece full of hope and emotion - it will be enjoyed!

Karen, Dennis and family

Karen unwrapping the painting

Hi Jen and Matt,

It's here, it's here!!  It was so exciting to unwrap this treasure!  Canadian Autumn (great name!) is now hanging comfortably on our feature wall in the dining room.  It's interesting to watch how the character of the piece changes with the setting sun - like sitting in the forest, as only you can paint it Jen - it's beautiful!


Thanks for your careful attention to this piece and for getting it safely to our home. 

Dennis and Karen

photo of the two pieces hanging up together in the dining room!