Top 10 reasons you need an Emily Clarke Commission for Christmas

You need to commission a painting from Emily Clarke Studio this Christmas. Here's why:
10. Because your Great Aunt is the hardest person on the planet to shop for.

9. Because your Grandmother wants everyone to know why her nickname in high school was "legs."

8. Because your mother is always saying she wants more pictures of her grandkids.

7. Because you can't remember the last time you bought your sister something she actually liked.

6. Because your brother and his new wife already have enough gravy boats.

5. Because your dog really is your husband's best friend.

4. Because all the photos of your grandparents as teenagers are starting to fall apart.

3. Because you want to show off how good you looked in your wedding dress (and he looked ok too).

2. Because I have spent years specializing in capturing your special memories in paint.

1. Because if you book your commission before November 22, you will get a free custom built frame with your completed painting!

Commissioning a piece is easy. Just email me a photo or bring one by the studio. We will work out all the details from there. Simple!

(50% deposit due upon booking your commission. Deposit must be received on or before November 22 to receive a free frame. Please allow approximately 3 weeks to complete painting. Remaining balance is due upon delivery.)

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Overcoming Hurdles

This was a piece that did NOT come together easily. It was pretty much a struggle from start to finish. But I also think it is exactly those struggles that make me like it that much more now. If we never encounter obstacles in our path, we will never grow stronger, am I right?

Katrina and Kyle are friends of my sister, and they were married this past weekend. Congrats guys, and enjoy!


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Two times the fun

I just realized yesterday that I hadn't posted these two commission pieces yet. Ron came in a while back to commission two pieces for his two daughters. He wanted the same photo for both pieces, but each painting could be different. Before I started, I thought that it would be a challenge to do two paintings from the same photo. After I started, I knew it would be a challenge! I worked on both pieces at the same time, and while I would be happy with the likeness in one, I would be happier with the painting in the other. At the end of the day, I ended up with two distinct pieces that I like for different reasons, and both girls were happy, so done, and done.

Dancing in the Moonlight

Carol commissioned the piece I posted a few weeks ago of the family standing in front of the New York skyline. Recently she sent me the picture for this piece of she and her sister dancing. I think this is such a sweet photo- the movement of the dresses, the joy on their faces, the party going on in the background. Thanks, Carol, for another great one!

On another note, whenever I name one of my posts after a song, I end up singing that song for the rest of the day...

People and their cars

A lot of my time this week has been spent on this commission. This was another one that I was excited to work on from the beginning, and it just seemed to come together with no major problems. Unexpectedly, my favorite thing to paint in this piece was the car. I think people never get tired of taking pictures of themselves with their cars. I used to have a picture of my old car up on the bulletin board above my desk. And, people back in the 40's and 50's used to do it too. I have been coming across a lot of photos recently of vintage folks and their cars. Expect to see more of these showing up in my work soon! Have a photo you want to share? Email it to me.

A Family Affair

Before Christmas, I had a woman come in to the studio to commission the first of these two paintings. It was one of my favorite commissions, partly because of the beautiful photograph, but mostly because she told me that this was her Christmas present to herself! She told her husband that she would set everything up, and he only had to pick it up and not show it to her until Christmas morning. (Take notes, ladies! That's the way to get what you want ;)

Just after Christmas, she came in to commission the second piece for her husband's birthday. While they are very different pieces, I think they work really well together. The photos were both probably early 40's, and have an air of everyday life about them. I think they make a lovely set!

Enjoying the View

Some of my work is currently carried by a gallery in Raleigh, The Little Art Gallery. Every so often I get a call from them about doing a commission. I was thrilled when the photo for this piece showed up at the studio! It's not often that I get to paint such a great view!

Baby Sam

I have been working on several commissions over the past few months that I haven't been able to share for fear of ruining the surprise. But, a few of them have now been shared with loved ones, so I can now share them with you. I did this piece of baby Sam for some friends of my sister. I like painting babies, but I usually find them a bit harder than painting grown ups, because babies don't have quite as many distinguishing features to their faces. It is amazing how much easier a little bit of age makes capturing a likeness! Happily, though, this painting of baby Sam was quite easy and a lot of fun!

Malie and Macie

This is a commission I did recently for a friend of my sister. It is of her two daughters, and I heard that she really loved it. I think it turned out so cute!

Luca

I keep saying that I don't draw often, but the number of drawings I have been doing recently belies that fact! This is a drawing I did recently of a friend's adorable little boy.

I was really excited about the painting I did today. It ended up being really simple and beautiful. But, I ended up at the studio without my camera. So, instead, here is a really sweet commission I did recently for a couple of my sister's friends. Congratulations Leah and Aaron! Hope you enjoy it!

Home Sweet Home and my TV debut

This is a new house commission I finished recently, and am pretty proud of. In some ways, houses are easier than portraits, but in other ways they are more technical and time consuming.

And, for those of you not on Facebook, here is the interview I did on WYFF 4 this past Sunday. I was pretty excited that they asked me to be a part of the show, and despite the fact that it was really early in the morning, I had a great time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ615g44SL0&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7w7lJ-w9Uw&feature=player_embedded

Celebrating one year

Ali commissioned this piece for her husband for their one year anniversary. This is the spot where he proposed. Congrats guys!

Congratulations Jameson and Brian!

Part of my marathon weekend was spent celebrating Jameson and Brian's wedding. Even though I had to duck out of the reception early, I am sure they saw this on the gift table, not wrapped and with no card. Hopefully they figured out who it was from. Congrats guys!

I will post a couple behind the scenes pictures from my vintage photo shoot tomorrow!

I recently finished this commission for my cousin. It is such a pretty picture, and I was so happy with how it turned out that I had to go ahead and post it. It is also the first horse painting I have ever done. Enjoy Kristi!

Congratulations Joy and Jeff!

Joy commissioned this piece for Jeff for their one year anniversary. It was a surprise for him, and his reaction was great when she brought him to pick it up. Congrats guys!

Congratulations Amy and Josh!

I got through my crazy week last week, and spent much of this weekend celebrating my cousin's wedding in Asheville. Congrats Amy and Josh!

Preparations are well under way for my vintage photo shoot. The models are lined up, all the clothes are being provided by Threads in Time Vintage on Stone Avenue, jewelry by Blue Moss, and make-up by the amazing Shantel Lowe. I will post some behind the scenes photos after the shoot in a few weeks.

And, if you have ever wondered about the process I go through to create my paintings, you will get a chance to see it firsthand this Saturday from 11am-noon at my studio at Art Crossing on the river front. Come see some of my newest work and see the steps I go through to create my vintage oil paintings.

Congratulations Dion and Chelsea!

Contratulations Kathy and Pepper!

While I am packing up the studio and everything is in disarray, I thought I would post this piece I did for my cousin's wedding this weekend. I wish I could be there, but California is a long way away. Hope you guys have a blast!

I've been working on a couple of commissions this week, so I thought I would share one that I finished recently. This is my best friend from elementary school's two kids. This, as well as many other commissioned pieces can be seen in my website's commission gallery.