A Commission

This is a commission I recently completed for a client I met while working on an advertisement shoot. As a small artist without a steady income, I take on all kinds of part-time work to keep going. One of those jobs is working as a background actor—being on set for an entire day, sometimes barely used. Honestly, I don’t mind it. When I’m not needed, I get to sit quietly and read, and occasionally, something unexpected comes from simply being there.

That’s how I met this client. She started a conversation with me between takes. She is an HR director, but she used to be a model and still loves acting. During our conversation, she showed tremendous respect for my work as an artist and eventually decided to trust me with something deeply personal: a painting of herself and her late mother.

She told me they had shared a very close relationship, and knowing that made this commission especially meaningful to me. I felt incredibly honored to be trusted with something carrying so much emotional weight. With that level of trust, I knew I couldn’t mess it up.

So I practiced. A lot.

Before putting the final image onto the canvas, I worked through the composition several times and paid particular attention to the skin tones. I wanted the finished piece to feel personal, warm, and worthy of the memories behind it.

My commission process usually begins with an email exchange where we discuss the project, details, pricing, and deadlines. I then send an agreement so that we have a clear mutual understanding, followed by a link for the 50% deposit.

I once had a potential client pay the deposit but refuse to sign the agreement, telling me that I should simply trust him because he “wouldn’t sue me.” I politely returned his deposit and declined the project.

For me, this is not just about paperwork. It is about respect.

Even when I am struggling financially, I still require mutual respect for my time, my work, and my skills. Sometimes it is difficult when people around me don’t seem to recognize the value of what I do. And yet, here was someone I had met only once who trusted me with something incredibly important to her.

That contrast stayed with me.

For the final painting, I incorporated her favorite color into the background because I like to make every commission as personal as possible. In the end, she was thrilled with the painting and left me a wonderful review.

I’m proud of the artwork, of course — but even more than that, I’m proud that someone trusted me enough to tell me, “This matters to me. I want you to make it.”

And I’m grateful that I was able to honor that trust.