07 Oct A Satisfying Commission

Commissions can be a bit of a double edged sword. They are great for income, but sometimes one gets asked to paint something that, as an artist, one would never choose to paint. So it was a delight recently to be asked to paint a commission, intended to be a gift  for a former work colleague, Lewis Smith, a surgeon at the Rossdale practice in Newmarket.

Lewis is leaving Newmarket to take on a challenge in another large practice, closer to his family. During my time at Rossdales working with the horses, before I enrolled for my Fine Arts degree, I had worked with Lewis, and liked and admired him, so it was great pleasure to paint the commission.

Not only that, but the scene requested, horses walking down Warren Hill after cantering, is a scene I have always loved, and have meant to paint before now, so it was a double pleasure.

The picture shows Lewis receiving his gift, socially distanced of course. I’m told he was delighted with it, a great result all round.