Cash
/Cash, oil on canvas, 50 × 50 cm
Commissions have a way of creating special dialogues that grow and evolve over time. This one was a case in point. It began with an email, then a zoom call with George who was looking for an artist to commemorate his beloved dog Jack who had recently died. The portrait was also intended as a gift for his partner Tom who was very close with Jack. See Jack's story for more on this.
A few months later George announced they had adopted a new dog called Cash who was now a much loved member of the family. They commissioned this portrait to mark the occasion.
In our discussion we took a deep dive into Cash's character and passions: young and playful, agile and energetic, with a love of sand, oceans and the colour orange.
This all came together in the portrait, with Cash poised ready for action on top of a suspended surfboard, the beach and sea behind him. I adapted elements from the original source image, simplifying the background, scaling Cash up so our full focus is on him. The feature of his name and a nod to his love of mountain biking was also added on the surfboard fin.
I blocked out the early stages of the painting in acrylics for speed but then moved into oils and immersed myself in the glorious sunshine and energy of this happy scene. Next followed the varnishing and framing and finally the careful packaging up, ready for the portrait's flight to Malibu, where it now hangs in its new home.
“This painting of Cash, is next level! Susannah captured every little detail, and the layers of colour make it feel so lifelike. It’s like Cash’s playful personality and charm leap right off the canvas, and I can’t stop smiling every time I see it.”
