I've been holding onto this commission for a few weeks, waiting to share it and I'm so excited you get to see it now!

It's a wedding gift from one spouse to the other and it captures all of the food-themed nick names they've used for each other over the years!

It was such a special piece for me to get to create and I wish Alex and Dan all the happiness in the world in this new chapter together!

Scroll down to take a look at the painting process.

Once the final version of the sketch is approved, I create the outline for the final piece

Next I fill in the color blocks using vibrant saturated colors to help the whole piece to pop and have a warm glow

Then each part of the painting get painted in detail

Finally I added the background to pull it all together.

I love painting commissions because I get to hear about the small ways that a shared love of food can make a relationship and a home a warmer place.

What are the special ways that food brings your family or relationships together?

I am still taking holiday commissions for this season, but I have limited spots available.

If you'd like to explore the idea of a commissioned painting, check out my different offerings by CLICKING HERE!

With love,
Laurel

Every Wednesday I am going to be bringing you the stories behind some of my favorite commissions! Since it's Valentine's Day, we'll stick with the theme of love. Here is the story of Marc's custom anniversary gift to his wife Nicole!

I met Marc and Nicole on the food tour I lead in Boston and we got to talking about the amazing food-filled trip they took to Italy the summer before. Marc showed me all of their pictures and decided on a photo from a fantastic charcuterie place they visited as the one for his painting.

He told me it was a gorgeous sunny day (hence her sunglasses!) and he wanted to make sure the colors of the painting captured that. I decided to stay true to the colors in the original photo while pumping up the saturation and vibrancy.

I started by transferring the photo to the canvas and filling in all of the color blocks

Then I started adding layers of color.

Most of the colors of the original photograph were incorporated into the finished piece to really capture the memory of being in Italy on that beautiful sunny day.

Then it was time for my favorite part of the painting process, adding the details to make the charcuterie board really pop.

My favorite elements were the charcuterie board (obviously) and their faces. I love capturing that special moment of pure happiness with someone you love. And the pop of teal on the table ties everything together for me. This was definitely a trip AND a special anniversary gift I'm sure Marc and Nicole will cherish forever.

Capturing moments like this are why I paint food! That charcuterie board is long gone, but Marc and Nicole can keep the memory forever.

Do you have a favorite food memory with someone you love? Are you looking for a creative and unique anniversary gift for someone special? Head over to my commissions page and let's get started on YOUR custom painting.

Learn More About Commissions

Cream Puff, Cherry Pie, and Chocolate Cake: Alex's Commission Story

Commission Story: Marc and Nicoles Custom Anniversary Gift