From the start of a commission to the painting on your wall

Handmade

So you have been to a show, or looked at the website and seen something you love, but it’s sold, or it doesn’t quite fit your space, or it does fit your space but you’d like that piece and a companion, to sit on the other side of your fire place? What do you do? 

The first stage of commissioning

You send me a message through my website to say what you have liked and a little bit about what you would like.  I call you on the phone, we have a chat about sizes, availability, time scales and media. If you like you come for a studio visit.  You have a think, you come back to me with what you would like, I give you a price, you have another think and then place your order by email with the details of what you would like. At this point I will send you an invoice for 50% of the price. All work is hand made, the paint is hand made and  the painting is hand made by Sarah Needham and is a unique piece, there are no two pieces exactly alike.  If you are ordering a bespoke size on a wooden surface then even the surfaces are hand made by the team at Artists Surfaces.

The work begins

After receiving your deposit I order a surface to make the work on, this can either a high quality  standard stretched canvas surface, or a bespoke surface made exactly  to the dimensions you require, like the 3meter one from Artists Surfaces in the picture above.

Once painting has commenced you can come and see the work in progress or I’ll send you e-images as it goes along in its journey. Delivery will be an additional cost and will depend on your proximity to London, and the size and weight of the piece made.  You are of course welcome to come and pick it up at no cost at all, and I do deliver work up to 1.5x1m within my neighbourhood for free.  The payment of the balance must be cleared  before pick up or delivery.
 The timing of the process start to finish will be dependednt on your decision time, a two week delay while surfaces are produced, and be dependent on materials used: Oils (my most usual material) take three months or more to be sufficiently dry to be varnished and/or moved. Mixed media pieces are better if your time scale is short.

Commissioned work in the last 4 months​: a large 3x1.2m piece for a ship interior, 1x1m piece for a private domestic client in the USA,  a large piece for a Kensington based interior design company to accompany existing works....