Commissions

The process of making art can be isolating—at least until the final reveal. But artist commissions are an exciting way to collaborate with one’s audience. Commissions allow the artist to make something that is very special to one specific person. The goal is to make a visual representation that connects to that person’s heart. And with collage, you can incorporate actual mementos, keepsakes, and other valued scraps. The artist is pushed to do their best work using their knowledge, experience, and techniques to make something meaningful.

Watch the video on this page to see the creation of Katherine’s largest commissioned collage to date, titled “Memories of Pequea.”

Samples of past commissions

Dexter

Dexter was created as a birthday gift for my client's wife. The white and tan floral paper frame the horse as if it was lying in a field with the shimmering white puffs of paper as clouds overhead. It includes everything from vintage magazines to handmade rice paper. The whole surface is paper.

Born Barn

My family stayed at a bed and breakfast in West Virginia beside a historic barn. On returning home I made a collage based on my reference photos. I contacted our former hosts to see if they had interest in the work and to my joy they bought the piece and hung it in the very building where we stayed!

California Poppy

Having created a series of collages based on 50 state flowers, someone raised in California asked for that state's flower, which had already sold. I used map sections as the main background, being sure to have her hometown appear between the flowers. A bright and happy collage for a colorful woman.

Oceans

I was asked to create a collage based on the song "Oceans" and to incorporate the lyrics. Adding many words into an image was a great puzzle. Usually I blend the letters, but the goal of this collage was to have readable words. I worked with her on the details and she loved the final piece.

Pop

This special collage was made for a loved one who wanted something pretty and red. Knowing he likes Greek-inspired design, I used decorative Greek shapes to cover the background and threw in a dash of gold for a fun shine. It was a great way to share a love-filled gift.

Union

A special friend wanted a collage for his wife as a surprise wedding anniversary present. He supplied a reference photo and told me about their lives (favorite colors, hobbies, etc.). I used those details in the creation of their collage, and his wife was beautifully surprised by this unique gift.

Her Happy Place

I had a client contact me because she had a large empty wall in her living room that needed some color. We decided on a series of five collages to fill the space. They were created to look like a garden with all her favorite flowers. It was bright, fun and full of energy.