This pencil portrait was the first commission completed for my monthly 2013 Charity Art Auctions. It was drawn from a small wallet-sized photo of the subject alone (without the cat), and 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the piece, was sent directly through ebay Giving Works, to benefit the Sandy Hook/Newtown School Support Fund, to help the families and community affected by the Sandy Hook/Newtown massacre.
I had to use a lot of imagination with this portrait, as the initial photo was small and blurry, but that opened up greater possibility for creativity! Because I was so grateful to the donor’s generosity in helping me help these families, and because she gave me creative license, I added an additional dimension to what was meant to be a simple portrait: I asked her what her favorite things were. Cats came up towards the top of the list, but she did not own one, so I included this lovely kitty, drawn partly form my imagination, and partly (the eyes only) from observing my own cat.
This was a charming commission and one of my favorite pencil portraits I have done, to date.
