xinem's photostream  

Hi there!

Pre PS: I'm open to painting commissions of your photos. I paint in watercolor, acrylic and oil.

Price list:
Watercolor $250
Oil or acrylic $350

Sizes negotiable. I paint portraits. And other things.

Contact me if you're interested.

Christine Stephens,
xinemarina@gmail.com

...............

You're probably here because I asked if I could paint your photo.

Some things you should know:

*I will always ask permission and wait for it.... before I paint your photo. Painting things without permission is not worth the heartache.

* I paint for fun and my own education :)

*Sometimes I enter my paintings into art shows. I got into 3 this year (and one won an award). All the paintings were based on photos I found on flickr.

*I (heart) Creative Commons.

*I will always attribute to the original photo. Tell me what you'd like me to say, or I'll figure it out....

*I chose your photo because I think it's beautiful. But a painting is different from a photo, so I might change it when I paint it. I might crop it or change the color of something. I might take it out of your context and place it into another context, like a character I've made up or an illustration with a different background. I might exaggerate certain features and eliminate others. Or I might paint your photo exactly the way you have it. It's a fun, creative process. Are you okay with this?

Anyway, sometimes I paint a bunch of photos by the same photographer. Sometimes we get to be friends. I have some sets based on their photos.

Thanks for looking! I hope you say yes.

-Christine

About me:

I'm a self-taught painter. I'm also a poet.

I've been painting seriously since December 2006 when my husband bought me watercolors for Christmas. I've been writing since 3rd grade.

I paint for fun--not profit.

Art is good for you!

Most of my painting subjects come from flickr photos posted under a Creative Commons license. I like to paint portraits of women who move me one way or another. I never know what will catch my eye--a color, a facial expression, a gesture.... I fall in love with the photos.

My paintings feel like celebrations of women. I participate in a process that makes them iconic. I like to see strength, playfulness, unguarded moments. I'm moved by honest and unfeigned sorrow or anger or loss. I love how a photo captures an entire moment--the better the photo, the deeper and richer the moment. That's also what I wish to capture in the painting.

I like to paint women in old vintage vacation photos. I like to paint women who remind me of my aunts on my dad's side with big laughs and can make a brilliant potato salad and rhubarb pie.

Lately, I've enjoyed painting roller derby women. I love their strength and the fierceness of their play. Plus, they're gorgeous.

I've learned to ask first--before I paint--even if a photo has an applicable attribution. It isn't worth the heartache to be told no.

99% of the people I've asked for permission have been gracious and generous and happy with the results. I love that there's so much art fodder, so many good photos, so many objects ready to be transformed. I add mine to the mix.

I paint for my own pleasure and education. Anytime I can give back to this amazing artistic community is a win-win.