A client approached me recently, with the most beautiful name (Aura – what lovely mysteries the name conjures!), asking me to paint something for her daughter Bianca (another lovely name!) who was going away to college. She said that her daughter loves all things vintage, Kate Middleton, Audrey Hepburn, Tiffany blue, and that her favourite book in all the world was Oh, The Places You’ll Go. She didn’t want a portrait, as her daughter is shy, but she wanted an illustration that would capture her personality.
This is the final version of the illustration that I sent, and she loved it! I sketched out this idea of a girl in a vintage dress with a vintage suitcase, looking at a stylized map of the world. She approved the design right away and I proceeded to paint it, adding another black and white suitcase when she suggested it. (The black and white stripes look so good, doesn’t it?)
My heart did a pitter patter when the client texted me – “It’s funny the luggage she’s holding on the right hand, Bianca has one exactly like it! From my mom to her, it belonged to my mom in college. Made me teary eyed. You got her personality, and you haven’t even met her. It’s amazing!”
