Hand-drawn Custom Heirloom Portraits
Grace, age 2.5
I have done custom portraits locally for decades - if fact, as I write this, for 50 years! The pencil technique is one I learned at Rhode Island School of Design at age 14, and practiced since. I never tire of falling in love with these sweet faces - now grandchildren! Several of my recent commissions are Grandparents ordering for a gift (latest, a surprise gift honoring a daughter’s 40th birthday), or for each other.
I am represented by the Everett & Charlie Gallery in the Linden Hills Neighborhood of Minneapolis, where you can see portraits of the proprietor’s (Suzie Marty) grandchildren up close and personal (The gallery is named for the boys, pictured in their late great-grandfather’s hat - a lot of heirloom right there!). You can commission through the gallery, but in this digital age, we can also connect online from anywhere!
Often, I am working from a series of favorite photos - perhaps you like the hair in one, but the smile in another. They don’t even have to be smiling (my Grands aren’t). Perhaps a “look” or age from a while ago captured your heart. I prefer to do one child per drawing as they are meticulously created as a keepsake to pass on - I feel family group photos are best captured by a photographer. One of my favorite customer comments is from a dad, some 20 years after, “Those portraits are what I would take if the house were on fire!” More recently, there have been videos - the 40-yr-old mentioned above cried, her mom cried, and me too, watching afterwards.
If you are considering a child’s portrait, usually they settle into their “look” after age 3. I did my own Grands each at age 2.5 (my daughter was impatient about waiting until age 3!) which works ok with a boy and girl. You want the finished work to look distinctly like themselves. I try to make the child appear on the page, not just create a drawing of the child. I’ll keep asking for photos until I “know” I can capture them accurately.
A commission in memory of a friend’s dog. A special trip cancelled by Covid inspired a different kind of memory-making between close friends. We came up with the collar concept in a phone call. Bravo!
Did this one for a Grandycamp Grandma. After a few conversations, it felt like such a capture of Ingrid’s spirit. I was captured by her hands as well.
Sometimes, from the start, I can already imagine just who this child will be when they grow up!
I try to capture the “spirit” of the child in each drawing. For this one, I went and took pictures myself.
Roland is a charmer!
Huey was just getting new teeth!
I drew these brothers individually, aged 4&6, but put them next to each other often as I was working, and could almost imagine them interacting with each other, giving a little “elbow”! Mom cried when she opened the gift - they sent me a video! So touching.
Jack, age 2.5, a memory for sure - now you would be hard-pressed to capture him not talking!
Simple dining room display
These custom heirloom portraits are graphite drawings on bright white archival 14x17 smooth Bristol, and unframed. I require a $300 deposit before starting the drawing, and $300 upon completion ($600 total). UPS has built safe, insured, custom packaging for those that require mailing ($50).
Please contact me at keritzinc@gmail.com if you are interested. In my other life, I am a long-time children’s book illustrator. There is more info and a portfolio of sorts at https://www.karenritzcards.com/new-gallery
If you have an idea for another medium - ask! I have done small 5x7 watercolors as a gift commemorating a summer at the beach, and was commissioned for two historic formal oil portraits for the lobby of the Celeste Hotel, downtown St. Paul, in 2019. I am happy to chat about possibilities! Something I haven’t tried usually turns into something great for us both.