It’s the most momentous of occasions that prompt us to think about the fleeting nature of time and how to capture them in our memories forever. Commissioned paintings can be an amazing way to not only freeze a special moment but to also re-experience the emotions that came with it. Whether it’s as a gift or to indulge yourself, and whether it’s a pre-wedding commission to display at the event or a post-wedding painting to place in a first home, an upcoming wedding conjures numerous ideas for custom art. Here are just 6 to get those creative juices flowing!
CoCo Artist Holli M.
1. The Dress
Plenty of people save their wedding dresses as a memento of the special day, but it usually ends up in a bag in the attic somewhere. A painting of your dress allows you to enjoy it every day, while adding a touch of glamour and sophistication to your interior.
CoCo Artist Jean J.
2. The Ceremony
A painting of the ceremony allows you to capture your wedding day exactly the way you imagined it. Perhaps it’s based off of your professional photos, or maybe it’s a scene that didn’t get captured by the photographer. Either way, it carries the feelings of the moment you thought was most important in declaring your love for each other.
CoCo Artist Brittany S.
3. The Couple
This is always a classic choice. Your portraits could be from the first photo you took together, a shot during an engagement session, or a re-imagining of one of your wedding photos. If it’s either of the first two, it could also serve as part of a fabulous display at your special event!
CoCo Artist Holli M.
4. The Jewelry
Commissions of rings, or of hands wearing them, is a beautiful way to commemorate one of the most potent symbols of commitment. If that’s not your speed, what about immortalizing that ‘something borrowed’ or a precious heirloom you wore on your wedding day?
CoCo Artist Terry P.
5. The Honeymoon
The beautiful photos you took on your romantic getaway can be the perfect inspiration for a serene landscape, to be placed in a master bedroom. This commission can transport you back to that idyllic evening at an exotic location during a once in a lifetime trip together.
CoCo Artist: Toni S.
6. The Cake
The cake was a work of art in and of itself, and just because you and your guests went to town on all 12 tiers doesn't mean you only want one evening to admire it!
For more ideas on your own wedding-related commission, brainstorm with a CoCo Consultant for free!
Have you ever been on an international trip and wanted to buy a piece of art to bring back home? Far too many travelers would love to bring home artwork that commemorates their trip but find it logistically impossible.
CoCo Artist Suhita S. depicts the Mayan ancient site Chichenitza in a watercolor.
First, trips are often jam packed with site-seeing and experiences. Finding the right gallery or researching a local artist and fitting a visit into your itinerary is usually impossible.
CoCo Artist David P. depicts Mt. Rainier in a realistic way, but overlaid with pop-art dots.
Furthermore, carrying the work back home is also an issue -- either it’s too big to carry on, or you didn’t plan in advance by bringing another suitcase for check-in (who does?!). With all the other knick-knacks that might be stuffed in your bags, it’s hard to justify a quick and uncertain art purchase among those.
CoCo Artist Teji K. captures a Bombay street scene with textured palette knife strokes in acrylics.
Finally, as you emotionally escape daily life during your vacation, it can be hard to visualize where in your home this work would go, if it would fit within the color scheme or even the space available. It’s not like we bring floor plans and color swatches with us on our vacations!
CoCo Artist Francis L. shows a serene safari scene of mother and child.
Once you are back, you can commemorate your trip with a commissioned work of art. Look through your photos and choose your most cherished memory; use it as the inspiration for your custom work of art. You’ll be able to pick the perfect travel memory, spot in your home and the exact dimensions to fit the space.
Email us at info@cocogallery.net if you want to brainstorm some options for travel art!
Shilpa and Suhrid are world travelers. Despite having two kids and busy professional lives, they have prioritized getting out of the country as a family as well as on their own. It was only fitting, then, that Shilpa would want to gift Suhrid a painting of the trip where it all began for their 15th Anniversary – the place where they got engaged.
Shilpa and Suhrid's living room, where the commission currently resides.
When Shilpa first came to CoCo Gallery, she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted, however. She brainstormed a number of ideas with her CoCo Consultant, including a gallery wall of 10 watercolors that each represented one of their trips together. While we had the perfect artist lined up to help her with this idea, some twists and turns led her to choose an impressionist rendition of the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, India…the breathtaking backdrop of where Suhrid had proposed. The artist that could best do this was prominent in his field from India and just happens to be in our network: CoCo Artist Teji K.
The "Taj Lake Palace" commission: conceived by Shilpa, brought to life by CoCo Artist Teji K.
The request
Shilpa found an image of the Taj Lake Palace online, as a sample representation of the 24” X 36” impressionist painting she wanted. It was important to her that the painting primarily had blue and purple hues, to fit well with the interiors of their fully designed living room. She also wanted to make sure there was a tiny indication of a couple having dinner on a pontoon near the palace, representative of their evening on that special day.
A sample of the blues and purples Shilpa wanted for the painting.
The living room where the painting will reside.
The initial sketch
Having a highly layered and textural style, Teji thought it would be best to sketch directly on the canvas and to adjust his work based on frequent feedback. While the online image Shilpa found was more aerial in view, Teji chose to take a more head-on perspective of the palace. He thought it would better represent a special event that happened there rather than to just highlight the stand-alone site. Shilpa fully agreed, and Teji got to work with his acrylic paints soon after.
The online image of the palace that was used as a reference.
Check-ins and the final product
Within a few days, Teji had filled in the base of the work with paint. At this point, he starts his unique spatula-technique, where he creates the impressionist look by layering paint using just a palette brush. Once he uses the palette brush, he can change the colors of the painting but not the composition. Shilpa was on board with the base of the painting, thus, Teji carried on.
The base of the painting, before the spatula technique.
Later check-ins were not as smooth as the earlier ones. Shilpa’s primary feedback was that the painting looked “spooky” because of the number of shadows that were in the palace. Teji took the feedback seriously – he brightened the painting a bit, and put lights into the corridors of the palace so that it looked less like a haunted house and more like an evening-lit palace. With that, the painting was done. Within three days of being fully dried, the Taj Lake Palace commission arrived from New Delhi, in pristine condition, rolled up in a tube, at Shilpa’s front door in Arlington, VA.
Despite living in rural Vermont, CoCo Artist Galen C.’s paintings reflect the energy of the urban environment. As we interviewed Galen about her abstract paintings, she described just exactly what goes into creating unabashedly strong works worthy of making a statement in any setting.
Galen in her studio.
CoCo: How would you describe your artwork?
Galen: I would describe my work as process-driven abstraction. My work moves forward through the investigation of materials and processes. It is physical, visceral, and visually compelling.
Artwork by Galen C.
CoCo: What inspired you to become an artist?
Galen: I’m pretty sure I was just born that way. However, I did get the message from my mother at a very young age that being an artist was not only valid, but also important.
Galen in her studio.
CoCo: Who is your art for? What type of person are you speaking to?
Galen: People who appreciate my work are those who embrace the imaginative qualities of abstract painting. They like the experience and pleasure of seeing something original and of bringing their own interpretation to the work.
Artwork by Galen C.
CoCo: What does your work of art bring to its environment?
Galen: I only allow my best work to leave my studio. I do this, in part, because I want my paintings to have integrity and enduring appeal; I want them to stand the test of time and continue to unfold and reveal themselves to the viewer over the years. If I’ve done my job, my paintings will enrich and transform any environment in which they are placed.
Artwork by Galen C.
CoCo: What is the most important part of the artistic/creative process for you?
Galen: The most important part of my artistic process is that I be present and open to what is happening in the moment. While I bring many years of painting experience with me into the studio, every painting is unique and has its own story to tell. It is crucial that I am quiet and vulnerable enough to be able to listen and allow that new painting to push forward.
Artwork by Galen C.
CoCo: What type of media do you use and why?
Galen: I am currently working with three distinct media. I continue and will always work with basic oil on canvas or panel, as it is a rich and versatile material. I am also working on ink on paper constructions, which I began during a recent art residency in China. The third area of interest for me, which is also inspired by the work I began in China, is collaged paintings. These works involve cutting and ripping existing paintings and reassembling them into new works of art. It is a dynamic and endlessly interesting process.
Take a girl to China, by Galen C.
CoCo: Tell us about an interesting piece that you have displayed in your own home? Where exactly is it, and why is it there?
Galen: I have one spot in my living room that serves as a viewing spot for paintings that I have recently finished. Hanging new work and living with it for a while allows me to know whether or not it is really finished. Sometimes it takes looking at a painting for a while to know for sure.
Artwork by Galen C.
CoCo: What is your favorite thing about doing a commission?
Galen: It is a great thing to create a work of art in collaboration with people who have are fans of my work and who have a vision and passion to work together. It is extremely rewarding to place a painting with people who love it and who were instrumental in its creation.
