Oil on canvas, 36”x36”

This commissioned portrait of rapper Travis Scott came from a sweet woman I knew in Arizona, who wanted it for her son. What makes this painting especially memorable for me is the timing. She ordered it just before COVID hit.

I had already started the painting when businesses began to shut down. She was a waitress and suddenly unable to work, like so many others. When I checked in, she told me she still wanted the painting, but there was absolutely no rush. With that reassurance, I slowed my pace. What would normally take me weeks stretched into months, maybe triple my usual time. And it felt good. Without a deadline looming, I could spend long, unhurried days in the studio, working at my own rhythm. It was a tricky painting, and that freedom made it a better experience. Rushing always creates problems for me.

While I painted away in my studio, the world outside felt uncertain and somewhat frightening. Eventually, COVID began to ease, businesses reopened, and I put the final touches on the portrait. Shipping it to Arizona was the last surprise - $200 to send a 36”x36” painting at that time. I was completely shocked. Now, five years later, as I work on another commission of the same size, I’m really hoping the shipping won’t be quite as steep.