Frequently Asked Questions
(regarding the portrait services, Pantera di la luce and Salt of the Earth Portraits)
“How is Pantera di la luce different from Salt of the Earth in regards to process and product?”
Pantera di la luce is a portrait service offered for individuals who are looking to:
have an original portrait of themselves hand painted by a practiced artist
are willing to engage in honest and open private, one-on-one conversation about themselves with me, the commissioned artist
are willing to explore various aspects of themselves through accessible and simple creative prompts (including visual art and writing)
have access to a device with internet for the purpose of live video communication
Salt of the Earth is a portrait service offered for individuals who are looking to:
have an original portrait of their deceased loved one hand painted by a practiced artist
are willing to engage in honest and open private, one-on-one conversation about their loved one and their personal relationship to them with me, the commissioned artist
are willing to explore various aspects of their loved one as well as their relationship with their loved one through accessible and simple creative prompts (including visual art, writing, and storytelling)
have access to a device with internet for the purpose of live video communication
“If the artistic prompts provided are inspired by your work as an art therapist, does that mean that as a person interested in a portrait, that I would be a therapy client?”
No, this service is ultimately an artistic one where the client or patron is not only paying for the experience of collaborating with me, the commissioned artist, but will receive a final, tangible product- a hand painted portrait to cherish. Here, the ultimate goal is to get to know the individual who will be rendered in the final painting. There is no treatment plan nor diagnosis involved such as in a mental health service. Not to mention, the artist and client interested in a painting are only required to meet three separate times at 60 minutes each before the creating of the portrait takes place. Even if it were a type of mental health service, it would not provide sufficient time to truly establish the therapeutic relationship necessary for appropriate care.
“Do I need to have any prior knowledge of any artistic media or previous artistic skill to participate in either service?”
No, no previous experience with art in any capacity is required to participate. Much like in art therapy, the creative prompts offered are intended for anyone, meaning that they are accessible and easy to understand. The visual art and writing created by the client is merely used to help spark conversation between them and myself.
(As an example, I may ask the client to draw a portrait of themselves within their immediate family using only geometric shapes to represent each family member. By focusing solely on the type of shape chosen, the color/ pattern, size (in relation to other shapes surrounding it), and line quality, the client can explore how and potentially why they chose certain artistic elements to represent each person.)
“If I, the client, am being asked to engage in art directives, am I also actively painting my own portrait?”
No, you, as the client, are not literally painting a portrait of yourself. That’s what you’re paying me to do. However, the art that you will create will represent different aspects of yourself— how you see yourself, how you believe others see you, and how you would like to be seen, if at all different.
“When is the initial 20% deposit due?”
The initial deposit itself differs according to what size canvas you would like the portrait painted on.
Currently, I offer two different standard sized canvases for paintings:
10 x 12” and 16 x 20”. (As the client, you also have the option of having a hand-built, original frame created to accompany your painting for an additional fee.)
for canvases of 24 x 30” or larger, a custom sizing option is available in the “Grande” package
The deposit will be due once the mandatory 20-minute consultation has taken place and prior to the initial 60-minute meeting between artist and client.
“Who is an eligible candidate for either service?”
Anyone 18 years or older. This service is open to anyone worldwide.
“Do I need to provide my own art materials?”
A specific set of prompts accompany each service, so depending on the type of portrait service chosen, the necessary materials may be shipped out to you. For the following portrait packages, limitations surrounding shipping materials are as follows:
Piccolo - mailer of all necessary art materials included in package (limited to US territories)
Colmo - mailer of mixed media art materials included in package (ships worldwide)
Grande - mailer of mixed media art materials included in package alongside a personal “thank you” gift for being a new customer (ships worldwide)
Have additional questions? Feel free to book a free, 20-minute consultation for the portrait service you are interested in, either online or over the phone.