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Michele Rushworth · 06-07-2005, 01:02 PM

Thanks, everybody, for your very kind words.

Just to answer various questions: these are not patrons of the ballet. This is the husband and wife team who have been running the ballet for the last 28 years, the Artistic Directors. He's the lead choreographer and she's also the head of the ballet school.

I got this commission by writing a letter back in January to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ballet. I had heard in the news that this was to be the last season for these two Artistic Directors and I suggested the idea of doing a portrait to the Board. I also sent 8x10 prints of some of my work. They called me right back and set up a meeting.

I met with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the two Artistic Directors a few times: once to plan the painting, once to do the photo shoot, and once to unveil the painting privately for them a few weeks before the official unveiling for the patrons was to be held. I wanted to be sure they all liked it before we showed it to everyone else!

Not counting planning and follow up (which accounted for a month or so of work in itself) the actual painting on canvas took about two months. This was another of those deadline things, though thankfully I had more than 10 days in which to paint it!

06-07-2005, 01:02 PM	#20
Michele Rushworth CAFE & BUSINESS MODERATOR SOG Member FT Professional Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 3,460	Thanks, everybody, for your very kind words. Just to answer various questions: these are not patrons of the ballet. This is the husband and wife team who have been running the ballet for the last 28 years, the Artistic Directors. He's the lead choreographer and she's also the head of the ballet school. I got this commission by writing a letter back in January to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ballet. I had heard in the news that this was to be the last season for these two Artistic Directors and I suggested the idea of doing a portrait to the Board. I also sent 8x10 prints of some of my work. They called me right back and set up a meeting. I met with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the two Artistic Directors a few times: once to plan the painting, once to do the photo shoot, and once to unveil the painting privately for them a few weeks before the official unveiling for the patrons was to be held. I wanted to be sure they all liked it before we showed it to everyone else! Not counting planning and follow up (which accounted for a month or so of work in itself) the actual painting on canvas took about two months. This was another of those deadline things, though thankfully I had more than 10 days in which to paint it! __________________ Michele Rushworth www.michelerushworth.com [email protected]