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BH Portrait Commissions

Have a custom BH Portrait made for you.

Have an exceptional picture or fantastic idea?
A moment you want to treasure?
Want to honour a special occasion?

Get a custom-made BH Portrait.

The goal of a BH Portrait is to capture a person's essence by finding and simplifying the essential lines and expressions in the face and creating depth from a limited colour palette.  Jessica enjoys every part of the process, from finding expression in lines to creating shadow and light with colour while bringing the face to life.  Jessica made and refined the BH Portrait technique by completing over 60 portraits of her past White Rock BH coworkers.
  All BH Portraits are handmade on canvas, a consistent nine by 12-inch size, made with the same medium, limited colour palette, and similar line patterns and processes.
 

If you are interested in commissioning a BH Portrait please consider the following:

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  • Custom BH Portraits cost $300

  • Portraits are handmade, carefully designed, and strategically created by a skilled artisan. 

  • All Portraits are 9 by 12 inches and come ready to hang.

  • Portraits take time. A portrait may take many days from design to finished work.

The BH Portrait concept started as a challenge to improve my skills for creating glass mosaics by design one BH co-worker portrait a week for a year,  studying line, shape, and color.

 

After ten years of a new chapter I ended up celebrating a coworker who was taken too soon. 

 

I realized, life is flying by, I really missed these people, and that I had really isolated myself.


 

At the same time, I knew I wanted to study and practice making faces with glass.  But how? Glass is expensive, time consuming, and I wanted to commit to study, practice, and produce weekly. 



So, I made some decisions:


  1.    Theme- Co-workers from the White Rock BH

  2.    Timeline - A portrait a week for a year

  3.    Medium- 24 pack of Sharpies and 9 x 12” Canvas

  4.    Holding Myself Accountable- By posting each portrait weekly.

 

Instinctually, I made some rules to follow:

  • All faces must be in color except whites of the eyes, teeth, and clothes.

  • Portraits must have and back background and "grout lines."

  • Do not place 2 colors in a row.

  • Try to catch the subject's true essence.

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The first couple portraits, I felt unsure. But then I created and refined a system for making them, and each one became easier, more confident in style, and color.  I am proud of all of them, but there are portraits that were harder than others, turning points and situations where I learned the most.  

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I LEARNED a ton!!  My line work has completely evolved.  I'm proud of my growth with color in contrast, as well as, a deeper understanding of showing light and shadow with pigment. I also completely broadened my scope of faces and their many different expressions.

One of the best part about creating them was remembering fun moments with each individual, and surprising them by posting them weekly on Facebook and tagging them. Yep, I remember you.  I worked with so many cool, interesting, smart, fun, staff. My only regret is not being able to make a portrait of everyone.

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Looking back I believe the BH Portraits reflect my 2020 subconscious feelings that our human race is made up of all the same lines, colors and mediums, creating an eternity of varied diversity.

 

Become part of the BH Portrait Collection.

To Commission a BH Portrait, please provide an image or picture to JFairWStudios@gmail.com.
 
(Photo tips below)

From there I will send a contract. 

Once the contract has been signed and deposit payed in full,

will I start the commission.

PHOTO TIPS:
  • If a portrait try to get a photo with some neck included.
  • Make sure the details aren't too far away. The more detail seen in the photo, the more accurate the mosaic will be!
  • Ensure the photo has good, natural lighting. If outside, indirect sunlight is best.
  • Please do not add a filter to photos.
Shipping:
Shipping includes regular tracked shipping within Canada/U.S.A.   All custom work being mailed is required to have the additional insurance to cover the entire value of the piece.  If your custom portrait is being mailed, this will be added to your invoice automatically.

BH Portraits Shipping costs $45 within Canada and the US.
 
Commission Refund Policy:
  • A commission is not confirmed until a signed contract is received and the deposit has been paid in full.
  • Deposits are 50% of the total cost and are non-refundable.
  • Accepted methods of payment include: Interact E-Transfers, Cash, and PayPal transfers.
  • All final payments made using PayPal or E-Transfer must be paid at least 24 hours before the completion of services and shipping.Cash payments – please provide all monies in one envelope.
  • If you’d like to tip your artist you may add it to the remaining balance or provide in person on the day.
  • I understand that things come up and appointments times/dates may need to change, please be courteous of my schedule and give as much notice as possible.
  • All deposits are non-refundable. We retain the right to hold the deposit if any commission is cancelled.
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