Client Stories

Dolly’s Father

Recently, I was contacted by the Dollywood Foundation to paint a portrait of Dolly Parton’s dad, Robert Lee Parton to hang In Dolly’s Ceremonial Office at the Imagination Library in Sevierville Tennessee.

Wow! What an honor. I started in earnest on the portrait from an old photo of the two of them together. Dolly’s father was her inspiration for the library which has given out over 180 million books to children.

Then the following week, I was contacted again by the Foundation to let me know that Dolly was making a visit to see the completion of the room and the unveiling of the portrait, and would I like to be there? …more

Memories to Last a Lifetime

I was commissioned to paint four portraits for the Mitchells. One of each of their children. They were sized to fit into beautiful barn wood frames they had picked up years before with the idea that they would one day hold the children’s portraits.

The Christmas morning unwrapping made for a cherished memory for the whole family, and the hung portraits will be a reminder of their parents’ love as the children grow. …more

Reviving a Cherished Photo

This is one of my favorite client stories. It was commissioned by a husband for his wife, who had recently lost her mother. The photograph of her mom was one that she cherished, and he wanted the painting from that photo.

He wished to keep the commission a secret, but had to delay payment by a day because he left his wallet in his pants in the bedroom after his wife had gone to sleep and was afraid of waking her to retrieve it. …more