Commission Spotlight: Chimney Rock

I always enjoy taking commissions. Making felted landscapes for customers based on their treasured photos or favorite places is the most rewarding thing I do, and I typically take 2-10 commissions per month. However, during the month of March, I only took a single commission and here’s why.

Previously my largest commissions have been 24x36, which is huge for needle felting, but this recently completed felted landscape featuring Chimney Rock at Sunset is a whopping 36x48. It comes up to my hip! Never before had I attempted anything at this scale.

The frame didn’t fit in my car, I used several pounds of dyed wood roving and a total of 45 different colors, I had to put together 2 tables to make a work surface large enough, and I had no other choice but to stand and felt the whole time because I couldn’t reach most of the piece unless I walked around the table. Thank goodness for my standing mat! Needless to say this project was a challenge but I’m so happy with the results and can’t wait to work large again in the future. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

This piece was commissioned through LS3P for an upscale multi-family housing project near Charlotte, NC and the client wanted to feature a semi-local landmark in their leasing office. What an honor to create this piece for them! The scene was inspired by two separate reference images - one of the general landscape showing Chimney Rock and the second one was a vibrant sunset sky.

Since this was a milestone commission for me, I filmed my work each day to track progress. I don’t usually draw guidelines for my landscapes but on something this large, I worried I’d lose track of the overall composition, especially since I knew I’d be working upside down and at odd angles out of necessity due to the size. You can tell how long this piece took to make because my nail polish color changes 3 times during the time-lapse video. Enjoy the process!

Ready to commission a piece of your own? Pricing, frame options, and general info can be found here. Feel free to reach out with any questions!

Commissioning Artwork FAQ

Commissioning a piece of original art may be intimidating if you've never done it before. There’s so many unknowns. Will it look like what you envisioned? How much will it cost? How long does it take? Is the artist you have in mind currently taking on custom requests?

I wouldn’t want any of my customers to feel this way or to rule out custom orders because they’re unsure about the process. Commissioning art can be an enjoyable experience so I thought I’d share how I personally handle commissions and answer some FAQ. A huge part of my handmade business is custom work, so I welcome special requests!

Q: I’m interested in commissioning a wool landscape painting. What do I need to do?

A: Send me a message via Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, or contact form to get the conversation started. If you have a photo you’d like me to use as a reference for the piece, please include that. We'll work out the size, frame choice, deadline, and go from there. Pricing depends on size and complexity of the piece, but a good ballpark budget number for custom felted landscapes is $2 per square inch. For example, an 8x10 scene would typically run $160, which includes the frame.

Q: I saw something in your Etsy shop or Instagram that I liked, but I want it in another color (or a slightly different design, size, etc.).

A: No problem! Nearly all of my jewelry can be customized, and often times the fiber art can be recreated or tweaked to be a specific size, alternate color range, etc.

Q: Do I pay before or after the work is done?

A: 99% of the time I’ll request payment upfront. This goes for jewelry, fiber art, or any other custom orders. Once I’ve received payment, your order will be added to my list and I complete them in order of payment received (unless there’s a specific deadline previously discussed).

Q: Does a custom order cost more?

A: Not necessarily! The price is usually the same, but it may take a few days longer to create, depending on the request and if I need to special order materials.

Q: Do you offer proofs or photos prior to shipping a custom order?

A: I typically don’t do this for custom jewelry, ornaments, or smaller items. However, for the custom wool landscapes, I’m happy to to show you progress pictures upon request.

Q: Do you offer discounts on bulk orders? 

A: When it comes to jewelry, yes, I'm happy to work with you on the total price if you're ordering 10 or more pieces. When it comes to the fiber art, the price is firm. Needle felting is a very tedious process and this is the reason my fiber art work never goes on sale online or at events.

 Q: The piece I wanted to buy has already sold. Can you make another?

A: Probably so! I don't mind recreating pieces (although they'll always be slightly different than the original because they're handmade). If you see something that's sold, get in touch and I'll let you know if I can recreate something similar. 

A quick run down of do’s and don’t when commissioning art:

DON’T commission artists to knock off other artist’s work. It’s not cool, and it’s no fair.

DO ask artists for references or examples of past work if you’re unsure if they’re the right person for the job.

DON’T expect the artist to deliver the finished piece in person, even if they’re local.   

DO ask for progress images if you’re particular about the composition, materials, etc.

DON’T be afraid to be specific if you have a certain size, look, or deadline in mind. Share that with the artist from the start so they can accommodate your wishes.

DO allow the artist to do what they do best and embrace their process. The finished piece will surely look different than what you had in your mind, but hopefully it’ll be even better than what you imagined.