Luxury Birthday Ideas, a Luxury Birthday gift that will be Timeless and Ageless

What an amazing concept: to have oneself preserved on canvas (or in this case a fine Belgium linen). What an honor to have one's spouse set this up on one's behalf.

To send me an email, please click here soniahale1@gmail.com.

My work is guaranteed and I have many testimonials on my website.

Luxury Valentine's Gift! Here is a sample of a woman's oil portrait

Here is a really spectacular gift for your wife or significant other! How exciting to know that your spouse wants you painted!

Gift certificates are available to be wrapped.

These make wonderful: Anniversary Gifts, Birthday Gifts, Valentine's Day gifts, Christmas Gifts...I have painted spouses, parents, grandparents, children, significant others and pets for many worldwide.

To send me an email, please click here soniahale1@gmail.com.

My work is guaranteed and I have many testimonials on my website.

Luxury Christmas: for the Lucky Family Member who has everything

Choosing a gift for those who have everything can be a real challenge. They have all the clothes and material things that they could want, and you simply are stumped!
Well, a lovely and memorable gift can be a gift certificate to be painted in 2016! Can you imagine how exciting and flattered you'd be to receive such a gift?

I have painted children for parents and portraits of spouses.

If you have a suitable photograph you prefer to use over setting up a photo session with me, please include this in your email.

To learn more about this, please click here.

I'll look forward to making this gift a truly memorable and lovely gift for you and your family.

Birthday Gift ideas, Holiday Gift, Luxury Gifts

This painting was recently presented for a men's 50th Birthday Gift. With one child and very close family bonds this gift was very moving for the Dad.

Selecting a memorable gift can be a challenging task. I have found that families have been thrilled to have a gift of commissioned portraits. Commissioned portraits add a thoughtfulness and planning that are much appreciated by the receiver and having such a painting on one's wall is a constant reminder of the love in the family.

To learn more about commissioned portraits, please click here.

Custom Portraits: Luxury Gifts online

Finding a gift for those who have one of everything can be a pleasant challenge. If you are looking for something unique and memorable a gift certificate for a portrait can be a wonderful gift.

Typical past special occasion gifts have been:

Anniversary Gifts
Birthday Gifts
40th BD Gifts
50th BD gifts
90th Birthday Gifts
Gifts for Grandparents
Wedding Gifts

To learn more about commissioning a portrait, please click here soniahale1@gmail.com.

Custom Portraits: luxury gifts for men who have everything

Lila
30" x 24"
oil on linen

This custom oil portrait was painted for a husband's 40th birthday gift. Luxury gifts for men who have everything would fit this category of painting that I do each year. What better way to honor one's family than to commission a portrait like this. Custom portraits take some time, so planning ahead is wise.

To learn more about commissioning a portrait, please click here.

Great Birthday Gifts! Paint my Photos: Cape Cod oil painting Commission — A gift for a Sister

Sometimes it can be hard to ship paintings. I get attached to them as they are propped up around my studio and home. This is one of them. It is a gift— so I was pleased to mail it out with one day shipping, insurance and signature confirmation. . . but I will miss it. The happy aspect is that it is a gift for the sister of the recipient and that warms my heart.

Custom Oil Portrait: A Visit with a Client in New Orleans, a Charming Day

One of the nicest things about my custom oil portrait work is getting to know my clients and portrait subjects, of all ages, who live around the country. As I was recently in New Orleans I stopped by to have a visit with a delightful portrait subject and her charming family. I was so pleased to see the gorgeous frame they'd selected and the lovely setting for the painting. It will be interesting to see how their lighting expert lights the painting when I see them another time.

I have worked with a number of families in the South, as well as in the North. It is always an honor to be asked to paint a portrait of someone's loved one, as I am keenly aware that they wish to have the portrait be perfect and they are entrusting me with this task of depicting their loved one and presenting a painting to them months later. Hearing from my happy clients after the painting is shipped is a delight. Please see my testimonials page for more details.

www.soniahale.com

Luxury gifts online: Commission a painting for a Loved one

As we wind down the summer and head into fall, you may start wanting to address your Christmas/ Holiday gift list to get a head start. Something really special and everlastingly memorable is a gift certificate for a painting to be commissioned or a painting commissioned and presented for the holiday or other Special Occasion.

I am always so pleased to hear from my clients after the presentation:

" Mom is going to cry when she sees this."

" Sonia exceeded expectations at capturing the warm feeling of a New England home that was ours
for a memorable three years. That picture immediately brings us back to great friends, neighbors,
schools, and community. What an awesome way to remember the best of the past."

"Sonia painted a wonderful pastel landscape for me that hangs in my living room and is admired
on a daily basis. We worked together closely to bring my memories to her vision and the result
brings me great happiness every day. I sincerely recommend Sonia as a supremely talented artist and
professional who strives to make sure her patrons are more than satisfied with the result!"

As I have a waiting list for new commissions, it's wise to plan ahead to be sure I can meet your deadline.

Some ideas include: paintings of special places, people or things. Please see my website for ideas and let me know if I can assist you for this type of work.

www.soniahale.com

Paint my Photo: Seascape Commission: paintings from your photos

I have just started a small commission for a Sea Street beach lover. Sea Street Beach in Dennis, MA is a charming place that I visit most years. {This year I was also able to start on a morning view of the beach, which I will post when it's done.} The client has asked for me to paint from her photo of a sunset there. I will also add to this with my own reference material.

Commissioning a painting from your own photo(s) or mine of a special place makes a wonderful gift for others or special momento for yourself, so that when those cold winter winds blow again you can smile in remembrance.

To learn more about these paintings, please click on my website:

www.soniahalefineart.com

Luxury Gifts for Dad: Commissioned Men's Oil Portrait unveiled

It was a pleasure to work with this family on their gift for their father for his 90th birthday! What a wonderful idea for the person who has everything and what a lovely way to honor your loved one.

I worked from existing photographs and added the Harvard University tie. Seeing the close family bonds through other special occasions was a delight.

Custom portraits: Upcoming Birthday Unveiling

I'm very pleased to be delivering a new painting this week for a 90 year old gentleman's birthday. It is always an honor to be asked to paint a commission and to mark the date of a 90 year old is very special. Photos to come after the piece is unveiled!

Commission a Portrait, getting ready for the Portrait Commission: Clothing

This is one of the most difficult aspects to the portrait. I have read about how John Singer Sargent used to spend a frantic hour rummaging through women's wardrobes and in a make-shift way put together the outfit for a painting...and request no opinions from the client! This is because for a painting to really sing, the clothes take a major role on the stage. They speak in so many ways and embellish and empower the artist to push the painting to where they wish it to go.

So what to do? I recommend the standard of having 3 outfits on hand. I have also gone through wardrobes, closets, drawers etc to find the treasured garment for a portrait. It feels brash, but that is how important it is...It is very difficult for the non-artist to understand what makes clothing work in a painting and it's hard to communicate, but I'll try:

1. Neckline: V-necks are very flattering to the face. Scarfs can be appealing, but watch they will not become dated.

2. Pattern: less is more

3. Fabric: something that has some shine will be nice for a formal painting

4. Color: this will greatly affect the mood of the painting.





Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Best Luxury gifts for her, Luxury Gifts for Men who have everything, Great Birthday Gifts: Commission a portrait

One of the most exciting parts of my job is working with clients for special occasion gifts such a birthdays, anniversaries and weddings.

Married clients may choose to have their wife painted or their children. I've painted many woman for their birthday gifts and many children for anniversary gifts.

Engaged couples may choose a special place that is meaningful to have painted for a wedding gift.

Children might ask for a special place to be painted for their parents or to have their parents painted.

It is a great honor to me to be asked to paint for these occasions and always joyous to hear how happy the recipient is.

I have gift certificates available if you'd like for the recipient to be in on the decision-making for the painting.


Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Paint my Photo: Commission a portrait, Wedding photos can make lovely memorable paintings

While the vast amount of my work is of contemporary portrait subjects and settings, once in a while I'm asked to paint posthumous paintings and other types of works.

Recently I was asked to paint an oil from an existing photo from about 50 years ago. The widower had recently lost his beloved wife. I was happy to oblige. In this case I utilzed a range of photographic reference and was very pleased to hear from him that I was spot on in capturing his wife! It was rewarding to put more color into the piece to make their skin tones fresh and believable as well as to create her floral bouquet.


Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Custom Oil Portrait: Second Graduation portrait for family

It's an honor to be asked to paint a graduation portrait and to continue with each sibling as they grow into young adulthood. What an exciting time to see the children grow up and learn about who they are and where they might be headed...

Here is a recent portrait of a lovely young woman. I have several other teen portraits I will be posting soon.

To go to my Adult and Teen portraits gallery


Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.