Bouquet for the Bride

The above painting of a bridal bouquet was created for Karen Zawtocki as a gift to her sister who recently got married.

It all started at the beginning of summer when Norman and I did a show at the Bayarts in Bay Village, Ohio. This was our first show since we started yourpreciousportraits.com. It was here we met Karen who upon looking at Norm's work got the inspiration for a gift for not only her sister, but her step-mother as well.

Here are her words:

Having your baby sister get married is a once in a lifetime experience. Mine was made all the more festive by my daughter being the flower girl. After all the showers, I really wanted her wedding gift to be personal and lasting...no more china settings. I saw Norman's work displayed at the fair, and I knew this would be perfect. zit was a pleasure conceptualizing the painting to capture the beauty of her bouquet. Now she will have it tastefully and artfully displayed for years to come. I loved it so much, I got one for my step-mother as well.

Thank you Karen! It was a pleasure to work on your idea! Thank you again.

Painting Brings Back Memories

Norman painted this painting for me. The inspiration came from a photograph taken of me and my next door neighbor friend, Freddy, April of 1957.

We were five years old then. Both of our sixth birthdays would arrive during the summer. This summer Dr. Fred is having a surprise birthday party and we hope to surprise him this weekend.

When we get together, we go down memory lane a lot. Riding our bikes, ice skating, building tree forts, going to the "little store" and the movies on Saturday afternoons. I hope this painting brings back some more memories, Fred!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y

To my long time buddy and friend!

God Bless!

Painting General Grant

A dear friend of ours, Ken Bach, is a civil war re-enactor.

Ken portrays General Ulysses S. Grant.

He has spent two years researching Grant's life in order to portray the part of the General at many festivals and historical Civil War re-enactments throughout Ohio.

He recently showed us a photo taken of him in character.

Unfortunately the photo brings his character to the 21st century.

So Norman took on the task of putting Grant back into his own century. Norm illustrated Ken's Grant with a look of a nineteenth century painting. Norm researched painting techniques and color palettes used during that time period and came up with the painting below.

Norm also took the liberty of redesigning the photo for a more historical flavor with that aged looked of being stored in someone's attic after being passed down from one generation to another.

It was fun to do as well as a different kind of challenge. Ken's Grant is now back in the nineteenth century where he belongs.

Here is Norm's Newest Painting

Two missionaries, Elders Flinders and Harrman, came to visit Norm and I for dinner.  They saw some of the work Norman had been working on and later came to us to commission a painting of the Kirtland Temple in Kirtland, Ohio.

Here is their story:

"As missionaries, we leave our home and families to serve full time 

in various areas around the world. For two years we do a lot of 

growing as we face trials and difficulties unforeseen to us. In each 

mission around the world, young men and women like us are under 

the direction of a mission president who directs, inspires, and 

instructs missionaries under him during their service. Like us he is

called to give of his time and talents, leave his home, and serve 

others. Unlike us, he is also a husband, a father, and grandfather,

with a life of responsibilities we do not yet have at 19 or 21.

Our mission president becomes a father figure while away from home. 

President Peterson is conducting three years of dedicated, loyal, and 

selfless service. He exemplifies all the qualities of love, patience, and 

resolve that every great leader must in order to better lift those he 

leads.

As Elder Flinders and I thought of a gift we could purchase in behalf of 

our mission for President Peterson, we knew it had to be unique. It 

had to be something that would last, and something that would 

remind him of the love, we as missionaries, felt for him. As we brains-

stormed we remembered the unique artwork we had seen by Norman 

Drake. It seemed to just click! A painting! Not just any painting, 

however. This particular building is a unique symbol to our mission 

and church as it is the first temple to be built by the church over 100 

years ago. President Peterson loved this place, and we knew such a 

symbol, depicted in such a way, would be a perfect gift from us to 

him; a leader we have come to admire and love."

The photo that was supplied was taken by President Petersen.

H A P P Y F A T H E R ' S D A Y !  

Check out the before and after on our website.

All Smiles

We have been on vacation down in Emerald Isle, NC along the Crystal Coast, where we got a chance to visit Norm's youngest son, Josh and his girl friend Danielle.  Josh is a Marine, recently back from Iraq.  He and Danielle get little time together due to distance and schedules, but we were all able to meet over Memorial Day weekend which was wonderful reunion indeed!

The above is a painting Norman did of his son when he graduated from boot camp some 2 years ago. Below is a painting of Danielle, his girl friend, that Norm painted from a digital photo Josh took. The painting is apply titled Secrets at the Beach.

We now have a new set of photos from our recent vacation that Norman will work on to add to the site that I will feature in upcoming blogs along with other works in progress.  

To be continued...

Antique Store Makes Great Painting

Antiquing We Shall Go

Last summer, Norm and I vacationed up at Lake George, NY.  While bumping around the local shops along the lake, we found this great antique store.  I asked Norm to snap a photo because I thought he could make a great painting out of it some day.  So here it is.

A New Painting Ushering in Summer Fun

Norman just finished a personal painting of the boats along the Rocky River which flows into Lake Erie. It makes me feel like summer.  I can feel the warmth of the sun, the chatter among the boaters, and the puttering sounds of the boats as they glide along the river. You can find it on our website.

For those not familiar with the Rocky River, it flows through the Cleveland Metro Parks on the west side. The bridge above is the Detroit Avenue Bridge linking the towns of Rocky River and Lakewood together. 

Remembering Mom on Mother's Day

My mother turned 90 this year.  It is hard to see her youth disappear through the years that I have known her.  When my dad died years ago, I found this really cool picture of my mother in her early twenties taken by a photographer in New York City where she worked after graduating form college.

When we started experimenting with photos, I added color to the photo and asked Norm to do a digital painting of her.  I wanted to remember in her youth as well.  Timeless.

H A P P Y   M O T H E R ' S   D A Y,  M O M !

I love you mom!

Say "Happy Mother's Day" with a Painting

For new mother's and grandmother's alike, portraits of babies and children make a great gift for Mother's Day.  Remember, because these paintings are digital, both grandmothers and mom can have the same painting if you so choose.

And don't forget that a floral painting won't wilt or fade away and be next weeks trash.  Capture mom's favorite florals in a painting.  Have any photos of her garden?  They can make a beautiful painting for mom to remember her garden by. 

Check out the possibilities at yourpreciousportraits.com.

H A P P Y   M O T H E R ' S   D A Y

Portraits are Great for Birthdays

Tom had recently seen the work Norman had done with the digital paintings of his sons Josh and Matt and decided to commission his portrait for his up coming 94th birthday. 

"I am old enough, I think I'll do this for myself." he said.  So we obtained a photo taken of him while vacationing at Emerald Isle, NC and went to work.  "I had a good time there." said Tom,

"Lots of good memories."

The siding on the building was a light tan which made him looked washed out. I suggested to Norm to take some artistic license and make the siding blue to help feature his blue eyes.

We showed him the preliminary idea and he loved it.

It is now framed and hanging in his living room.  He said he is thinking of having a party to show off his new portrait.  

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y,   T O M !

This was a lot of fun to do.

Thanks again, Tom