Back in April of last year, I wrote a blog about my friend (and artist) Belita William. You can read it here:
I had to keep this quiet, because I wasn’t sure if my wife might read my blog. However, I can now share the news. Her request to paint my children was granted and (just in time for Christmas) the finished portrait has arrived!
When the package arrived in the mail, my wife began to question things. We had “agreed” to not get each other anything for Christmas. I told her that it wasn’t for her, but for us. I, of course, had seen the progression of it and was amazed when I held the final project in my hands. She kept wondering about it and eventually broke me down and I showed it to her. She was impressed. It is really something!
Admittedly, neither one of us has ever owned a portrait before and this one is like owning something from Van Gogh of Rembrandt! It will be hung with pride and joy in our home and will be something we will treasure for many years.
Belita does amazing work. If you didn’t read the blog above, you should. There are examples of the work she has done for Moe and Larry of the Three Stooges, King Khalid of Saudi Arabia, portraits for friends, churches, and more. Her work is in high demand and I know why! What an honor it was to have her ask to paint my children!
To me, the most amazing thing was the process. Belita kept me in the loop as things progressed. She had asked me to send some photos of the kids to use. She used a couple from a photoshoot we did in the Spring of 2022. The first draft was basically a sketch.
The above was from April or May of this year.
Tweaking happened and she cropped it a bit.
The above was the skeleton of the finished product. This would have been May 23 of 2023. She opted for the closer shot because it allowed for more details on the faces.
The beginnings of color started a few days later – May 27, 2023. This in itself blew me away. Their faces were so life like.
By July 18, the base colors were done and there was still some detail work that she was doing on it.
Between July and October, she received a commission piece that she had to finish. She told me of this and apologized for the delay, but I completely understood. I told her that I would wait as long as I had to for her to finish.
On October 26, she sent me a photo of the finished piece.
What a marvelous piece! The detail in this portrait is simply amazing to me. The eye color, the curls , the buttons on the overalls, and even the holding hands are just wonderful! I showed the kids, and Ella said, “That’s me and Bubby!!” They couldn’t believe it!
I cannot thank Belita enough for the time, the effort, and the love that she put into this portrait! When the initial “go ahead” was given, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The final project was above and beyond anything I could have imagined. This portrait will be something special to my family for generations. Thank you, Belita, for such a precious piece!
God has given you a wonderful talent! I am so thankful that He allowed us to connect and become friends. May He continue to bless you, you work and your entire family.
Thank you, again!!
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 