Commission pieces *

Since launching Kate Escott Paintings in mid October 2024, I have received an incredible amount of support from family and friends, but was particularly touched when a couple of close friends entrusted me with commissions pieces as Christmas gifts for their own families.

Both requests were for subjects that I was excited to paint, but were a little daunting as they involved much more detail than my work to date.

Belinda Bee - Minehead Harbour December 2024

The first, a view of Minehead Harbour featuring Belinda Bee, a little fishing boat which has been operating from Minehead for many years, for the client, associated with walks round the harbour, the view from the seafront and a memento as they move out of the town for the first time in over 20 years. To get it right given the emotional connection to the piece was a lot of pressure!

I tried several different compositions, combining three or four reference photographs and an early evening soft and cloudy sky from my own images of the area, but settled on looking out towards the beach and the channel from the harbour.

I added a lot of details which weren't part of the original plan, extra boats, seaweed, buoys as they pulled the composition together, but the last minute addition of two gulls flying towards the clients home are my absolute favourite addition, and really pull the emotion of the piece together since they are flying away.

I was really pleased with the finished piece and had lovely feedback from the client too!

The other piece I was asked to create was of Mount Snowdon, not only special to the client, but separately to me too, Snowdon was one of the first mountains I climbed as an adult. I am always in awe of the beauty of North Wales, and have climbed the mountain several times with people who are special to me.

Capturing it's grandeur, beauty and the stillness of the surrounding landscape was top of mind, as well as ensuring I captured the sentiment of the piece for the client.

Honestly, it's one I just couldn't put down, the detail and intricacies of the landscape completely captivated me, and the more I looked at the reference photo, the more detail there was to add to the painting.

I usually love a bit of atmospheric and moody cloud in a landscape, but the soft warm glow of the sun just made this piece so unique (I don't think I've ever seen it this clear!) and was a lovely experience to paint!

Mount Snowdon - December 2024