The Design Files Open House portraits

Acrylic on wood.

In the winter of 2013, Design Files founder Lucy Feagins asked me to paint ten portraits for her Open House event, which took place in both Melbourne and Sydney later that year.

I had never painted portraits before, so it seemed like quite a task.  Once I got going I had a great time making up little characters and personalities, adding clothes, colours, hair styles -- even a couple of pets.  Some of the portraits went on to star on book covers, one even appeared on the cover of Frankie. 

Portrait painting (both real and imagined) is now an important part of my repertoire.  I have Lucy Feagins to thank for that.