Ampersand Gessobord artist Erin Berrett is a contemporary realism oil painter best known for her still-lifes. Some of her favorites are meaningful commissions that have sweet or fun and quirky backstories. Ampersand checked in with Berrett and asked her to share some of her most memorable commissions and the stories behind the paintings.
"This was a mother’s sewing machine. One daughter has the sewing machine, the other daughter has the painting. Both are well-loved."
"A mother mailed me a giant box full of her daughter’s shoes. She let me choose my favorites for this fun, playful composition."
"This large commission hangs above a shuffleboard table in Sun Valley, along with 30" dominos and poker chips. It’s a pretty cool game room!"
"These items belonged to this family’s grandmother. They still use her toaster and juicer daily. Such a nice way to preserve her memory."
"A wife surprised her husband in my studio, under the pretense of running an errand before his birthday dinner. He was so surprised! Each book has a special meaning to him. I loved this commission, and the thoughtfulness that went into it, so much."
"This adorable family has 2 sets of twins. When they were all under 4 this was their transportation around the neighborhood. Pure childhood joy! (The family had me paint it again, 60", for their kitchen.)"
"These champagne splits were from a couple that was celebrating their friend’s 40th birthday party. Cheers to that!"
"This is a family portrait… a Mom book, a book for each daughter, and a fishing reel for the Dad (because he prefers fishing over reading!)."
"Their first child’s baby shoes. The little boy had an adorable tendency to stand on his toes like this. That extra gesture made me feel warm and fuzzy."
"These are a pastry chef’s favorite cookbooks. She brought me dozens of beautiful books to choose from… it was a tough decision. (I couldn’t actually decide, so it turned into a whole series of cookbook paintings!)"
Erin W. Berrett
Erin W. Berrett is a Salt Lake City painter and graduate of the University of Utah (BFA, 1998).
"I push myself to be abstract in the details while still achieving the perception of reality. When I paint, I never blend. Instead, I layer thousands of marks side-by-side, swaths of color that are then translated by the observer. Two inches of panel viewed from a few inches away might have a hundred brushstrokes that seem to form nothing, but when the piece is considered as a whole, the effect is highly representational."
To see more of Erin's work, visit her website and Instagram.
This blog post originally came from the Ampersand Blog and is reproduced with permission.
Welcome to Cheap Joe's Sketchbook, a place where artists can gain creative tips and ideas for their next art project. This art blog will inspire you to try new mediums across the art spectrum while gathering knowledge on different painting techniques.
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Welcome to Cheap Joe's Sketchbook, a place where artists can gain creative tips and ideas for their next art project. This art blog will inspire you to try new mediums across the art spectrum while gathering knowledge on different painting techniques.