Meet the Artists: When Art Gets Personal

One thing I’ve learned in my years as a member of the interior design industry is that my colleagues both near and far are not only talented, but they are so kind. The last 18 months has been a challenge as I dealt with my beloved dachshund RoyRoy’s back disease and eventually losing him in October 2018. A couple of months later I received the most amazing gift.

When Art Gets Personal:

Pamela Copeman, Massachusetts Artist and Interior Designer

One evening I was checking my Instagram and this little face popped up in my feed. He was unmistakeable, though I was so surprised that I couldn’t help but wonder if I was seeing things.

But no, this was my little boy in portraiture – based on a photo I’d taken a couple of years before and had posted on line.

My local friend and fellow interior designer Pamela Copeman had painted my little guy as a gift – as she called it: playing “Secret Santa”. She’d posted it online without tagging or naming me – just to surprise me when I came across it.  Others had already commented as they recognized him as well. I’d been planning on having a portrait painted of him to commemorate his life and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried like a baby. I had it framed in this chunky, ornate frame and hung it in my living room where I can greet him every day.

This isn’t my first piece of Pamela Coleman Art. A few years ago I bought this cute little woodland sprite oil painting on board. I can’t say what it is – but I just love it. So whimsical – which really describes Pamela’s painting style – whimsy, glamour and color.

My little woodland sprite has become a sort of “elf of the shelf” in my house as I move her around to surprising spaces just because it amuses me. Here she was peaking out from a cubby in my antique desk. By the way, there is nothing in my house that’s in this muted gray, orange and yellow color palette. When we purchase art that speaks to us, there will always be a place for it. Or in this case – many places!

Visit Pamela Copeman Art here:

Instagram     |      Art Website

When Art Gets Personal:

Shelly Gerritsma North Carolina Artist and Interior Designer

I only recently “met” Shelly Gerristma online when a mutual design industry colleague on Facebook posted about her adorable illustrations. Shelly creates these cute little works of art for pet lovers (she’s a horse woman) and interior designers looking for illustrations of their rooms or themselves as part of their branding. I had recently completed a design project and was looking around for a gift for my lovely clients. Once I saw Shelly’s work, I just knew this would be perfect. I sent her images of the furnishings and my client’s adorable dog Ollie.

Et voila! How cute is this?? I had it framed and matted in a nice thick burled wood frame (forgot to take a photo) and my clients were thrilled!

Shelly was also kind enough to create this adorable illustration of me and my boy as a surprise! She went through my Facebook photos and my website and really captured everything so well! As an interior designer, Shelly really understands furniture design and also proportions of furnishings and people.

The chair and RoyRoy were based, I believe, on this image below.

Shelly’s art and illustration website is called The Curious Crayon and she also designs and sell fabrics and wallpapers on Spoonflower!

Visit Shelly Gerritsma Art and Design here:

Instagram      |     Design Website

I can’t thank both of these talented women enough for creating such beautiful works of art for my home and my client’s. There is nothing better than when art gets personal!

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