COMMISSIONED WORK
Project 1: Mantel seascape
The Client Lady with great spirit and a bon vivant with Swedish ancestry.
The Space A built-in frame above the living room fireplace.
The Challenge To create an image that would touch her Swedish roots and mirror the sea outside her living room window in color and tone.
The Result Through many sketches and discussions, creating a quiet seascape that brings peace of mind and appreciation of the beauty of her inner memories.
PROJECT 2: Seaside Atrium skylight
The Client A retired couple, married for fifty years, who recently built a home in Mattapoisett to be near their children. Wanted to recreate the light on Buzzards Bay which they experienced in their last home on the ocean for many happy years.
The Space An atrium space 7' square and 9’ high with two windows, located above the dining room table.
The Challenge To paint the walls without having to climb a scaffold 25 times a day to see what I was really doing. I decided to use a slim 6” roller at the end of a sliding pole.
The Result A unique architectural feature that now acts as a prism to refract the colors of the sun and sea. At one point, as I was glazing the mural to tone down the colors, my client smiled and said “STOP, I love it.” which is what every artist wants to hear.
PROJECT 3: HAND-DRAWN WALLPAPER
The Client Professional couple in Boston.
The Space An urban kitchen.
The Challenge My client fell in love with a certain wallpaper motif, but could not find it in the desired color. With the wallpaper as an inspiration, the challenge was to match the feeling of the wallpaper in a color that enhanced the palette of the room. I drew the clouds using two artist's colored pencils on Italian lining paper (paper that would typically be applied underneath wallpaper) in strips 10' X 46" and it was applied by a professional paperer.
The Result was a unique solution that added a new and fascinating architectural dimension to the kitchen. The Client loves it and guests are intrigued by it.
PROJECT 4: dancing cardinal
The Client My talented web site designer.
The Space Wall space above the desk in her home office.
The Challenge How to capture the splashing motion and the intensity of the cardinal's eye and coloring with the freedom and happiness of dancing in the rain. To make it even more unique and personal, we decided to have her actually write the poem on the canvas.
The Result A splash of beautiful colors and inspirational words that radiate positive energy which flows into the room and informs her work.
“This project was extremely fun for me because Henri made it so collaborative and made me feel like a co-artist. I literally got to stand over his shoulder and talk about what I envisioned. Henri miraculously made the perfect dancing bird appear!!!
Cardinals are said to be good luck, and in addition, they are beautiful, particularly the red and black males. This painting and these words inspire and empower me, and the result is totally unique, since my own handwriting is all over it!
I highly recommend working with Henri. He is extremely talented, patient with the evolution of a project as the vision comes into being, and fun to collaborate with. I’m so pleased with my dancing cardinal. ”