Portraits and testimonials
Hello, welcome
This page is about the portraits I’m making, showing interesting people in the offices where they do so much of their work.
Previously I have made portraits of an Oscar-winning actress and a Booker Prize-winning author, but not in their offices.
The people shown here (below) include senior figures in the law, publishers and authors, and a head teacher:
“Oh, this is sooo lovely! Thank you. Such a fun and restful picture!! Both of which qualities I aspire to.” — Jane Lunnon
“Gorgeous!” — Mary Ann Sieghart
“I love ❤️ it.” — Mark Stephens CBE
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How I work
In a nutshell, I visit the office and draw while I’m there. I also take a few reference pics to work from later.
I aim to be unobtrusive, so you can just get on with your work. People have told me they forget I’m even there:
John-Paul was a welcome presence when he came to Galley Beggar Press. It was very enjoyable to talk to him and see him at work – and he was expert at letting us get on, and avoiding disturbance.
I was delighted (and flattered!) by the pictures he produced. He really managed to capture something of our spirit – and it’s been great to see how other people have reacted positively to the pictures and felt closer to our company as a result.
- Sam Jordison
I see you
In all my work, I like people to feel seen, and heard – witnessed, if you like.
I’m especially proud of what Patrick said about the experience of having his portrait done:
A couple of weeks before I retired from full-time Big Law Firm work, John-Paul Flintoff came to visit me at work.
It was an unexpectedly moving meeting: I would be suddenly acutely aware than my career was coming to an end, that a change was afoot. The feeling came over me speedily and significantly, completely displaced me, knocked me sideways, left me winded, I had to sit down for a bit.
As my office was becoming less cluttered, as I had to work out what to take and leave, as I confronted the reality of what mattered to me now and into the future, as I thought about all the people I had encountered and the lives I had touched and the people who had moulded me, I was quite overwhelmed.
John-Paul handled it all in his stride, asked some questions, never intrusively, but cleverly, sympathetically, full of curiosity. In only a short amount of time, he captured my essence sufficiently to translate that into a wonderful portrait. Extraordinary. I hope never to forget that experience.
I am picking up that portrait this very lunchtime. I am extremely excited to be reunited with John-Paul’s art – I have seen it once, only briefly, and was transfixed. Not by the painting of me as such (as entrancing as it is) but how he as an artist had seen me, seen into me, seen right through me, seen what to use – and how – in the piece.
It’s remarkable, is it not, that we spend so much time at our work but very rarely visually record that?
Patrick posted that on LinkedIn, which was very generous. The comments in response to his post were gratifying:
“What an amazing record to have of your career. I’d never have thought of this as a way of marking such a transition but it’s a brilliant idea.” – Sara Cody
“So much of our lives spent at these desks. So much of our identity wrapped up in what we do” – David James Lister
“This stopped me in my tracks. How absolutely wonderful!” – Colin Shaw
“That is incredibly moving and such a poignant way to capture a lifetime of memories, simply divine.” – James Stewart
“You’re someone who deserves to be thanked and recognised.” – Sophie Wardell
“What a gorgeous picture by a huge talent” – Joanne Hayes
“How fabulous Patrick, and what a lovely picture to treasure the memories of your working life!” – Deborah Botton
“Beautiful” doesn’t even begin to capture what I think about this” – Sarah Harriott
The finished artwork
My pictures use a combination of a) sketches I make on paper and b) digital drawing on the iPad. Some works are entirely digital. Either way, they are printed out by a specialist in Hoxton, east London.
The process involves injecting pigment onto textured, archival paper at 300dpi. The paper I like best is Hahnemuhle German Etching. In other words: it’s museum-grade.
Typically, the size is A2 (594 × 440mm). The first print I make is an Artist Proof (example here). It’s dated, signed and kept by me. The next one is yours. I’ll sign it and dedicate it to you.
What next?
If you would like to discuss a portrait, with no commitment, please jp at this domain name.
I look forward to hearing from you.
JPF