Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8
"I Do... And I Always Will!", 11x14", oil on archival panel by Annie Dash Studios
I painted this oil portrait for my husband, Andrew, as a celebration of our love story.
We’ve been married for more than 19 years and in love for 25 years. This painting is based on a photograph from our wedding day—a day that, if I’m being honest, was quite stressful for me!
But looking back now, what I remember most isn’t the stress or the things that didn’t go perfectly. I remember the beginning of a life we have built together. The laughter, the challenges, the five boys, the ordinary days, the beautiful days, and all the memories still waiting for us.
It’s funny how a photograph can capture a single moment, while a painting can give you a chance to sit with that moment again—to reflect on everything that came before and everything that came after.
“I Do… And I Always Will!” is a reminder that a wedding is just one day. Marriage is the beautiful, messy, ordinary, extraordinary life that follows.
I’m so thankful for the past 19+ years with Andrew, and I’m looking forward to a lifetime more. ❤️
Here’s to choosing each other, savoring the journey, and continuing to say:
I do… and I always will.
I painted this piece in oil with an acrylic underpainting. Acrylic is a fast-drying medium, and I used matte medium to create glazes of sepia, umber, and ultramarine blue. Next, I added the more opaque layers in oil, and glazed to change the color temperatures, being careful of the edges. That day was an overcast April morning, quite hazy, and I wanted to capture the feeling of the day and the time of year -- I sought to create a dreamy quality in this work.
I truly enjoyed creating this beautiful narrative wedding portrait, and am very happy with the end result! I love the richness and blendability of oil, and was satisfied with how the process came together. I believe that custom portraits have the ability to capture the essence of not only how people look, but who they are.
As they say, time is fleeting, but art endures. I hope that my beloved husband looks back fondly on this piece as a reminder of our wedding day and the happy years that have followed, the many blessings we've received, and the gift of our love.
I hope that you enjoy this work as well -- if so, please be sure to leave a comment below.
If you're interested in booking your own Fine Art Portrait, please get in touch!
Annie Dash Studios is a portrait artist and painter serving New Albany, Indiana and beyond with commissioned and original realistic fine art pastel, watercolor, and acrylic paintings.