Behind the Scenes of Commissioning Art: Five Recent Projects

Here at Laasya Art, commissions run the gamut from simple re-sizing requests to fully customized designs. But no matter how complex, every commission is a collaborative effort between the gallerist, the client and the artist.

While commissioning a painting can be an incredible opportunity for collectors to have a personalized piece of art that perfectly suits their tastes, it is important to understand if the process is right for you. So, in this post, we examine several recent commissions by Senaka Senanayake, Bharti Prajapati, Jagannath Paul, Ramesh Gorjala and Nishant Dange, detailing how we approached the entire process from the client’s initial vision to the final result.

SENAKA SENANAYAKE

BEFORE (LEFT): The clients hoped that their commission would enhance the sunny feeling of the room. AFTER (RIGHT): Artist Senaka Senanayake’s lotus series feels pure and fresh.

Seeking a new, large-scale painting for their dining room, these clients did not have a particular artist or theme in mind from the outset. We tried out a few works by different artists to determine their preferences and ultimately decided to go with a commission by artist Senaka Senanayake, whose bright color palette would work well in this sunlit room. The clients found Senaka’s white lotuses to be the most appealing theme among the various subjects from his popular Rainforest series, so we commissioned a large painting with this theme. The final work simply exudes positive energy, and the lotus flowers feel pure and fresh.

BHARTI PRAJAPATI

BEFORE (LEFT): The foyer in the clients’ home spanned two floors, posing many design challenges. AFTER (RIGHT): Artist Bharti Prajapati’s commission painting seamlessly fits into the minimalist vibe of the home.

The clients had a very minimalistic home and were drawn to a similarly sophisticated painting by artist Bharti Prajapati. However, they required a larger size canvas in order to make an impact on the double height walls of their entryway and stairwell. To add visual depth on an increased scale, while still maintaining an understated color palette, Bharti added design elements like sand dunes, earthen pots and goats in various shades of cream and grey.

JAGANNATH PAUL

BEFORE (LEFT): The clients sought a painting for their dimly lit recreation room. AFTER (RIGHT): Artist Jagannath Paul’s commission immediately brightens up the room.

From the beginning, the clients were drawn to artist Jagannath Paul’s bold aesthetic, with his vibrant colors and striking faces. Due to the lack of natural light in the room and dark wood paneling on the walls, however, we chose to emphasize bright colors and limit the use of charcoal in the painting. Inspired by another painting of Jagannath’s which incorporated words from a love poem by Rabindranath Tagore, the clients also requested to similarly use Tagore’s famous poem “Where the mind is without fear.” Once hung, the overall effect was stunning and brought a brighter, cheerful vibe to the previously dim space.

RAMESH GORJALA

BEFORE (LEFT): This client had a particular nook where the commission by artist Ramesh Gorjala would be hung. AFTER (RIGHT): Ramesh’s composition perfectly fills the vertical dimensions of the canvas.

After admiring artist Ramesh Gorjala’s work for a long time, this client decided to commission a painting of Hanuman. The artist was given very specific measurements to follow, since the painting would ultimately hang in a narrow wooden panel above the fireplace, so Ramesh cleverly designed a composition that would best fit the vertical canvas.

NISHANT DANGE

BEFORE (LEFT): The clients sought a bold, contemporary painting for their living room. AFTER (AFTER): Artist Nishant Dange’s saturated yellow canvas makes a statement, featuring his signature theme of women and butterflies.

The clients had a very modern house with high ceilings and an entire wall of glass windows, which filled their living room with bright natural light. They were seeking a large 5 x 5 foot commission and were immediately taken by the bold, striking style of artist Nishant Dange. We eventually settled on a golden yellow color, with scarlet details on the wings, to best complement the existing decor of the room.

It’s always a thrill to see our clients’ delight with their new painting, once displayed in their home at last! Each commission is a new adventure, and I am consistently impressed by the creativity and ambition of our artists, who always challenge themselves to exceed the client’s vision.

— Sonia Nayyar Patwardhan