When people looked on the internet for posthumous portraits (or post mortem portraits) and reached me, I wanted to help them. There were never enough photo references—usually only snap shots, cell-phone pictures, very much just odds and ends. But their own will was strong enough to find something everything they could and share with me enough so that we could pull it off. I am grateful to have been there. They have all been profuse in their thanks.
Posthumous Portraits Have Touched Hearts
“He was so shocked and pleased at the surprise of seeing his beloved mother in color before him. He couldn’t believe it. He lost his mother when he was a teenager and he loved her and missed her so—all these many years. He only had these two small black and white photos of her. You gave it life with color and with your skill. It looks even better than I expected. My husband is so good to me and I can never think of what to do for him. I wanted to do something very, very special. Thank you so much. This portrait will have an important spot in our home.” [When they came to Florida, she brought him to my studio to meet me. He was superbly gracious.]
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“I wanted to let you know that I surprised my wife with our son’s portrait on Friday night. She was blown away and is still talking about it to all our friends. While the emailed picture to me was incredible, I too was in awe when I saw the painting in person. It was a very emotional moment for her and me both, but a happy one. After almost two years on trying to resolve this project, with your help we were able to achieve our wishes (actually above and beyond our imagination). God Bless you and thank you for your efforts on this very important project for us.” [When they came to Florida, they came to my studio to meet me. She brought albums of pictures on her iPad—all cell-phone snap shots, most of which I had seen—of their son and told me all about him. It was a beautiful moment to share.]
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“It’s wonderful. It looks just like her. You did a beautiful job. It’s like seeing her right now. I feel like she is here. I’m just kind of overwhelmed. It’s even lovelier than I expected it to be. You captured her age too. It looks like she is 21 although most of the pictures I sent she was 18.”
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“This is the only thing I can think of to do for my friends. I can’t imagine what they are going through losing a child. This is from a picture of a happy time they had together—when they were on holiday in the snow.”
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“This means so much to me because I don’t have any pictures of my parents, except these old faded color photos when they were in a wedding party and they weren’t even together in a picture. Now I have something that I can cherish and they can be with me. My brothers and sisters will want copies too. Of course I didn’t know my parents when they were that young, but I can see them there. You captured their essence.”
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“It was very, very unique, very special. Whenever we get together (and we do all the time) it is still a topic of conversation. It still means so much. They have it hanging in a very special place, over a fireplace, with some other mementos of his life. We’ve heard from numerous family members and friends and they are all quite taken aback by it. We debated back and forth what we should do and if we should do this and we decided it is what it is and we don’t want to forget. Do you want to be reminded of him every day and we are all of the same opinion that we do, we don’t want to forget. The portrait is very special. It has a life of its own and the quote was the topping. It was all very unique and special—and still is.
“To quote Griswald’s Christmas movie—’It’s the gift that keeps on giving.'”
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“It’s so beautiful. You truly captured Sunny. All the snapshots that I have are not her like this is. This is really Sunny. Eyes, mouth, eyebrows, hair, earrings, it’s just perfect. It helps.”
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Interested in Commissioning a Posthumous Portrait?
To learn more about posthumous oil portraits and talk with Ms. Rockwell about the process, please click here: Contact Ms. Rockwell.
To view the next gallery, please click here: Chroma Photography.
To see more oil portraits, please click here: Teen Oil Portraits.
To see charcoal portraits, please click here: Charcoal Drawings.
To see the likeness that Ms. Rockwell gets, please click here: Photo to Painting.
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