Kent Stowell, Artistic Director, Pacific Northwest Ballet (detail).

Fees and Procedure

The process of creating an official portrait painting or a children's portrait in oils begins with a discussion between the client and the artist, to determine the size, composition and price of the oil portrait to be created. Questions of clothing, background and the location in which the painted portrait will ultimately be displayed are considered. A 40% deposit is required upon contract signing.

Michele Rushworth then travels to the client's office, home or other location of the client's choosing. Some preliminary sketches will be created and photographs will be taken of the subject. The artist will then show the client selected photos to be considered as reference for the oil painting. She will also create a small oil sketch to indicate the composition and approximate colors to be used for the proposed portrait.

An estimated completion date for the portrait is then established. The artist commonly has a waiting list of approximately a year, though sometimes schedule changes can be made if the delivery of a portrait painting is requested for an upcoming special occasion.

The portrait will then be created in the artist's studio, using the finest museum quality oils on Belgian linen canvas. The remaining 60% of the cost of the portrait is due upon satisfactory delivery of the completed painting.

The artist will handle framing upon request.

Prices for a portrait in oils start at $8,000. Please contact the artist at 425-681-5104 for more information and to begin the process of commissioning a museum quality portrait in oils.