canal street treasures

Some of the best memories aren't the staged moments, but the in between moments. This mom wanted me to paint this commission of a memory she had from a trip she took when she was shopping with all of her little girls. I'm sure there were plenty of other moments on the trip that were more instagramable or that ended up in picture frames. But when we talked about her commission, she got to capture the feeling of the FUN she was having-- the treasure hunt of exploring with her daughters in a jungle of brightly colored bags and displays of fabrics and shiny glasses and items. What treasures would they find? What would they laugh about as they tried things on? What memories would they make and take home that would last longer than the items? Did any of them realize in the moment that the greatest treasure didn't need to be hunted at all-- it was right there in the relationships they had with each other?

This is what I love capturing in paintings. This is why I love to keep painting all your commissions and finding fun ways to make your stories come to life in paint. This is why I love to help you hold on to those fleeting gestures, styles, stances, moments... it's the funnest job in the world. What can I paint for you?

["Canal Street Treasures" prints available here: https://www.stephaniehock.com/prints/p/canal-street-treasures]