I have always been interested in Graphic Design, it was one of the major contributors to me going into marketing in college. Marketing gave me the umbrella to be able to have creativity within my work. I have taken courses throughout the years but honestly I am mostly self-taught (slowly), therefore I will never call myself an actual Graphic Designer; just a huge admirer. From creating wedding invitations, paper party decorations, home decor, to now my new endeavor family portraits; I have always loved to work on the computer creating something from a blank page with clicks and strokes of my mouse.
I have seen these family portraits going around the internet for the last couple of years and have thought they were the most beautiful pieces. They give a unique perspective to a specific moment in time. The simplicity and lack of detail to them are beautiful. The fact that I am attracted to something with lack of detail is what excites me the most about them, usually I am all about the smallest minute details.
For Christmas 2020, I was trying to be more creative with my gift choices, purchasing from small businesses, concentrating on sentimental gifts, and being creative. I created a family portrait gift for my sister, it was of her four children together. A picture that yes she had in full with their smiling faces and sweet eyes, but when created into a drawn portrait took on a whole new sweetness. I printed it out, put it in a frame, and then printed out a few notecards with the picture on it so she’d have them to send for a more personalized note to others.
After this accomplishment, I was feeling pretty excited and decided I could do more… So instead of 4 people of course I jumped to a photo of 20 people! The winning photo was the last family portrait we had taken 2 months before my Dad passed away. I had the thought of how special would it be to take this once frozen stagnant memory with dad and add the new babies we have added into our family and age the other kids so it all made sense-a very lofty goal for only a second portrait. After many, many hours and a few tears I was able to take a step back and smile-it was complete.
Wow, I was proud looking at that completed artwork. Yes, I was proud of my work and that everyone truly looked like themselves (even with no faces and lack of details), but most importantly I was proud of my family, and knowing my Dad would have been so proud to have all those babies surrounding him. He and Mom, were and always are so proud of the family they had created. In that moment and still now, I look at the artwork of all of us it feels like it actually happened that way. That my Dad was there with Noah (Kyle and Kristina’s first, and the first to carry the Perna name) and Haddie (the bookend to Amy and Luke’s beautiful family), and all the other grown and matured grandchildren. The artwork is a reminder that he is still with us and although we may not always have the visuals and physical touch we are yearning for, this artwork is something, and having something was more than what we started with.
After creating this portrait and giving a copy to my siblings and Mom, I had the thought that I was able to create something for my family that will be a connection for all of us to my Dad. I know how much it meant us and I want to be open to creating those memories for others if they are wanting/looking for the same thing.
So, all of those thoughts and feelings brings me to a new endeavor-if you are interested in having a portrait created please reach out to me, they make great gifts for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, sympathy remembrance, or honestly anything you want to keep as a memory. You will receive the digital copy of the artwork and can then print or create anything you would like with the file. You can choose any solid color background, add quotes or names to the artwork as well.
PRICE
$20 for 1-2 people
$5 added per person added after 2
If you’re interested in placing an order please email me at everydayeaston@gmail.com, or message me through Facebook. All I need are the photo(s) you would like me to recreate and I will respond with a timeline of when you will receive your digital artwork back.
I know how meaningful this gift was to my family members, and I want to be able to design those memories and opportunities for others. Today’s world is crazy and there are so many heavy, hard things happening, but this is something light, and creating this art for you is one way I can help you thrive during all this chaos.
