Lately, I have been lost in portraiture.  I started in pastels in 1998 doing mainly portraits of people and animals.  then took a hiatus from art to run a business.  I find it ironic that I have now come full circle back to my first love-portraits!  When I retired from the "real world" and re-entered the "art world", I knew that I had come home.

I love working with people and pets to create a memory that will last a lifetime.  My favorite kind of portraits are the informal ones.  There is just something about that moment in time captured forever.  I think personalities come seeping out in the off guarded moments of an informal portrait or photo.  It always amazes me that once you get to talking and put in a comfortable situation how your guard comes down and then it allows that  snipet of  unguarded time that becomes a portrait.

I feel so lucky to be a fly on the wall for these wonderul moments in people's lives.  We artists are blessed to be able to see the "real" person and immortalize them in art.  Remember, "Life is not measured by the number of breathes we take but by the moments that take our breathes away".
Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday and remember it's still not to late to get that portrait done for Christmas!
Jennylynne Gragg

In our local newspaper community section today there is a story on the Grateful Hearts Project.  My hope in doing the article is that we can reach many other families of fallen soldiers in Missouri and Kansas who would like to have a portrait of their loved one painted for free.

At first there was an emotional journey that I personally had to go through but as I do these portraits, there is a connection that happens between you and the person you are painting.. There is a peace that comes over you and I know that the other artists involved in the project feel that way too.

If you know of a family in either Missouri or Kansas that has lost a loved one in either the Iraq or Afghanistan wars just have them contact me thru this site.  All portraits are free including framing and shipping/delivery.  There are no costs to the families. 

Thanks and God Bless,
Jennylynne