Commission Information
What cartographic story will you commemorate?
Where is your favorite place on earth?
I know the neighborhood I grew up in so well I can walk through it in my mind. We moved away from Gothic Street when I was 9 years old, but it's layout was already engrained in me. After I could drive, I always went back there, keeping the memories fresh and making new ones too.
The places that shape us often only live in our mind, which is a shame. Memories get lost and forgotten. On grey days we forget about the adventures, people, and places that changed us for the better. We forget the memories that should bring us joy.
Honoring Those Places
One of the best ways to bring the joy and significance of places in your home is through art. An original painting can transform your memories into a symbol that honors from where you have come. I have an aerial landscape painting of the Connecticut River hanging in my kitchen. The patchwork of the farmland is a landscape I know well and the bridge is where I used to see teenagers jump dangerously into the river. It reminds me of the places I always will call home and the wonder of being a child.
Commissioning Art is Easy
The process couldn't be simpler to get your favorite place commissioned into an aerial landscape.
- Purchase the size you want below.
(Fill in the location you want when checking out.) - Schedule a phone consult with me to talk about what makes your place important to you.
(I will email you a link for scheduling.) - Receive your painting 4-6 weeks later once it is cured and ready to ship.
available Sizes
Looking for a different size?
Let's do it! I currently work up to 36x48" in my present studio. A painting that is 10x10" is $170, 18x24" is $900, and 24x36" is $1,800.
Newport Shores, Newport Beach, California.
24x24" on panel.
Commission of a home in Beverly, Massachusetts
In case you don't know me or my work...
I'm Jess Weems Thibault. I live and work in Reno, Nevada but I'm originally from Massachusetts. I love learning where people are from and identifying myself that way because I think places make us. Hence my obsession with staring at the world on Google Earth. Looking at the world from satellite images shifts my perspective and helps me question the things I assume to be true about the world and our struggles.
I paint my aerial landscapes in encaustic (hot wax) and oil, usually using a combination. I use the wax for texture and the oil for most of the blended color. it's a fascinating combination that I carefully fuse together to ensure archival work is created. My pieces are painted on cradled wood panels, ready to frame or hang as-is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my painting melt off the wall?
Not unless your house gets above 160 degrees F! The encaustic medium includes damar resin, which makes the finished painting harder, shinier and less melty than regular wax. No art should ever be hung in direct sunlight.
How long will my painting last? Is the medium archival?
Encaustic is the oldest form of painting dating back to the Egyptians in the 1st century BCE. Oil is also incredibly old and reliable. I take the utmost care to follow all archival practices so that your painting will last for generations to come as a family heirloom.
How big of an area can you cover in one painting?
For an 8x8" painting, a medium size country is the most area I can capture and it will be fairly abstract. Bigger work can cover more area. The closer in I get, the more detail is possible.
How detailed can a painting be?
If a painting is of one or two houses, I can paint the shape of the building and the rooflines. If a painting is of a specific neighborhood, I paint the individual houses as marks of paint. As the range of the captured area zooms out, the detail gets less and less. So it depends on your choice of area. And this is something we always discuss in our pre-painting chats.
Can I ask for a dot or other mark to be put into the painting?
Yes, but only dots. A dot can be placed at a specific point of significance in the painting. This must be requested during our commission chat prior to the painting's beginning. To uphold the integrity of the art and painting as a communicative medium I have chosen to only put dots into paintings.
Can I ask for specific colors to be used?
Yes and no. You can share photos of the area with me that you think capture the specific color palette you enjoy about that place, but I paint my interpretation of what I see from those and satellite images.
How long does it take to get my painting?
After our commission consult (a phone conversation that will be scheduled once your purchase is complete), it will take 6-8 weeks to receive your painting. Allow 1-2 weeks longer for international shipping.
Can I rush my commission?
If you have a deadline to accommodate, please contact me or bring it up at our commission consult phone conversation.
How much is shipping?
It depends on the size of the painting and speed of shipment, but for 8x8" to 11x14" pieces it is typically $10-20 within the USA. International shipping is also offered. All details are available upon checkout.
Can I cancel my commission?
Once we have our commission conversation and work has started on your piece, I cannot cancel the commission. Before that time I will offer a refund minus Paypal fees. If you are not satisfied with the piece once it is complete, I can return half of your payment, but I retain the piece of commissioned work.
What if I don't like the final piece?
If you are not satisfied with the piece once it is complete, I can return half of your payment, but I retain the piece of commissioned work.
Can I commission another size? Something smaller?
I don't offer commissions smaller than 8x8", but I certainly can work with you on any other size desire you have. Contact me and I will give you more information.
If I buy more than one will you give me a discount?
We should talk, but I generally give discounts to bulk orders that in total cover more than 1,000 square inches.
