We would like to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving. This year has been a challenging one for all of us and has made me extra thankful for my health, my family, and friends both far and near. I hope that you are able to spend time and connect with your loved ones in whatever capacity you can.

This year has also offered me the opportunity to paint more and help clients capture fond memories and special pieces via the work they have commissioned me. I am excited to share with you an image of my latest work.

THE STUDY, 18 x 24 in., oil on canvas by Gulay Berryman

This was a commission for a client who was very precise about a number of the objects and details he wished to see included in the painting and the overall atmosphere he hoped could be achieved. This is very helpful for the artist in planning the composition for a painting of this scope. A large floor-mounted globe, an Aubusson rug, a bookstand with an open book, a desk with a banker’s lamp, some letters and books which appears as if it has been recently occupied, a stack of books nearby on the floor, a dog sleeping in the warmth of the fireplace are all among these details. The bronze sculpture on the pedestal in the right foreground is based on ‘Jason and the Golden Fleece’ by the French sculptor Alfred-Desire Lancon (1851-1898). The portrait directly on the wall behind the desk depicts a Napoleonic-era French general. The small marble busts within the alcoves of the built-in bookshelves are of Great Britain’s Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Lastly, the choice and placement of the sources of lighting and depicting how light covers specific areas was challenging but is the key to preserving depth, the right level of detail and a cohesive overall atmosphere for the painting.

Happy Thanksgiving 2020