My Portrait by artist Sandro Kopp

I first met Sandro in 2004 during a Lord of the Rings Convention in London : The Fellowship Festival. Over the next couple of years we ran into each other at other conventions and decided to do an exchange - I would sew something for him and he would paint something for me.

Here is the documentation of that exchange...

The Painting

Monica and I on the train to NYC from Trenton.
Thanks for coming! It was great to share the experience with you and I would have been so nervous finding my way without your help!
Sandro getting ready to start. He's wearing the pattern of a custom designed painting robe I'm working on for him. The structure is laid down.
The basic colors Studying the work
Creepy eyes! Painting... painting... painting...
Almost there.... This shot shows that it was a cloudy day. Sandro painted to the natural light coming in from the window.
It took about 3 cups of tea and a water bottle or 4 -5 hours... depending on how you look at it. All done! Thanks so much, Sandro, I love it!!
The finished work and the subject side by side.
This is the box that Kev made to carry home the wet painting.

It worked very, very well! Great job Kev!

The Robe

Click each photo for larger view

I've made two options for closing the robe which provides two necklines possibilities.

On the far left is a tighter fit. The near left is looser.

On the right is a close up of the breast pocket.

The velcro fasteners.

On the left is the inside fasteners.

On the right is the outside.

The sleeves are also adjustable.

On the left is how it looks once the strap is pulled around and fastened.

On the right is the open position. Also on the far right, the paint brush pockets are visible near the shoulder.

There are 2 deep, double layered pockets that fasten with velcro. One is on the front left side, the other on the back right side.

There are also two slits, one on each side, for easy pant pocket accesss.

The details...

The hem is lined with bias, as are the inside side seams.

The front is reinforced with another layer of fabric. (the photo at right is before the velcro was attached.)

 

Painting take Two

After I sent the robe there were some adjustments needed and Sandro wanted
to make some touch ups, so we met up again. This time my husband and I made the trek together....

click for larger photos

He decided it would look better with my darker shirt - I agree.
You must click to see the painting close up - his use of colors and shadows
are so interesting...

   
And this is Sandro wearing the altered and finished robe

And here is the painting framed and hanging in my home.
(well, almost hanging!)

I absolutely love it! It's not just a beautiful piece of art by a
talented artist, but having work by someone as amazing as
Sandro in my home makes it mean so much more.