I had to laugh. The guests showed up a little late to this Elegant Party. It was a First Birthday. Lol ~ it's probably only Parents of a 1-year-old are up and out so early in the morning.

Once they got here, the Guests did have Fun. Gotta grab whatever chances we get for Happy Moments. As many as we can get. Whenever.

Here I was ~ arrived early to Set Up, but the Space that the client put aside for me was almost non-existent. And one of her guests asked if I could draw from a phone-photo because one girl couldn't come to the Party.

"Okay. Of course," I said. "But it's not very Entertaining for me to be drawing from a photo while people are waiting to get into the seat. Would you like me to do it Before I actually start the Party (during the time you are paying for Entertainment), or would you like to me just see if there is perhaps maybe any downtime during which I might be able to fit it in?" I felt like the client understood once the Drawing started. Understood about being with the people who are There. Because she wisely sent one of the guests To Sit in the Chair while I drew her sister from the photo. Not my favorite thing to do, but at least I didn't have an anxiously waiting guest while I tried to pay attention to someone who wasn't there.

This brings me to another point. Some clients are surprised that I didn't plan on sitting quietly in a dark corner (or even another room ~ not in the Party). They're surprised that I try to position myself in such a way that the guests can See the drawing evolve. Surprised that it actually turns into Entertainment at the Party.

I say, you wouldn't go to a Movie or a Broadway Show without giving the Actors plenty of room to do their jobs. You wouldn't be happy to put on Roller Skates if there wasn't a large Roller Rink to use them. You wouldn't expect a dj to dance quietly in the corner (or in another room - lol). So why hire a Party Artist and not want to give her room to Entertain? Maybe even more Space than the Party Decorations and Centerpieces. And Seating Cards. And the Coat Room. Watching the Show is one of the things that the people can do to Enjoy Your Party.

Here are photos of some of the people that I've drawn from several different parties. All mushed together in my mind. So many people that I see. So many individuals:

Aw, I can understand why some people might want their Caricatures to be tamed. But it is hard to come up with decent Art when you're constrained by some preconceived image that people like to present.

The groom in last night's picture - he didn't like it. Even though his new wife and his friends were tickled by it. She loves him the way he is - She's attracted to that powerful face. But he......

Well, I understand. We wouldn't want to leave him unhappy about his own Wedding invitations. So the wife hired me to redraw his face. Concentrated real hard to come up with one that Both he and I would like. It's okay. I'm glad I could do it for him. But the first one is really It - the first one is more what Caricature is about.