Custom House Portraits

Custom House Portraits are outstanding gifts. Whether a house-warming present for a friend, or a keepsake for a family member who is downsizing, a custom House Portrait is the perfect personal touch.
Working from photographs, we create custom watercolours that combine reality with a touch of imagination. Anya’s hand-made paintings are as unique as the memories, created in the house itself.

House portraits preserve memories of a place left behind. Often when we move, we’d like to take the memories created in the home, with us. With a house portrait, we can do just that! Custom house portraits are often commissioned by the friends or family members of someone who is downsizing, selling their home and moving to a new place. Sometimes, they are ordered by the real estate agents, as personalized gifts for their clients who have purchased a new place for their families. Either way, it’s a unique and personal gift, one that carries a deep meaning and may be cherished for a long time.
While most of the paintings showcased are house portraits of Toronto, I’ve also painted houses for clients from the United States, working from the client’s photographs. Toronto House Portraits are fun to create, as I’m familiar with the local architecture and know the characteristics of the old traditional Toronto homes. I love painting the red bricks of Toronto semis and townhouses, and the facades of the more expansive houses of the North East United States. When I’m not able to visit the location, I rely on the client providing a few photos of the place, and we choose the final image together. After the initial sketch is approved, I set to work hand painting the house in all its glory. My house portraits are a combination of reality and imagination, where some features may be omitted, or exaggerated, per request. Undesirable pipes or pieces of technology may be left out, plants can be embellished and seasons can be switched to show that front yard in its full imaginary glory!

Contact me by email at info at illustratedbyanya dot com for a consultation or with any questions. I would be honoured to paint a custom House Portrait for you or your loved one!