Jill and Howie had sold their big family home to downsize for a smaller one on a golf course. They are both avid golfers so this was a dream come true for them. After 3 years of remodeling, it was finally just how they wanted it...

The thing is, the house was complete, all except for that one wall! They’d been struggling with what to put there. It was to be the focal point of the room, and they didn't want to hang just anything up. It needed to be special and “right" for the space.

The big problem was that with the other artwork in their home, there was a connection…a story behind it. It meant something to them. That’s what they were looking for this wall. And for the past 3 years, they hadn’t found anything that really spoke to them.  

Jill decided to do a search online. She knew she wanted a painting with birch or aspen trees and maybe a lake—but something of nature…so she googled “Aspen Art."

You know what happened -- up popped the paintings of "Jennifer Vranes!" She was intrigued. She could tell I was an artist who loved painting birch trees! 

Instantly it became crystal clear that this was the kind of art she wanted for her living room wall! This was what she had been searching for, and her husband Howie agreed. 

She decided to contact me about a commission. This was a big deal. They’d been waiting for 3 years to put a piece of art up on that wall, and they didn’t want to make a mistake. 

So she sent me an email asking me for more information on my birch tree paintings, and if there were any galleries near Vancouver BC where they could see my work first hand. 

In one of her emails she said,"I love your work, but I need to see it ‘live’ before I can commit to it."

A road trip from Vancouver BC to Southern Oregon was soon in the works. Bad weather was coming, so they couldn't delay much longer…so we arranged an available weekend where we could meet up at my art studio. 

They went on a road trip, driving 19 hours round trip just to meet me.

When they got to my art studio, I gave them the tour, and showed them my art and painting process. Then we sat down to look through my portfolio.

There was one painting in particular that jumped out at them. They loved it immediately. And when I mentioned that I could customize it even more by incorporating their own photos into the painting, it was a done deal.  I superimposed the ideas from the photos they sent me, and we decided that a 40" x 80" would be the perfect size!

I ordered the canvas, and then got to work!

Once the painting was completed and approved (I sent them photos and a video), I returned the favor by driving the painting up to Canada, to personally hang it on their wall!

I wanted to see where it was going to hang... (and it was a great excuse to see Vancouver for the first time!)