THE CLIENT
For this project, my client wanted to honor his dear friend’s service in the United States Air Force while celebrating a shared love of vintage aviation. To bring his vision to life, he provided a collection of meaningful photographs—each tied to his friend’s career and passion for flying.
At the heart of the composition is his friend’s personally restored Taylorcraft airplane, a cherished classic that symbolizes his dedication to aviation. Surrounding this focal point, we incorporated key elements from their time in service together, including F-4 aircraft they worked on side by side. To further personalize the piece, we artfully included the insignia patch and the Master Aircraft Mechanic - Crew Chief pin, powerful emblems of his friend’s expertise and commitment to the Air Force.
THE PROCESS
To begin the sketch, I created a series of cut-out collages, thoughtfully arranging all the key elements into potential compositions. My client selected the one that best captured his vision, and from there, we refined it into a detailed pencil drawing. After a few slight adjustments to perfect the layout, we finalized the sketch and transferred the design onto a stretched cotton canvas, prepped with white gesso to begin the Artemotive process.
For this piece, I used high-gloss automotive enamels from Alpha6, layering rich colors to bring the scene to life. As a special detail, I incorporated metallic silver paint to highlight the Master Mechanic pin, ensuring it stood out with a reflective quality worthy of its significance.
THE FINAL
For this project, I was eager to collaborate with my friend and skilled metal fabricator, Jake Maier of Maier Metalworks LLC in Spring Branch, Texas. Known locally for his expertise in automotive metal fabrication, Jake’s craftsmanship extends to beadroll artwork and custom interior components, all meticulously crafted from mixed metals and rivets.
To complement the aviation theme of this portrait, I commissioned him to design and build a one-of-a-kind frame inspired by classic aircraft construction. He generously shared his process with us for this post, offering insight into the precision and artistry behind his work:
"Everything I design starts from an idea or vision in my mind. For this project, inspiration came from an existing picture frame—I wanted the shape to be elegant to complement the painting.I begin every design with poster board, bending and shaping it to ensure the structure works before cutting into metal. Once the shape is finalized, I transfer the patterns onto flat aluminum, drill holes for solid rivets, and deburr everything for a clean finish. Using a pneumatic rivet gun and bucking bar, I set each rivet by hand, then carefully make the bends with a magnetic brake to achieve the precise 160-degree angles needed.The most nerve-wracking step was cutting the 45-degree corners with a miter saw. To complete the frame, I added brackets and a hanging wire, ensuring a precise press-fit for the canvas."— Jake Maier, Maier Metalworks LLC
ARTIST COMMENTS & EXPERIENCE:
It was such a joy to paint this portrait and work with another craftsman to bring my clients ideas to life. After the artwork was completed, my client came to a unique revelation that the Taylorcraft airplane was originally a metal tube frame airplane covered in a canvas material
which is similar to the canvas painting framed in metal; Just another way this unique piece paid tribute to a man's passion for aviation history.
"Kate captured exactly what I imagined and worked with me during the entire process with great interest and excitement for the piece. Her talent and abilities with mechanical illustration, landscape, and portrait work combined to create a true organic feeling of nostalgia and emotion; One with the warmth of a hand-written letter from home when you're in a foreign land! Her collaboration with the craftsman that made the frame as a fantastic tie into the theme and feel of artwork. This painting will be treasured by us." — Eric | Private Collector