Portraits as Gifts
“In a portrait, I’m looking for the silence in somebody.” – Henri Cartier Bresson
My name is Caroline and I am a painter and portrait artist whose work centers on capturing the spirit and inner essence of a person or animal — not their exact likeness, but their inherent light.
Working in watercolor, I translate qualities like courage, playfulness, and fierceness into color, line, and form, guided by photos, written descriptions, or audio from the people who love their subjects.
My portraits are acts of witnessing — a way of saying you are seen, you are honored — and are often created as meaningful gifts between people: a parent honoring a child, a friend celebrating a friend's journey, a lover of music honoring an artist who moves them.
To dedicate the time, materials, and focused energy this work requires, I’m launching a Kickstarter campaign — Portraits as Gifts.
By commissioning a portrait, backers are doing two things at once: giving someone they love a deeply personal, handmade work of art, and directly supporting this independent artist's ability to keep making meaningful work.
In an era saturated with mass-produced and AI-generated imagery, this is an invitation to slow down and invest in something that carries the real spirit and essence — of the person or animal I paint. Every contribution, at any tier, helps fund the time and space for me to sit with someone's story and bring it to life on paper.
How the project works:
You describe your story: Each portrait begins with a description of the person, animals’ essence: can be a simple audio file from you… with a prompt or a brief interview to bring the person to light. What do they bring out in you? What feeling do they carry?
I work with your story: Using what you shared, I paint — feeling into the spirit of the person, translating their essence into color, line, and light in watercolor.
Choose your format: Receive the original painting, or select a print-on-demand format — a wall hanging, t-shirt, tote bag, or mug — so the portrait can live in everyday life. theprintspace.co.uk prints, https://www.printful.com merchandise.
Reward structure (portraits as gifts)
Tier 1 — The Pet Portrait Honoring the animals who hold our hearts
Your pet carries a spirit — playful, fierce, tender, watchful. I work from a photo and/or video and a brief description of who your animal is, translating their essence into watercolor.
5x7 — A small, intimate portrait. A quiet presence on a desk or shelf. $150
8x12 — A fuller rendering, with more attention to personality, texture, and light. $250
18x24 — A generous, detailed portrait that gives your animal's spirit the space it deserves. Includes a handwritten note from me about what I felt while painting. $1500
Tier 2 — The Human Portrait Witnessing the people who shape us inspire us!
Whether a loved one, a friend, a mentor, or a musician whose work has moved through you — I work from a photo and/or video and your description of who this person is. What do they carry? What do they bring out in you? That is what I paint.
5x7 — An intimate portrait, perfect as a personal gift or quiet daily reminder. $150
8x12 — A layered, expressive piece with a handwritten note from me about the spirit I encountered while painting. $500
18x24 — A full, spacious portrait honoring someone foundational in your life. Includes a written reflection from me and a brief guide to framing and caring for the piece. $2000
Tier 3 — Circle of Witness You give. Someone is seen.
If you select this option, you won’t receive a portrait — you're giving one to someone in the community. I will paint a 5x7 human portrait for someone who might not otherwise have the chance to be honored this way. Your generosity extends the circle of witnessing beyond people you know, into the wider community of those deserving to be seen. $150