People Portraits: "Mother's Play"

Mother's Play was a commission to paint, and it was a fun day photographing mom and child in play.

A sentimental reflection of motherhood inspired me to paint the new mother, Grace, and her joyful son, Leeland, in this portrait titled, Mother's Play. They came over to my loft one warm afternoon when the west light filtered out of my 20-foot-high windows, showering glittering light while encircling the loving glow that was emanating out of Grace with Leeland, swaddled in a papoose attached to her back. 

Close-up of Mother's Play in soft pastel on Canson pastel paper.

I woke up the next morning inspired to paint them, so I contacted Grace and spent one session in her loft with my camera, photographing some playful poses with Leeland, but he was very suspicious of my camera, scowling at me. So I suggested a more distracting pose with Grace throwing excitable Leeland up in the air to express a timeless play between mother and child.

Close-up of pastel, Mother's Play by Minaz Jantz

I wanted this portrait painting to be on paper, and in a style I usually don’t use, to break out of my regular creative comfort zone. I found this dark blue Canson pastel paper left behind during a move-out in our loft building. Its surface is much smoother and takes fewer layers of pastel than my regular choice of sandpaper. 

Mom Magnificent... Minaz