PRINTHome sweet home
Local artist creates keepsakes with house portraits
Marilyn Love
April 3, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Marilyn Love doesn’t need a hardhat and a tool belt to build a house — just paper and pens.
The self-taught artist is a member of Best of Missouri Hands — a nonprofit guild that represents artisans across the state. She has been “building” smaller versions of homes around the country and abroad as pen-and-ink drawings or watercolors. Local realtors Tracy and Beth Arey met Love when she bought her house and have commissioned her to paint homes ever since.
Related Links“Her ability to see the property and make it come to life is a rare talent,” says Arey. “She’s attentive to detail and always strives for perfection in each piece.”
Love says most of her commissions come from both coasts of the U.S., and she’s even done three works of homes abroad in England, Norway and Canada. With more than 800 recreated homes under her artistic tool belt, Love’s portraits house memories that people keep with them forever.
Vox: Did you ever consider a career as an artist growing up?
Marilyn Love: I started oil painting when I was 13. I took art courses in high school and college, but I knew it would be hard to earn a living because of the low pay. For me it was always just a hobby.
Vox: What kinds of houses do you paint?
ML: I’ve done a mansion that’s cost had more zeroes than I can count and a tiny house in the Missouri bootheel. I spend the same amount of time and put as much detail into each one. It’s someone’s home, and it’s important to them.
Vox: Do you create house portraits based on a photo, or do you actually go to the homes to draw them?
ML: Just photos. I don’t like to work outside because people will come and talk and bother you. I’ve also painted a lot of classic cars and airplanes. If it doesn’t breathe, I can paint it.
Vox: What’s the most difficult portrait you’ve done?
ML: I did a pen-and-ink drawing of the Blue Cross Blue Shield building in downtown St. Louis. It’s all glass, all windows, and you have to get incrementally smaller as you get farther and farther away. It was definitely a challenge, but I like that.
Vox: Do you ever alter the scene to fit the wishes of a customer?
ML: Yes. Sometimes I’ll add fall foliage to a photo that was taken in summer. I’ll take out a sagging gutter or a basketball post. I’ll trim the bushes. There is no ugly house after I’m finished.
Vox: What’s your favorite medium to use?
ML: I prefer pen and ink. You can put it down and come back to it hours later. Once I start a watercolor, I have to finish it. Watercolor is unforgiving. You have to get it right the first time. The pen and ink is easier for me to do and doesn’t take as long, so it’s less expensive for people to purchase. I offer various sizes to fit the customer’s budget, that way everyone can find something to afford.
Vox: Have you ever painted your own house?
ML: Never. I started to once, but I’ve moved so many times. I’ve never been that attached to any of them. I don’t have any of my own art in my house. I like to see other artists’ works. If it’s my own, I can see mistakes and what needs to be worked on.
Vox: How long does it typically take to complete a portrait?
ML: Every craft show I’ve been in, big shows and little, everyone asks that. Then they decide based on cost, so I don’t tell. I will say that each is different. Some take forever.
Vox: What kind of challenges does a house portrait artist face?
ML: Poor photos are the worst challenge. They might be too dark. I offer photo do’s and don’ts on my Web site. I can always scan the photos into Photoshop and adjust the lighting, so basically there are no challenges anymore, unless there are 9-foot bushes in the picture.
Vox How often do you create portraits?
ML: I do about 25 a year. The last quarter of the year is the busiest, with Christmas and Hanukkah. The first quarter isn’t as busy because people are still paying for Christmas and taxes.
Vox: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
ML: Being able to work at home when I want to. I’m not an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. person. If I wake up at 3 a.m. and feel like working, I will. If I feel like sleeping until noon and don’t want to do a thing, I don’t.
Vox: What is your favorite subject matter to paint?
ML: Right now it’s abstract art. I’m teaching it and enjoying it. Houses have to be tight and detailed. With acrylics you can grab a 3-inch brush and just let go. It’s a lot of fun. I like the freedom. It will change, though. I’m not a static person. My kids keep asking me what I want to be when I grow up.
For more information about Love’s house portraits, visit marilynlovefineart.com.
