SKH Portraits

It was my mum’s 70th Birthday this year and I really wanted to get her something special. When I realised that Sue can paint horses as well as people and dogs, I knew immediately what would be perfect for my mum. We had the piece framed locally – the framer said it was the best pastel horse portrait she’d ever seen – with the Orkney hills background it feels like having a window to this beautiful place. When my mum opened the parcel for her birthday it brought her to tears. She said it was Perfect! And it’s not an easy achievement to get a perfect present for someone who’s had 70 birthdays! Sue also painted my dog Moss who we lost last year. You should have seen my son’s face when this arrived for us – he’s cried over it in the framing shop, and cried over it when we hung it at the weekend. Bless him. He still misses Moss. Such a stunning piece of pastel work, it looks very lifelike. And Gorgeous in it’s frame on his wall.Thank you Sue!Moreexpand_more

My children are all grown up now, but I wanted to capture their childhood in 4 separate portraits. After a long search through many photographs from the loft and with Susan's help we found the perfect photos to begin. When I look at the paintings I feel really happy because they capture a moment in time for each child and they remind me of their childhood. I can’t say what it is …the smile on their face or the look in their eye, but I see who they were then and who they are now. Maybe it’s there essence shining through. It’s a bit magical to me that a painting can do that! I am very happy with the results. Susan kept me up to date as she helped me choose suitable photos and as she worked on the paintings. I loved to see the work in progress shots and to witness the painting come to life. The finishing touches such a difference that when I saw them for the first time I thought “wow, they are amazing likenesses!”.I would definitely recommend Susan. If you want to capture a moment of your child’s childhood in a unique and meaningful way, then Susan is the person to do it! These portraits are something that I will treasure forever.Moreexpand_more

I asked Sue to paint a portrait of my step mother in law and my late father in law from a photo before he fell ill. I am very happy with the result and have to admit to being a bit apprehensive before, but we needn’t have been! Sue updated us frequently with progress, including giving us options and recommendations on how the portrait could be best presented. The quality of my photo wasn't the greatest but Sue did a fantastic job in creating the portrait and I can see their energy and personality shining through the end product. When my step mother in law opened the package, she was overwhelmed by it and she really was pleased with her gift. Sue, thank you so much. Highly recommended 100%!

Excellent first class quality work. Brilliant portraits, superb customer service. Amazing final workmanship. Highly recommend, incredible artist.

I commissioned Susan to paint a portrait from my favourite photo of my 2 children when they were very young playing in the garden. It was the first time they had really played together which was a very special moment for me. I am really delighted with the results, not only with the likenesses of the children, but the way she has totally captured the energy of the original photo. Susan totally captured the moment – I had no words – It actually made me cry a bit! I am absolutely delighted with the results, I feel that the children’s personalities really shine through. Susan was a pleasure to deal with, kept me up to date with progress and was open to my ideas. I would wholeheartedly recommend her as a portrait artist. In fact I think I need to have some more children just so she can paint them!

Amazing, talented lady! Sue did a beautiful portrait of my 2 year old daughter which was totally flawless and now takes pride of place in my home! All of her pieces are absolutely beautiful, done with great care and attention to detail and I couldn't recommend her more!

I am really pleased with the portrait that Sue painted of our dog Ginny for my wife's birthday, it has absolutely captured Ginny and shows her cheekiness so well. We asked Sue to take care of the framing with non-reflective glass and a frame to match our decor. It was really nice to see the evolution from sketch to final portrait and my wife was absolutely delighted with it. Very highly recommended.

I love this portrait of Murphy, his eyes speaks volumes and I have to say the uncanny likeness Sue captured was amazing. Sue updated me every step of the way with photos of the progress she had made. I would highly recommend Sue as I believe she would capture your loved one perfectly.

I provided Sue with the photograph of our cat that both my husband and I love and she took it from there. With her amazing talent, Sue created a portrait that captured Gracie perfectly. You can even see the flicker of naughtiness in her eyes. Sue and I worked together to get the colours just right for Gracie's coat (there is a gingery tone that wasn't very evident in the photograph - but Sue got it perfectly in the portrait). My husband was blown away when I presented him with the portrait. It is just one of the best pastel portraits of a cat I've ever seen. Neither my husband nor I could be more pleased or thrilled with this incredible work of art.

I commissioned Susan to paint a portrait of my boys as a gift for my husband - the result of turning the photo into a painting is just gorgeous. Susan took the time and trouble to ask about tiny details on their faces and then brought their characters to life in pastel. The photo of the two of them together is nice but the portrait is just stunning. The first time I saw it, it made me gasp and each time I look at it, it stops me in my tracks. It really is a beautiful portrait to treasure. Susan was a pleasure to deal with and very professional, I would not hesitate to recommend her. Susan also painted my 2 horses I have no idea how she does it but when I look at my horse paintings their eyes - their character just comes shining through. They are equally breath-taking as the portrait of my sons.

During the creation of my portrait Sue sent me photos to keep me up to date with her progress and to check I was happy with it. This was something I was not expecting, and made me feel more in control and even more confident that I would be happy with the result. She even made slight adjustments at my request, and suggested a couple of amendments to picture to improve the composition. This in my opinion is the beauty of a a drawn or painted portrait over a photograph. Seeing the finished article as a small photo on my screen really did not do it justice, and I couldn't wait to hold it and look at it in person. I wasn't disappointed. The result is a truly beautiful portrait of my gorgeous nephew, with a likeness absolutely true to life. , I presented the portrait to my sister at a family gathering where there was no doubt amongst any of the guests as to the subject. The picture was universally admired by aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and most especially his parents.Moreexpand_more