MKCTV asked local artist, Cathy Reed, for her account of how this amazing commission came to light. Once again, it all started with a familiar ring of the phone. It's often the beginning of such tales. A lady, in pursuit of paintings for a Wetherspoons refurbishment at Victoria Station, stumbled upon my artwork. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that my piece, "Victorian Destinations," depicted Victoria Station itself. Was it available, she inquired eagerly? "Indeed, it is," I promptly replied. This sparked a lengthy conversation, leading to what seemed like an imminent sale. I was thrilled. Shortly after, an email landed in my inbox with the specifics. However, they had just realized it was Victoria Station in Manchester they needed, not London! Could I manage to create a painting of the London station in time? We had a little over two weeks. After some consideration, I agreed, emphasizing the urgency. I knew others were involved in the decision. She requested high-resolution images for a meeting with a designer later on. Eventually, it evolved into a commission for not one, but two paintings, both due by the original deadline, now less than two weeks away. Typically, I allocate at least four weeks for a commission. These paintings were intended to narrate a visitor's journey to London, starting from Victoria Station. The destination was still undecided. Fortunately, on the day of the second call, I had the foresight to ask my partner to snap some photos on his way home from work. After extensive editing, we settled on the composition for the first painting, and work commenced on Victoria Station, albeit nearly a week later than planned. Here's the outcome. The plan was to finalize the brief for the second painting to begin it as soon as work began on the first. However, it took longer than expected. Clear client direction is crucial for commissions, at least a general idea of the location. We bounced around from Muswell Hill to Canary Wharf to Rotherhithe before finally settling on an image for the second painting, only to realize I already had suitable reference images from a previous shoot. The second painting began, albeit with a technical hiccup as the white paper was already painted when we decided to add the Underground map. This would be the final product. Though the perfectionist in me would have appreciated another week, I'm pleased with the result. They're now proudly displayed at Wetherspoons in Victoria Station for all to admire. If you happen to be in the area, do take a look. Interested in the Commissioning Process? You can find more detailed information on my commission information page here.