Often I am the second artist to attempt a desired portrait. This was the case here. For example, people sometimes send a photo of their loved one to China, and in a few months, they receive an inexpensive generic painting that is more than disappointing.
Jarrett's mom came to me out of this frustration. All I had to work from was a wallet-sized school picture, showing only his head and shoulders. Her request was for a full-length painting to be laser engraved onto a six-foot granite monument at the gravesite. I wanted his parents to have a full-color oil painting of Jarrett for their home, which would also provide the image that was needed for the monument. I was given his clothing and the boots which appear in the painting. Jarrett was an all-American boy who loved the outdoors and enjoyed riding his four-wheeler.
His mother agreed on this option for the pose, and I was asked to keep the scale small to accommodate the wall space in their home. The results were typical of Jarrett at age 14, and the excellent engraving work is guaranteed for 1500 years.
