This phase of the project serves as technical practice for my project Lost Crane Portrait Project, taking place in 2026. Please scroll down for more information.

FREE LIVE PORTRAITS

Thank you for your interest in this project!

I am seeking models to come to my studio (219 W. 9th Street, Downtown Dubuque) during First Friday programming in October (10/3/25) or November (11/7/25) for live sitting sessions while I am open to the public.

These are seated, clothed sessions - I plan to do 2 sessions per First Friday event so please only apply if you are comfortable sitting relatively still for at least one hour with the possibility that the general public may be stopping in to observe your sitting. I will choose four total models for phase one.

What’s in it for you? You get to keep the painting! I will make an oil-paint study of you as you sit for me and when the sitting is complete, you will be handed a [WET!} portrait of yourself - Free with my gratitude. So, are you interested?

Lost Crane Portrait Project - 2026

Cranes are symbolic of balance, good fortune and longevity (due to their fabled 1,000 year life-span). In Japanese tradition, folding 1,000 origami paper cranes results in a wish granted.

I am the first generation of my father’s side of the family. As the daughter of an immigrant, I have lived between two places my whole life. It is an unbelievable privilege to be able to call two place home. In contrast, I am aware that there are those in our community struggling to build a home for themselves, having had to flee or make the difficult decision to leave their home of origin.

So much is lost in an across border move.

I am interested in igniting a passion for portraiture in Dubuque. In the past, there were historic businesses where portrait painters had studios in downtown Dubuque.

This project proposes to paint portraits of two women from the community, ideally nominated through The Dream Center and/or the Presentation Lantern Center. I am seeking female-identifying persons who have a family, however they define it, in their care and charge willing to sit for live portraits. Each model will sit for approximately 4, 2-hour live sessions, finishing will be done from photographs.

At the completion of the project, the general public, family and friends of the artist and sitters will be invited for an unveiling of each portrait with an artist/sitter talk and a social reception following. At this gathering, the paintings will be officially gifted to each sitter.

It is my hope that these portraits will be a physical representation of the support, love and care this person has supplied their family and something that will be passed down through the subsequent generations.