COMMISSIONED PAINTING BY SARAH GUPPY

Throughout my career I have enjoyed doing commissions for special occasions, to mark a marriage, birthday, anniversary, retirement or a much loved animal, landscape or home. Working closely with the client, I create a unique painting that contains personalised and symbolic content. 


Price for Commissioned Works:
A free consultation with the Sarah will assess budget , theme and size of the work. I have suggestions of four sizes of painting, starting at $1,500.

Taupo Road Cottage Commission


Late last year a woman contacted me from my website and asked if I could paint a cottage from a photograph as a surprise present for her husband's 60th birthday. The cottage on the Taupo Road was not their house, but a marker in their journey. For thirty years her husband had commented on the cottage, which was at a bend in the road, and signified they were nearly at their holiday bach destination.

Taupo Road Cottage - Commission

The View from Wandene Commission


This Commission was for a 40th birthday present. A group of close friends commissioned the work which was to paint a view from her home in Auckland. The owner had an ancient cat called Aggie who had a strong presence in the house, so I included her, looking out at the view.

Photograph of View from Wandene

View from Wandene - Commision

"I am blessed to have lovely friends who commissioned Sarah to paint a picture of our home for my 40th birthday. Our home holds very special memories for my family and I and Sarah was able capture this perfectly. I couldn't be happier with the painting and would highly recommend Sarah to anyone looking for a painting with that special something."

-  Endorsment for Amiee Credin

Waitemata Harbour View Commission


This commission was for a fortieth birthday present and a farewell gift for Sarah who was moving to the UK with her family. The Waitamata Harbour is a classic Auckland view, and where Sarah grew up. The still life in the foreground is full of symbols. Her three children are represented by the three growing flax plants. The bowl of five lemons is the number of people in the family and the jug of Kowhai in flower is symbolic of the feminine, and endemic to New Zealand. . The 2020 diary is open at the page of both departure from NZ and the Sarah's birthday in May. 


Waitamata Harbour - Commission

“I was so thrilled to receive a beautiful commissioned painting by Sarah Guppy for my fortieth birthday. It is a personal, meaningful piece, carefully created and with special messaging individual to me. I feel so blessed and gain so much joy from this one of a kind gift from my closest girlfriends. It will bring me joy for many many years to come.

Sarah is not only a very talented artist, bringing the most beautiful pieces to life, she also brings a spiritual connection and thoughtful consideration to her work, giving it significant personal depth and meaning. Everyone needs a Sarah Guppy piece in their life!”

- Endorsment from Sarah Smart

Self Portrait March 2020


During the Covid-19 lockdown I spent some time examining my action as an artist and challenged myself to do a self-portrait. I spent twenty years in England where I trained as gilder. On my return to New Zealand I turned my hand to Ceramics and continued with my love of painting . Latterly I have been studying Buddhism and have embraced the practices of this far reaching wisdom. Auckland is my birthplace, so the iconic view of North Head and Rangitoto is etched in my memory. I have long been fascinated by the work of Frances Hodgkins, and the many ceramic objects she placed in her painting. I made the blue ceramic jug and named it in her honour. The rose-hips are from my garden and represent my English parents and heritage. The tools of the gilding trade are laid out in preparation for work. The Enlighten Buddha watches over the painting.

Self Portrait 2020 - Commision


Playing with Fire

This is another Covid-19 lockdown work which references my homage to ceramics and my first teacher, Bronwynne Cornish. Her owl jug was a swap gift for some gilding work I did for her and is a much cherished object. It stands on a book ‘Playing with Fire’ which was published to celebrate 50 years of Auckland Studio Potters , quite simply the best place in Auckland to learn ceramics. The book is a bible of best clay creatives over this time.
The turtle dove candlestick I made, after a pair of doves took up residence in my garden. The composition is a kind of conference of the birds, a comment on how teacher and student inform each other through the process of learning. The Coral Pot behind was made by Martin Popperwell and decorated by Gavin Hurley. It is a collaborative work, which is dear to my heart, as most things in life really are a collaboration, especially ceramics. The muehlenbeckia in the pot is from my garden, a plant that has a sculptural construct which is unique to New Zealand. 


Playing With Fire - Commision