Thinking about asking Vicki to paint an original custom portrait, as a special gift, or just for you?

Here's how it works:

To discover the ideal vision for your portrait project, Vicki will gather visual information about your portrait through conversation, photography and perhaps paint sketches from life.
Vicki prefers to paint from her own photos and references, but to paint a portrait as a surprise gift, working from your own photography is sometimes possible, depending on the photo.
Alternatively, the surprise could be an organized visit to Vicki’s studio for a photography session so Vicki can acquire the reference material for the your one-of-a-kind, heirloom quality portrait painting. At the photoshoot we try different clothing, postures, lighting and background and choose the images the sitter and their family like the best and most truly show the authentic “look” of the subject. A short video may also be taken to help capture the personality of the sitter.

Pricing is simple and an upfront 50% deposit is required to secure your place on Vicki’s commissioned portrait schedule. The time a commissioned portrait painting takes and the process used depends greatly on the complexity of the work, usually allow several months. Scheduling a meeting at Vicki’s studio, via telephone or email is the first step to beginning your portrait project. Once Vicki has a full understanding of your portrait project, simple, upfront pricing and potential delivery dates will be given.

For Multi figure Portraits in Oil Add $4000 for each extra person,
The prices below are in Australian dollars and are for unframed, but fully finished, highest quality oil portraits with simple clothing and plain backgrounds.
Prices are determined by size and how many figures in the painting.
Vicki can help organise your Framing if preferred.
For all portrait Commissions a non Refundable 50% deposit is required to secure a place on the schedule list for one of my portraits, the remaining 50% to be paid upon completion of the portrait.
For some overseas commissions, travel and accommodation expenses may attract an extra fee, unless multiple commissions can be arranged at a time.

Portrait Price list for fully finished highest quality Oil painting, unframed Oil on Linen

40cm x 30cm $4000 Head only
50cm x 40cm  $5000 head and shoulders
60cm x 45cm $8000 Head and Shoulders or ¾ child
76cm x 60cm $12,000 Half body with hands
90cm x 60cm $14,000 Half Body with hands
100 cm x 80cm $18,000 Larger than half body with hands
120cm x 85cm $25,000 ¾ body with hands
150cm x 90cm $30,200 Full body

Contact Vicki to Commission your special one-of-a-kind Original Portrait

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    Testimonials

    Linda Kristjanson_Former Vice Chancellor, Swinburne University, Hawthorne, Victoria

    It was an absolute pleasure to work with Vicki.
    Her artistic talent and attention to detail were exceptional.
    The response to the portrait has been wonderful.

    Charlene Mascia

    On July 25, 2020 our lives changed forever. Allen M Smith was not only the love of my life but he was a father, grandfather, uncle, friend and hometown hero. The community that he served in Riverhead New York as Town Attorney, Supervisor, volunteer fire fighter and as a Town justice requested that his portrait be painted to be hung in the courtroom in which he presided for the past 20 years. Without hesitation, I knew that Vicki Sullivan would be the artist we would commission for this precious request. My favorite photo of Allen was a rough, distorted, pixelated cell phone photo in which he was presiding over a wedding in the mountains of Colorado. Given that photo was poor quality and the fact that Ms. Sullivan and I live approximately 10,000 miles from one another, one would think the task an impossibility. Not so! The miles melted into dear friend chats and FaceTime visits. The living master that Vicki Sullivan presented us with a portrait which exceeded our expectations! She did not simply capture a very good likeness of Allen, but instead gave to us a portrait of three dimensional styling which truly captures his generous, loving, playful  and compassionate soul along with his deep and profound wisdom. This work of art is beyond breathtaking. We, the family and the community, are so very grateful to Vicki Sullivan and so very honored to have her signature attached to this priceless portrait of our Allen, The Honorable Allen M Smith. Bravo dear Vicki! Bravissimo!

    Grace Farris {musician}

    I wanted something that felt extravagant and humble and I wanted a real artwork painted by an amazing artist and that's when I came across Vicki Sullivan. I thought wow this is exactly what I want. Vicki's work is so great that it is exactly the right fit for what my album represents in so many ways.

    I thought a painting that encompassed the power, the freedom and the romance that "The Birth Of Venus" encompassed I knew would be perfect . Vicki then sent me the final artwork and I was completely emotionally blown away. I was mesmerised. Quite a few tears were shed.

    It was a very powerful and humbling moment. I felt so lucky and so amazed that Vicki had painted me. Vicki really knew me and there are veins on my hand that she just captured so perfectly. I could tell she studied every inch of me.

    It was an incredibly amazing and an overwhelming feeling and I everytime I look at Vicki's masterpiece "The Birth of Venus" I am mesmerized and blown away every time. I was completely amazed by Vicki's work. It was an incredible experience and visually met the same overwhelming experience of creating my album 'Grace'.

    I am so proud to have Vicki's masterpiece "The Birth of Venus" as my album artwork for my album 'Grace'."

    Dr Helen Szoke AO

    What do you give a wonderful man who is turning 70 years old for his birthday?  I thought of a portrait, and contacted Vicki Sullivan to commission the work.  We began this project in the middle of lockdown, and Vicki arranged a photo shoot at the first safe opportunity.  It was an easy and exciting process where the end product is fantastic.  The work is so real and authentic, and so exciting to have an original portrait painted by such a talented artist.

    Graham Goldsmith - Former Chancellor, Swinburne University, Hawthorne, Victoria

    “I have shown my wife and it has her seal of approval!! Much much better than any photo ever taken of me”

    Kevin Cosgrove - Former Australian Trade Commission Consul General, Auckland, New Zealand, and retired Businessman

    "In October 2016, my daughter and I visited Mornington Peninsula Art Gallery to view a demonstration of portrait painting by 2 local artists.  Sue said Dad was enthralled.  True. Especially by the work of one artist: Vicki Sullivan. Curiosity piqued, and determined to learn more about what she had described as realism painting, I rang Vicki a few weeks later and asked if she would be interested in painting my portrait!  “Why not?” said Vicki.  “I’ve just finished one of a 90-year-old”.  I was then 85. So began an often intriguing and always enjoyable 7 months process during several settings both at my home and Vicki’s studio in Rye, Victoria.  My purpose was achieved well beyond expectations: to learn lots of fascinating, interesting, rewarding stuff about a superb professional artist’s methods, talent, technique, concentration, commitment, intelligence.  The very pleasing result showed Vicki’s purpose was admirably achieved ……"

    Judy Muir OAM

    "Vicki Sullivan is indeed a Master of the art. Her paintings of my granddaughters are indeed exquisitely detailed and so true. They could simply walk out of their frames. Photographs cannot depict the detail these paintings show. Skin tones and texture are true and tresses of hair cascade with life and vitality, the eyes are bright and alert and hands are truly dainty yet child-like.  The composition is complete, a moment in time perfectly captured.  Treasures indeed."

    Daniel

    "I wanted to have a portrait of my mother painted as a gift for my father. From the outset I had confidence that Vicki was the right person to create this gift. Now that I've been able to give it to Dad I'm even more sure that I was right!

    Vicki's process is clear and straightforward. Her fees were transparent and nothing changed throughout the discussion. My mum was a reluctant model, but Vicki put her at ease and in the end managed to make it a fun (and education experience!). She set clear expectations with me about how it was all going to work, how long it would take and when I'd be able to have input. All of these expectations were met and exceeded
     
    And, the finished painting is wonderful. It's something our family will treasure, and is a true, warm and touching representation of my lovely Mum."
     
    Mary Hollingworth

    Portrait of Alan Hollingworth "We have a portrait of my husband done by Vicki. What I love about it is her use of colour and shading catching the cheerfulness and kindness of my husband. It is a brilliant portrait and the light colours against a darker background works very well, the lighter being his face and neck. The use of light and shadow and the way she has caught his laughter lines and lines under his eyes is exemplary. It is very realistic and captures the essence of him. I never tire of looking at it and my friends and family just go wow…. this is Alan., as in Vicki has caught him the way that they see him."

    Dayle Purcell

    "My first experience of working with Vicki, was to have a portrait done of my beloved little dog Bonnie. Vicki was warmly welcoming and my little dog responded in kind. Bonnie was relaxed and calm. The resulting painting, is the perfect image of Bonnie. Her personality was captured so accurately, not only due to Vicki’s artist skill, but also because she made the environment so easy for Bonnie to be natural & calm. The next meeting with Vicki was with my daughter on her 12th birthday. My daughter Georgia did a sitting with Vicki which lasted about an hour. Over that time Vicki made me daughter feel relaxed & so special, that the pictures Vicki took was entirely stress free. It is difficult for a child to be so relaxed with a stranger, but Vicki is herself a calm & gentle natured person. The portrait of my child is the perfect rendition of Georgia. She is at ease and tranquil in the painting. Vicki has for all time captured the very essences of my darling girl. The painting exactly portrays Georgia, still childlike but on the verge of blossoming into a teenager. The paintings I have from Vicki are priceless to me. I am always charmed by them. I am always captured by her skill as an artist and her sensitivity as a person."

    Ross and Cathryn Bloore

    "Commissioning a portrait is not something I had ever done before, so when I contacted Vicki about painting my wife's portrait as a present for a special birthday she was having, it was with some apprehension.   How much would it cost? How long would it take?  Would such a renowned artist even be interested in a commission from regular people like us?  Then, when my wife learned that I had commissioned her portrait, she was understandably nervous about being "immortalised" in oils - would she look good, would she like the result? So, it was great when the whole process turned out to be a delight.  Vicki was very easy to work with and made sure we understood every part of the wonderful journey that is portraiture. To say we are delighted with the portrait is an understatement.  Vicki captured my wife's essence in a way that no photograph ever could.  There is something luminous and tactile about an oil painting that conveys the soul of the subject - hard to understand until you see a loved one depicted in oils.  My wife loves the portrait, feeling it illuminates her caring character. We have the portrait hanging in our entryway where we see it every day, and every day it gives us great pleasure.  That pleasure also comes from knowing it is an heirloom piece that will be handed down to our daughter to remind her of her mother, and then to her daughter and so on. Thank you, Vicki, for your talent and for creating such a beautiful piece of art. Ross and Cathryn"

    Heather Jane Ellis

    "On first meeting Vicki Sullivan it was clear from the outset that she has a natural warmth and generosity of spirit. her enthusiasm for her work particularly in Portraiture is really infectious. Vicki has a very natural ability to bring her subjects to life especially in painting true skin tones and capturing vibrancy in the mood and character of her sitters. Vicki always captures the twinkle in an eye or perhaps a shy smile. I believe that all artists whatever their medium or style must be ever striving for perfection & improvement in our particular field and Vicki never fails to live up to this Ideal. Though to some onlookers it might seem that Vicki has reached a pinnacle with her Portraiture."