This post is long overdue. Whenever someone spots the artwork in our foyer on Facebook or Instagram and asks about it, I always say, “A good friend made that portrait of our kids! I’ve been meaning to write about it—soon!” Well, that day has finally arrived.
I received this pastel drawing more than a year ago. It was created by our friend and neighbor Robin Olivier, who is incredibly talented. The portrait is based on one of my favorite photos of the kids: a casual iPhone snapshot of them lying on our bed, quietly looking into one another’s eyes. The moment felt so simple and honest—no special outfits, no posing—just a small, ordinary sibling exchange that became something meaningful.
You can see Robin using the printed photo as a guide on a large sheet of pastel paper in this progress shot:
Portraits—especially family portraits—sometimes carry the image of stiff, formal oil paintings in heavy frames. What I love about this piece is how unforced it feels. It captures a private, tender interaction rather than a posed family portrait. That authenticity is exactly why it works in our home.
The finished drawing measures 12 x 12 inches, which fits perfectly into the mat of a square 20 x 20 inch Ribba frame from Ikea. It would also look lovely in a more ornate frame, if you prefer something dressier. Any framing shop can cut a mat with a 12 x 12 inch opening to accommodate the artwork.
Robin typically works locally but she also has an Etsy shop where she accepts commissions. Her sibling portraits of two children resemble ours, and she can create single-person portraits, posed or candid looks, larger sizes, and pet portraits—she’s a fellow chihuahua owner and does lovely work.
When I first opened the portrait I cried. Then I cried again when it slipped perfectly into the frame I already had hanging in the foyer. I wanted to see it multiple times a day, so placing it in that spot was the obvious choice.
Someday I’ll walk down that hallway and the kids will be teenagers, making decisions about college, and I’ll look up at their small faces in this portrait and get emotional remembering how quickly they’ve grown. The piece already holds a lot of sentimental value for me.
While we’re talking about artwork we adore, here are some other artists whose prints or originals hang around our home:
- Claire Elsaesser – We own a print that hangs in our bedroom and another large piece we love for the beach house.
- Vita Koby Ikina – We have an original painting by her in our collection.
- Samantha French – A print of hers hangs in our bedroom.
- Teil Duncan – We recently acquired a figure print and also have an original painting in the foyer with a similar feel.
- Emily Jeffords – One piece hangs in our kitchen and another in our dining room.
- Erin Gregory – We added one of her floral paintings to our office.
- The Wheatfield / Katie Daisy – A favorite print lives in our daughter’s room.
- HeloBirdie – Small original paintings at affordable prices; I ordered a couple and am excited to display them.
- Lesli Devito – We’ve mentioned her work before and admire her style.
- CatCoq – Several of her prints appear in our daughter’s room and the bonus room.
- Elizabeth Mayville – We ordered a cheeky bird-headed print for the beach house and are considering additional pieces for future rooms.
People have asked for an “art tour” of our house—either a video or a photo walkthrough—to show what we own, where we placed it, how we framed it, and how we pair pieces in grids and galleries. Would you like to see that? Let us know on our social channels if you’re interested. For now, I’ll go fix the mascara that’s running down my face from all the happy tears.
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