Hi Suzie, you are too funny! thanks for the compliment :-) . I actually have an outdoor art exhibit tomorrow that I will be entering Dorathy's painting in for competition. The painting as posted here isn't showing up as well (in the photo) as it does in life, it really has much more depth to it. Yes I do commission jobs and oddly enough most of them seem to be of my clients pets...horses, dogs, cats. I wish I had more chicken space in our coop because there are so many other varieties I'd love to have and being able to paint them is just a side perk! -Sheila Here is a link that might be useful: My Artwork

Thanks Dan, I changed it. I did find your video on YouTube and really enjoyed your roses. When it warms up around here, (we have unseasonably yucky weather, ice, snow and sub freezing temps) I'll have to give your method a try. My ground is terrible and I'm slowly starting to amend it but it won't be ready for planting for a few months yet. I don't know if your method will work under such poor conditions but I'll give it a try. In the mean time I have lots and lots of containers

This looks like a hand colored photograph, except that it is painted on canvas. I'm not sure if they did that back in the 1800's or not, but that's what it looks like to me. My dad was doing hand-coloring of photographs at one time back in the early 40's but all of his work was on paper images. If this was a relative of mine I would be inclined to spend some bucks to have it restored and also to find out through geneological research all I could about the subject person and possibly the painter/photographer. The wood mounting block appears to be mahogany. The damage is so extensive on the canvas under the picture, it will not likely ever be worth anything other than as a family heirloom. But it sure would be nice to know something about it. I find it fascinating. Also I would have it restored to it's original frame. That's just me, though, I like old stuff to look like it did originally, even if it costs money to make it so. My dad bought an antique press-back chair at a garage sale for $2 and I paid $108 to have the seat recaned. There were much less expensive ways to have it done, but the way it was originally done was the old weaving method and I wanted the restoration to be authentic. Was it worth it? To me it was, even though I don't know anything else about the chair except that it's really, really old and very, very pretty. I guess you'd have to decide how much this item means to you. Personally, I think you have a priceless family treasure and if it were mine I'd probably be a little excited about it. (yeah, right, just a little - YAHOO!!!!! ZOWEEEEEE, EEEEYAAAAA, YOWZAAA, IT'S MINE ALL MINE ALL MINE Mwaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! (doing!! the!!! happy!!! dance!!), etc, etc) But that's just me. Cheryl

Thank you, but I do not know the medium, as I am not a proficient professional in appraising antiques. I am absolutely dependant on this forum for advice. The portraits I describe appear to be photographs on canvas, and they are bleeding thru the back of the canvas... now that you ask. Does that help? I have a local dealer who is coming this week to see them, very interested, since the frames are almost in perfect condition. Who knows what the frames are made of, but they are rectangular. Only a pro will know upon inspection. Please try to tolerate novices here. This is what the forums are all about.