It is about to be the worst day of the year for men and the absolute best for women – well, the girls hope for the best.  As Valentine’s Day approaches you can almost hear the collective dread from men all over. Obsessive thoughts about what gift could possibly be good enough are racing through male minds.  And to make matters worse, we live in a dotcom world where the exact same flower arrangements, lingerie and gourmet chocolates are purchased by everyone.

While guys are stressing, girls are giddy with anticipation or more likely daydreaming that this year the gift will surely be better than last year’s. And each guy is aware that the level of how well their present is received is a direct gauge of how phenomenal of a guy he really is (and how well the night will end up for him). That’s what I call a lot of pressure.

Listen up guys and I’ll fill you in on a secret about me and my 11th grade boyfriend. That young guy knew just how to make a girl feel special. He knocked the ball out of the park on Valentine’s Day by surprising me with a gift that took my breath away.  He was super talented and he proved that fact by creating a large portrait of me that he had clearly spent days meticulously drawing.  I stared at the artwork in wonder.  No one had ever given me a gift so personal and so unique and so much all about me. I was THAT girl – the one that hit the 11th grade jackpot.  While everyone else got a card and a rose – maybe a small box of candy – my guy proved he was crazy about me.  But make no mistake, DO NOT take this as an endorsement to paint your own portrait of your valentine.

Commissioning a well-done portrait by a professional artist is a way to show that you truly love everything about her and only her.  You love her looks, her brains, her personality and her heart. It shows that you love the fact that she’s yours and only yours forever. No matter how much someone likes the idea of jewelry or candy or any other mass-produced product this literally makes her a one-of-a-kind piece of art. It shows her that you see her like her father might and way more. You know who else had this idea? The husband of Lisa del Giocondo.  You probably know her better as Mona Lisa. Her husband understood that he had someone exquisite and the world agreed. He commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to put her on canvas and hundreds of years later the world is still glad that he did.

So, for once, listen guys and take note from the old masters and my old boyfriend. Forget doing the same thing you do every year and that every other dude does. Don’t get that gift that proves you didn’t put any thought into it and worse yet – puts you at the bottom of the how awesome is my guy scale. Instead, consider getting her something that is filled with details and touches all about her.  Her favorite colors, her treasured things in life, and her face emblazoned for eternity on a canvas. And remember, a custom portrait is something that a necklace, nightgown or decadent sweets just can’t rival. 

You’re welcome.

Here is a link to some portraits I created of special women I know