Kiki & Polly

Portrait Perfection

In this era of quick and easy digital photography, it’s natural, I think, to contemplate something a little more permanent. In the past couple of years, I’ve come this close to shelling out for a custom portrait—of my husband and me, of our dogs Gidget and Isabelle, and most recently of our baby. But when it’s time to sign the contract, I stop short. What if I don’t like the end result? What if the faces look distorted? What if the not-so-cheap custom portrait ends up in storage and not on display?

Kiki & Polly portraits solve my dilemma, bridging digital photography and classic portraiture. Artist and mom Lisa Golightly, works from your favorite digital photo, and incorporates the actual face of your child (or anyone) into a pre-existing or custom design of your choosing, so nothing is left to chance. The photo portion is printed using archival quality ink, and the painted portion is done in acrylics. The end result is equal parts quirky, charming, and beautiful—and sure to become a family keepsake. It’s easy to imagine getting a few Kiki & Polly portraits created at once, or over a couple of years, so you could display them together.

If you’re still a little hesitant to take the plunge (apparently I’m not alone in my portrait trust issues), Golightly offers a variety of canvas sizes and prices the works accordingly.

So, will Santa be delivering a custom portrait to someone in your family this year? Does anyone have any family painting stories (good or bad) to share?

—Emily

• Pricing based on portrait size
• Sizes range from 6“x8” to 16“x20”
• Individual, sibling, or family portraits
• Fully custom or semi-custom options
• Acrylic painting on heavy canvas, 1 1/2” thick
• Framing available, but not necessary
• You provide a high resolution digital image
• The face is incorporated into the painting
• Scans and approvals are done by email
• Allow 4-6 week lead-time