The Honor of Inspiring Others
Watercolor Painting of Tree Swallows © Sherri Friesman
I received an email about three weeks ago requesting permission to paint one of my Tree Swallow photos found through the blog. I was soo honored that she felt inspired that I quickly emailed her back saying, “Yes! Yes! Yes”! That is such a wonderful feeling that one picture can encourage someone into creating a masterpiece like this!! Just yesterday I received another email from Sherri stating that she “was finished with the painting”!! Wow, I am speechless with how wonderful it turned out and couldn’t wait to show this painting to everyone!!
The Reference Photo
Sherri Friesman is from London which is in South Western Ontario (Canada) and has been painting since she was a kid. I think she has some amazing painting talent and I hope with everyone’s kind comments that her husband will finally finish her webpage (and maybe start her own blog??) so we can see more of her work!
Thanks Sherri for making me smile with your wonderful work that you have done. This so reminds me of the emotions that I had while taking these photos and what was in store for these guys the following days. I am also very proud to have the privilege to show your Tree Swallows painting to the world!
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
I loved your Tree Swallow pictures this spring, and am not surprised that someone would want to paint one of them. (Sherri lives just an hour from me, and one of my daughters lives and works in London, Ontario) Beautiful photo, beautiful painting!
3 August 2007 at 5:56 pm
THAT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
I could just gaze at it forever. Does Sherri sell her work? Mon@rch I’m so proud for you!
3 August 2007 at 5:57 pm
I will let Sherri answer the selling her work question and I bet if we had enough request she would make some prints!
@ Ruth, thanks and I thought they were cute for sure but never expected they would be inspiring someone like this. Very cool on the location!
@ Lynne – I think this is going to become my new wallpaper on my computer!
3 August 2007 at 6:03 pm
Sherri’s painting is absolutely amazing, Tom, as is your photo! Please let us know when her website is up!!
3 August 2007 at 6:24 pm
TOO COOL!
3 August 2007 at 6:55 pm
So this was handpainted, and not digital? Awesome!
-Kaz
3 August 2007 at 7:06 pm
Your art is inspiring more art. What an inspiration.
3 August 2007 at 7:25 pm
That is really neat Tom, you must be very proud, it is a great image and painting.
3 August 2007 at 9:37 pm
Hi everyone, thank you for all the great feedback! Tom’s photo just grabbed my attention and I’m thrilled that he allowed me to use it for inspiration. I’m also very honored that he’s pleased with it – enough so that he put it on his site! I do sell my work, and hopefully soon, will have my website up and running. I’ll let you all know when it’s ready. I’m looking into the cost of having giclee prints made but this is new territory for me. I’ll keep you updated on how that progresses!
Sherri
3 August 2007 at 10:17 pm
I really liked your photo when you posted it earlier, and I think Sherri did it justice with her watercolor. They’re both beautiful!
3 August 2007 at 10:44 pm
Both the photo and the painting are beautiful!
3 August 2007 at 11:11 pm
Wow, Tom, that’s so neat! A beautiful painting from a beautiful photograph. Thanks for sharing Sherri’s painting and story with us.
3 August 2007 at 11:53 pm
Hey Tom – maybe you can use it as a background/template for your blog – that sure would be impressive. And we all would enjoy seeing it when we visit your blog. 🙂
4 August 2007 at 2:52 am
wow!!!!! collaboration and reciprocation! I love it!!!!! This is the web 2.wonderful part of the social web. Thanks to Sherri AND mon@rch for showing us the beauty of tree swallows and opening themselves up to the world thru their art.
4 August 2007 at 11:28 am
This painting is so beautiful!
I would love to hire Sherri and have her paint a water color of my birds.
All most all the paintings in my house are of birds, but not my birds.
Sherri, your work is awesome!
4 August 2007 at 2:47 pm
What an exciting thing to happen. I remember how excited you were when you showed me this photo the day you took it. The watercolor painting is beautiful.
4 August 2007 at 4:06 pm
Delightful – darling. I’m glad to be introduced to this wonderful artist.
4 August 2007 at 9:36 pm
@ Pam – isn’t the painting amazing! WOW!
@ Patrick – thanks
@ Kaz – this is hand painted for sure!
@ Barb – thanks and yes!
@ Bernie – it sure is and very proud!
@ Sherri – so glad you found me somehow! Can’t wait to see the website and be sure to pass it along for sure! Thanks
@ montucky – thanks and she did such a wonderful job!
@ ecoflorida – thanks
@ Ruthie – sure is and glad Sherri was willing to share with everyone!
@ Mary Carlson – that’s an idea? Not sure if I can do that with this template??
@ Jennimi – isn’t this sweet? Aww, you are soo kind! Thanks
@ Bev – hey stranger – she sure did do some awesome work didn’t she!
@ Grace – isn’t this great! I can’t remember if I told you she was doing this!
@ Catchy – glad you found it for sure! Thanks
5 August 2007 at 3:51 pm
This is just awesome Sherri! I love it (as I loved the original photo) Please get your hubby working on that website-I’d be thrilled to have one of this and it sounds like I’m not the only one ;D
This is must have been so exciting for you Tom!
5 August 2007 at 8:36 pm
That’s great – very nice painting. I’ve had requests that were similar, but I don’t think I ever saw the end result of them. Nice to see someone coming through with a finished product – and a good one at that!
8 August 2007 at 3:50 pm
Simply awesome! Friends who don’t have computers plague me about why I spend so much time blogging…it is because of the wonderful people you meet, who do things like this. What a great photo to begin with and such a terrific painting!
26 November 2007 at 9:35 am