AdamVanVliet
Large-scale portraits of people caught mid-flinch — hands over the eyes, the mouth, the whole face. Built up in blocks and knife marks, then let to run.
Selected Work
The Work
Every one of these people is hiding, and none of them are getting away with it.
The hands are the tell. They come up over the eyes, across the mouth, around the throat — the reflex you make a half-second before you break. Adam paints that half-second: the face still composed, the body already gone.
The surface does the same thing. Skin is built in flat blocks and knife strokes that stay honest about being paint, then washed with runs that drip down the canvas like the picture is failing in real time. Grounds go raw and loud — cadmium red, acid yellow, a flat teal — so there is nowhere for the figure to hide.
The charcoal and graphite drawings run alongside the paintings: same faces, same pressure, stripped to line.
- DisciplinePainting · Drawing
- MediaOil · Acrylic · Charcoal
- SubjectPortrait · Figure
- ScaleLarge format canvas
- OriginalsAvailable
- CommissionsOpen
Originals are available directly. Framing, shipping and studio pickup are arranged case by case — ask when you write.
Commissions
Talk it through
Send the subject, rough size, where it is going to hang, and any reference photos you have. If it's a portrait, the more candid the reference the better — these paintings live on real expressions, not posed smiles.
Scope and deposit
You get a firm price, a size, and a timeline before anything starts. Half up front to hold the slot and cover materials, half on completion. No surprises later.
Paint and hand off
Progress photos as it develops, with room for notes at the block-in stage. Finished work is varnished, photographed, and ready to collect or ship.
Common Questions
Is Adam Van Vliet taking commissions right now?
Yes. Commissions are open, with a limited number of slots at any one time. Adam paints commissioned portraits and other subjects in oil and acrylic, usually at large scale on canvas. Send an enquiry through this site to check current availability.
How does the commission process work?
Three stages. First you talk it through — the subject, a rough size, where the piece will hang, and any reference photos. Then you get a firm price, size, and timeline before any painting starts, with half of the fee up front to hold the slot and cover materials and half on completion. Finally Adam paints the work, sharing progress photos as it develops with room for notes at the block-in stage; the finished piece is varnished, photographed, and ready to collect or ship.
How much does a commissioned painting cost?
Every piece is quoted individually based on size and complexity. Commission budgets range from under $500 for smaller work up to $6,000 and above for oversize canvases. Payment is split evenly — half up front, half on completion — and you get a firm price before anything begins.
What mediums and subjects does Adam work in?
Figurative work — portraits and the figure — in oil, acrylic, and charcoal, usually large-format on canvas or panel. The charcoal and graphite drawings run alongside the paintings: the same faces and the same pressure, stripped back to line.
Can I buy an existing original instead of commissioning one?
Yes. Original paintings are available directly. Framing, shipping, and studio pickup are arranged case by case — mention the piece you have in mind when you write.
Does Adam ship finished work?
Finished paintings are varnished, photographed, and ready to collect in person or ship. Shipping and framing are arranged individually depending on the size of the piece and where it is going.
How do I get in touch?
Email adam.vanvliet1@gmail.com or send an enquiry through the form on this site. Adam answers enquiries himself, so you will get a real reply. Candid reference photos and a rough size help most.
Start a Piece
Say what you're after.
Commission, an available original, an exhibition, or just a question about the work — it all lands in the same inbox. Adam answers these himself, so expect a real reply rather than a form letter.
- Emailadam.vanvliet1@gmail.com
- Instagram@adam.v.art ↗
What helps most
- 01Candid reference photos
- 02Rough size, or the wall it’s for
- 03A date, if there is one
- 04A piece here that’s close