The Bathroom Sink: Custom Still Life Oil Painting

This custom oil painting transforms a mundane, everyday fixture into a vibrant study of color and light, created as a special birthday surprise.

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

I loved the concept behind this commission. The collector wanted to surprise his fiancée by having their very own bathroom sink painted in my signature style. Sinks can be technically challenging due to the reflective surfaces, especially on a smaller scale, but this piece came together beautifully. I worked closely with the collector to crop the scene perfectly, managing to fit both the purple soap dispenser on the left and a small ceramic dish containing her ring on the right.

I painted this piece on a custom studio-prepared panel using professional oil paints, building up heavy impasto layers to create a gorgeous, tactile surface. Instead of flat whites and metallic greys, I pushed the colors to the limit, filling the porcelain basin with soft pinks, lavenders, and cool mint greens, while using high-contrast strokes to capture the shiny, multi-colored reflections on the chrome faucet. It is a joyful, light-filled tribute to the quiet spaces we inhabit every day, designed to bring a bright burst of color to their home.

Why I love this commission

• Elevated Mundane Subject: The composition turns a personal, everyday bathroom sink into a striking piece of fine art.
• Reflective Chrome Details: I used bold, high-contrast brushstrokes to capture the glassy, multi-colored reflections on the faucet.
• Sentimental Inclusion: Extra care was taken to include tiny personal objects like the specific soap bottle and the fiancée's ring in its dish.
• Chunky Painterly Surface: Heavy, visible oil paint layers give the small panel a beautiful physical texture and an archival finish.

Technical Details

• Original Oil painting by Alai Ganuza
• Custom small format on studio-prepared wood panel
• Professional-grade oil paints with protective varnish
• Certificate of Authenticity (COA) included
• Worldwide tracked and insured shipping via FedEx