For many of us, the house we live in comes to express so much of who we are, almost like a passport of our home lives. That's why it's becoming increasingly popular for homeowners to commission a portrait of their home that can remind them and future generations of what the house looked like at a particular time in its-and their-lives.

In Europe, where people frequently decorate their residencies and offices with original artwork, it is not uncommon to see a home portrait. Here, in the United States, the practice is less common, but gaining in popularity. And it does require special skills. Arch. Jaroslaw Gruzewski, resident of Massachusetts brings the elegance of Europe to Boston with his lavish watercolor paintings. "I think a watercolor painting is more attractive, lighter, more sophisticated as any media," says arch. Gruzewski., who brings to the work both a long history of art education and a masters degree in architectural design from MIT, Cambridge. "Strong architectural background is necessary to paint architectural landmarks, residencies, villas," he says. "Sometimes there are ten, or eleven layers of depth, several complicated perspective points involved, which make my watercolors much more difficult to create than other paintings (like landscapes or abstracts)." As with people, the process of having a home portrait done requires that the artist see the subject in its best light. "If I am invited by a client to paint I do it at a site" explains Jaroslaw, "if I cannot come, I request several photos of the residence from different angles." He reviews the photos with the homeowner to select the most favorable angle and takes the photo back to his studio to create the painting, which takes about a week to complete. Most of his Residential Portraits, and Architectural Landmarks are about 19"x 29" (45 cm x 65cm). Double sizes are often commissioned and created. The finished work includes wonderful details on both your home and the garden. Jaroslaw often delivers his art works to local clients in person, and ready for whatever framing the client has in mind. For centuries, architectural home portraits were commissioned exclusively by the European aristocracy, for whom Jaroslaw painted while in Europe, between 1983 and 2003.

For the rest of us, villas' portraits by Gruzewski run around $7,900 USD with additional costs for framing, accommodation and traveling. Architectural landmarks are more time taking and usually cost a few hundreds more (about $8,500 USD), which is still a bargain considering his art works outstanding qualities not found in art gallereies today, very high market and artistic values. He has been painting for 24 years. Arch Gruzewski's name is well known to many internationally recognized art collectors, dealers, organizations and art galleries. Written by Mrs. Linda L., Boston, 2003, for the Boston's Home and Garden

" Owning a Gruzewski is a superb financial INVESTMENT. His watercolors consistently double their value during art auctions. Jaroslaw accepts CORPORATE and INDIVIDUAL commissions: Architectural Landmarks, Residence Portraits, Landscapes and Marine subjects. His watercolors have already helped numerous banks, hotels, wine producers, consulates, hospitals, yacht and golf clubs in their business promotion." Art works come with Certificates of Ownership to ensure your investment.