In the fall of 2005 representatives of the "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund, Toronto Branch, asked me if I would accept a commission to paint a portrait of an English Baroness. It was to be a surprise gift and be presented to her at a fund raising dinner in June 2006.

The Armenian Fund was established in 1992, and has funded nearly 300 humanitarian projects all across Armenia and Karabagh. Baroness Caroline Cox, considered one of the great humanitarians in the world today, is the deputy-speaker of the House of Lords, appointed by Margaret Thatcher. Her international work includes serving as a Director of the Sakharov Foundation, Trustee of Medical Emergency Relief International, Chairperson of Christian Solidarity Union as well as the Chief Executive of HART (Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust). She has been awarded honourary doctorates by universities in the UK, USA, Russia and Armenia.

The challenge for me was to paint the portrait without meeting her, using only a few photographs and a video of her making a speech. I accepted the commission once I established an 'escape' for myself. If I failed to create a painting that was satisfactory to me, I told the committee, then they could buy an Inuit sculpture to present to her and I would be the only one disappointed.