Dad's 'Terrible' Paintings Earn Thousands in Commissions

Jamie Lee Matthias never intended to become an artist, but his hilariously terrible paintings have earned him thousands of dollars and fans across the globe.

The 42-year-old dad from Cheshire, England, started his unusual side hustle by accident in 2024 when he gave his wife Kate a deliberately awful portrait as a gag gift. She posted the funny artwork on social media, and it exploded with thousands of views and comments from people who loved the charm of his wonderfully imperfect style.

Since then, Jamie has received more than 430 commission requests from 12 countries, including the United States, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Surprisingly, 35% of his orders come from Taiwan, where families have embraced his playful approach to portraiture.

Each painting takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete, depending on how many people are featured. Last January alone, Jamie received 130 orders and spent at least five hours a day painting while juggling his full-time managerial job.

His prices start at around $60, with some pieces selling for a few hundred dollars. The extra income has allowed Jamie and his family to install a new garden and take a holiday to Turkey last year.

Sunny's Take

What makes Jamie's story so heartwarming is how he's turned imperfection into connection. His toughest critics are his own kids, who lovingly tell him his paintings are "terrible," but they secretly love how colorful and fun his work is.

Jamie has expanded beyond commissions to teach local art workshops, where participants completely embrace the joy of creating without worrying about perfection. He's even brought his talent to schools, giving demonstrations for his stepdaughter's class of 10 and 11-year-olds who thought his work was "quite good."

The most touching moment came when actress Judi Dench agreed to sign one of Jamie's portraits for auction to support Sobell House Hospice. Dame Dench, an avid artist herself, validated what thousands of customers already knew: there's real value in art that makes people smile.

Jamie operates under the Instagram handle @TerribleArtByJamieLee, where his colorful, wonky portraits continue to spread laughter. His funniest commission combined two photos: a beautiful country field and a dog doing its business.

His advice to aspiring artists is simple: just pick up a brush. Sometimes the most memorable art isn't technically perfect but emotionally genuine.