Laura

Hello Friends:

A portrait painted while the model is sitting in front of the artist gives an entirely different "feel" than one that is painted from a photograph, and that is why I'm continually returning to this setup. I don't think I'll ever be to a point where I say that I've painted enough paintings from life. Every single time I face a new model, I learn something new, and I never want to stop this learning process. In Laura's case, her face has the beautiful youthful quality that is so difficult to replicate. I struggled in the studio and finished the painting later at home after I had a chance to slow down and take my time with it.

You may notice that I've painted the portrait on top of a very textured background. My artist friends may be interested to know that this background was achieved by spreading gesso very thickly with a knife on top of a canvas panel. I let the ridges dry and proceeded with the painting as I normally do. It gives the painting an aged look that I find appealing.