At last my painting is done

Hi,

I know -- if you've been tracking the progress of this
work you see that the face changes quite a bit as I go
along. True and that's another reason to keep it away from the client's understandably curious eyes until it "feels",finished. It isn't completely ready until the client says so, but I like to invited scrutiny when the work is so close that the client will more than likely approve it when it's unveiled (pulled out of the plastic bag.) In almost every case so far when I've done a portrait the clients have turned and hugged me with joy. I'm pretty sure they weren't faking that emotion. But I have to feel happy first. I have to think, "you know what, this is pretty wonderful. I am good!" And that certainty doesn't come too easily to me.

One way that I know a painting is almost ready, is that
I start to talk to the image as if the person is really in
the room with me. No. I'm not crazy, but although I'm
not going for a high realism look in my portraits, I do
want the painting to say -- I am ________ fill in the
name. In Elizabeth's case I was very lucky because her
parents own a lot of paintings, her dad is an accomplished
artist himself, and they love paint, they love individuality,
and wanted what I do. That made me feel much more confident
and free when I began to work.

It's Sunday. I've been away all week, and I'm tired. We're
going to take our boy to dinner, or order in takeout,
and watch movies. I hope you have similarly enjoyable
plans.

Have a congenial day!