Departing

"Departing," 18.5 x 25" various lightfast colored pencils mixed with solvents on 4 ply mat board.  The reference is from a series of photos I took as my 25 year old daughter prepared to board her plane to California.  The painting is about leave taking and letting go.  I may have gone a little crazy with all the details, right down to the turtle charm bracelet, which she has had since she was small enough to collect everything turtle, the safari bag she found in my closet, her high school back pack and the thrift store suitcase. I include these things because they are necessary to create an accurate portrayal of this cunning, free-spirited artistic person, whom I love beyond measure, in her moment.

Colored pencil commission takes a surprising tack.

This is a first!  While working out the composition for a full colored pencil commission , I sent a picture of the pencil sketch to my client.  She immediately shot an email back asking me to "STOP!"  She liked the pencil sketch so much, she wished to buy it as is. Of course I'll "clean" it up a bit before I let it go.  Here's the most recent photo.  I will continue to darken a little here and there and  brighten a highlight or two. The piece started out as a horizontal, but the client wanted  me to show pool water, so now it is square.  Interesting development, wouldn't you agree?