Zach

9x12 Oil on paper

Last night I made a little time for painting again, and not ready to start a large landscape, I decided to do a portrait sketch of my youngest when he was about 12.  My problem with portraits has always been an undesirable blotchiness from not blending well, perhaps because I don't use enough paint, maybe the Liquin dries too quickly, or maybe I still don't know what the hell I'm doing.  But achieving a reasonable likeness is coming a little easier now, and the colors don't seem to be so hard to chase down.    Maybe it's true that we need patience, because all these hours of practice will finally lead us closer to our goals.  My goal has never been to sell a painting, or even to paint in a way that would sell, but to be able to put down enough of my idea or catch enough of the emotion that I can share it.  That seems to be reward enough for me.