#InMyStudio... accounting for where I'm at.

Sooo it seems the past while, I've got stuck on just doing face after face and although I know my faces needed work... in terms of my proportions, depth and character etc.  It feels like of like I've got stuck in this place and it has felt safer doing one face after the next rather than venturing into full canvas pieces... esp after some of the bigger pieces I did earlier this year.  Also having such a busy work schedule has left me with time for little else... I even found when I was #InTheClassroom in Italy, I felt completely overwhelmed by the prospect of venturing into a piece and kind of kept it safe by doing a few faces.  I started a bigger piece but felt too intimidated to complete her there...

I knew I had some work to do... not only #InMyStudio but also in my head.!!!!!

So last night I decided not to do any computer work but just to play #inmystudio - and worked on doing some extra layers on some of my Italy faces and also I framed up two paintings yesterday... one of my beautiful gifts from Misty and one of my own pieces...  Hopefully I will get to do more framing this weekend.

I started this piece in Italy #InTheClassroom but she didn't blow me away!

But for some or other reason last night with deeper layers - her eyes just got me.

I'm not sure if I was just super tired or what but she is just filled with so much emotion for me!

I started this piece Sunday night because I was just so desperate to play!

She's pretty playful But I wanted to play some more with this piece.

I'm loving her much more!  She's more serious and I love it.

Again - I love her eyes!  So full of emotion!

I prepped some old canvas' last night of pieces that haven't sold.  I gesso'ed over and that's where I started today!  One of the other things I realized in Italy is that I need to go back to using references for inspiration... I really found this so helpful!  I've got a bit stuck on intuitive paintings that I have forgotten how lovely being inspired from references can be.

It's challenging and not using a reference has made me a little lazy at times.

I need to keep practicing with this.

So I decided to use my Botticelli book that I picked up in Florence for reference for this piece!  I'm so excited about doing a full painting again and I'm already loving this!

And of course... there's a hand... I'm already loving that hand... one of the things I've been desperate to grow with this year... I'm calling this piece...

"Extending the Olive branch"

Let the learning and growing continue!