Finished Commission - and Thoughts

I was reminded yesterday by an online friend that my blog is suffering from neglect!  Yes, it's true.  As I have worked to get a presence on FB, Etsy, Artstack and Saatchi, I have run out of internet posting patience.  It can be exhausting all this sitting and typing on a flickering screen - and with my particular visual problems - painful.I often end up in bed with a powerful headache, too drained to blog. 

And yet Blogspot is where I feel most comfortable; where those who stop by are more like to look closely, read and interact in more than just a superficial manner (as on FB).  I've met some wonderful people here over the years and I want to maintain those relationships and continue to meet new folks.

So even though I am a visual artist by trade, writing helps me to work out what I really think.  It forces me to organize my thoughts and understand the "whys" of things and thoughts and opinions, not just the "whats." And finally, here on Blogspot (and WordPress) there is such a wealth of talented people who write, paint, photograph, or perform and whose creativity inspires and delights.  I love that we are each others audience.

Commission:  Lady Godiva -Triumphant . 60 x 36 acrylic on canvas

This commission occupied me on and off for the past several months; researching, drawing, making changes and finally completing this large ode to classicism and symbolism.  No head bowed and posture cowed Godiva here.  She sits relaxed and confident upon her powerful steed, her scepter symbolizing her great heart and love of life.  In her left hand she clutches a rose, her representation of rebirth.

Installed in client's home.

The background depicts landmarks from the client's home region: a rushing river, a particular mountain, distant vineyards and vegetation - all meaningful to her.  I loved painting the prancing free rein horse and doing a figure study was quite a change of pace for me!  I really hated covering up the wonderful job I did painting the left breast - ah well - propriety won out... 

No post is complete without a cat picture... so here is my latest foster failure, Stratton, aka Bratty Stratty.  She is actually very sweet except she's at that stage where feets under the sheets are wa-ay too tempting.  She's half Siamese, has one slightly crossed eye and chronic sinusitis - which is why she's ended up staying with me,