This afternoon I am locked away in my office, door closed on all 4 dogs, determined to start and finish the drawing required for my workshop tomorrow with Helen K. Beacham Fine Art. My mind has been on or escaping from everything but art since Mom's fall. I'm SO looking forward to having two days (Fri 10 - 4 and Sat 10 - 3) to focus on nothing but learning and creating.

A few days before Mom's fall I finished my very first and, I'm sure, not my last, chicken painting.  I took progress photos and wanted to share them with you.  This is  Hyacinth, one of the 3 baby chicks my daughter, Meridith, has been raising.  Hyacinth was just beginning to get her adult feathers in and Mer sent a selfie of the two of them showing the little chicken snuggled up under Mer's chin.  I chose to paint in a different background so the focus would be on Hyacinth.   I really need to take another photo of the finished painting as I have,  in addition to finally signing it, gone back in and softened the edges just about everywhere but on her chest and face.  Doing that draws even more attention to where I want it to be.  I learned a great deal about texture vs softness while painting this little girl.  She is 9" x 11" and can be purchased for $165 including matte.