2010 Madonna sketch

Much too humid to paint today, so instead I worked on value studies in my sketchbook as per some great instruction last week from Tom Francesconi of Chicago. The basic idea being this: get it solved before you paint, and then when you DO paint, paint with abandon. Absolutely great advice.

I am anticipating my mother's request for a piece to donate for her charity raffle, and perhaps if I get something done I can take it with me when I visit Detroit in August. Continuing the mother and child theme begun a few years back.

Gelato @ Bergamo U

Watercolor, 11" x 14"


I guess we're back to almost monthly Janart, but I'll be trying to go at it daily this month... any frequency at all would be an improvement. The question of the hour is, if painting is such a priority for me, why does it get put at the bottom of the To Do list, as though I had to earn it? If anybody's got an answer to that, I'd sure like to hear it....

This is painted from pictures taken on a trip to Italy this year by (not me, sadly) a childhood friend from my home town, Barb Cloutier Richards. She was such a great photographer, I couldn't resist asking her permission to paint from a few of them. Grazie, Barb!