Workshop Happiness

Thursday and Friday of last week were stellar days! A workshop with six students and lots of enthusiasm. The first successful workshop I've had in over a year. Yay! My butterflies began to slowly leave as the first day progressed. This was a "gentle" group, eager to learn, and so warm towards me. By Friday I was enjoying the whole process and what a relief. I think I learned as much from them as they did from me. To add to the contentment of the experience my dear friend, Lyndia Terre, showed up to take the class! I have not seen her for quite some time as she has been motoring around the southwestern US and only recently returned. She does not need any lessons but was there to be supportive - is this a true friend or what? She worked on her own version of figurative portraiture and came up with a couple of soft, ephemeral canvases that speak of the models youth and vitality in a unique way. I did some quick demos and the final one is posted above. Rowan is a rare model - her first time - and so perfect. She has features reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance; Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, or Piero della Francesca come to mind.