The friendship of other artists

No images with this brief post today. Just a thank you to my friends/peers who provide insight and encouragement as well as fresh perspectives. Arts organizations provide another type of support for artists, but it is the artist to artist connection that I value the most. Thank you for your comments and input, Ron Barsano, Dave Kuszinski and Larry Blovits as well as those artists who have made comments directly here following posts, I am grateful for the time you took to share your valuable thoughts. Gaining insight into one's own work is difficult. We can use a physical mirror to check it, but the eyes of others whose work you respect is the best mirror of all. Without reflection and hard work, little growth can be expected.
Now, to the studio!

Glades Song

I am not sure why, but painting the figure is so much fun for me. A local group of artists meet weekly to draw the figure from life. I am so happy to have this opportunity again. Hiring models is difficult on a tight budget, but being able to practice my craft with others not only keeps my skills honed, it is just plain fun. I believe artists need other artists. We have such a great informal group comprised of members of Jo-Ann Lizio's organization: Atlier Lizio
Occasionally, I hire a model or two just for myself. This painting: Glades Song is a result of such a session. I prefer not to do formal portraits, but to put people in natural settings and try to capture not only a likeness but the essence of the person/people in the picture. Here two friends/collegues are just visiting and enjoying a quiet song in a park like setting near the Everglades.

Whew

Balancing painting and real life can be interesting. I am coming up for "air" today. I just updated my website and added new paintings. Three are strictly about native Florida and one is about people enjoying natural beauty. I really enjoy figurative work the best, but nature comes in close second. Please visit my website and see the 4 newest pieces. Rabbit, Rabbit replaces Dancing Oak on the homepage. Old Spirit: Survivor is the painting of a gopher tortoise who has large scars on his shell as a result of being run over in traffic. A neighbor rescued him and brought him to his property. It isn't good to move critters (not sure if what he did was legal), however, this fellow would have been dead had he not been rescued. Development and roadways put animals like this amazing old fellow in grave jeopardy.