Painting the people in my life

After a summer of painting outdoors, both in the city and on the sea, I decided on a new project:  why not paint the people in my own life? It was hard to leave the guidance of my wonderful teacher Mary Beth McKenzie, and to lose the stimulation of colleagues I greatly enjoy and learn from.  But I felt ready, or at least game, to push myself well outside my comfort zone.
So, I started to ask people, and some people started to ask me. We set dates. We negotiate what feels comfortable, how much to talk (and what about), how long does each "set" last, how do I see them and how that meshes with how they see themselves.  Some are able to be very still. Others move more than any professional model, and that's OK. It feels formal, and yet very intimate.  I'm sad when each portrait ends, yet looking forward to the hours I'll spend with the folks now on my calendar.