I didn’t want to lose the original gesture of this portrait by overworking it, so I just touched up her white bib and finished the background. I’m working on a similar portrait of her brother Max, but I’m struggling more with it. I need to come at it again with a clear mind and a fresh approach. Sometimes pictures paint themselves, sometimes it’s like beating my head against the wall. When that happens, I need to walk away and give it time. I’ve picked up paintings that I thought were hopeless, and months or years later, they get completed with out struggle. That’s kind of the way life is, isn’t it? I guess that’s what vacations are for. So during these days before I start my new job, I’m taking advantage of the hours to paint.