Steven, you are invited!
 

Chris and I both welcome you to the neighborhood Starbucks for our next confab! When will you be in Scottsdale next?

Your new friend,

Debra,

I recognized Ted too as I have painted him a couple of times at SAS! I definitely like your version better than mine! You did a wonderful job on his portrait. I like your loose brushwork and am trying to loosen mine up a bit.

I also wanted to mention that I saw your pastel at the Best and the Brightess! Congrats on that accomplishment. Have you sold it yet?

I read how much you are painting at the open studio and I am impressed. I have never been but having read how you go religiously, I am thinking about fitting it into my schedule when it allows. So see, your posts are inspiring some of us readers here in the Valley.

We need a chapter
 

We need some sort of Portrait Society out here in the Valley! This is getting exciting. Tonight at the school we will have Paul, the model coordinator. Too hunky for words, I have never gotten a good oil of him. Wednesday evening is Tiffany, the waiflike former model-icon of the school.

I would love to have a forum where a lot of us could co-post the same evening of paintings from the studio. A buffet of talent! Hope you come. If you never met him, here is Paul:

Footnote
 

I have not been in the Forum for a while but wanted to tell you all that this picture of Ted was a finalist in the Artist's Magazine 2002 competition, portrait.

No picture, just the 10 letters in the December Publication - but next year!

Many congratulations!

Congratulations Debra! I greatly admire your work.

Congratulations!
 

Debra,

Congratulations! What a treat to be a finalist in the Artist Magazine Portrait competition -- probably a dream for me!

Before I read anyone's post I was taken by this portrait. The harmony you have created with color (value!!!), brushstroke (appears effortless), and emotion as well as texture is awesome.

Thank you for sharing this with all of us.

Sincerely,
Denise

Hello Debra,

I like the portrait of Ted. The detail of the portrait shows a wonderful handling of the paint. If possible, I would like to see an even more close-up look of certain details of the head. I would like to see the purple and blue accents you placed in there (I think).

Greetings,
Peter

Even bigger footnote
 

I got an award for him in the St. Louis Artist's guild show. Cash is not much, but recognition is invaluable.

I am feeling pretty good about the old coot, and needed a place to crow.

Congratulations. Very well-earned.