Mary, you asked how I've been able to improve. Well, I paint for about five hours most days and have been doing that for almost three years now. People tease me for being so serious and intense about things when I get going, but that's how I am, I suppose (despite the airhead look I have in my photo over on the left).
I read and try to apply everything I learn on SOG each day, and read art books and art magazines when I'm eating my cereal. (See: serious and intense! I'm such a bore to be around, unless someone wants to hear about painting!)
With the last three portraits I've posted (Rachel by candlelight and these two) I've been really applying Tony Ryder's method, which I learned in his class in December and which you can read about in the demos on his site:
www.tonyryder.com
Business-wise, I have production and financial goals that are very important to me each quarter and each year. Otherwise I might have to go and get a "real job" - heaven forbid! So basically I feel I have to succeed or face dire consequences.
And maybe the most important reason: I love painting so much that it's hard to put down the brush each day!