5:11 PM: we had a full day at school today, working with the kids and their great teacher in developing their projects, to be presented at the april showcase. i spotted yet another beautiful notebook cover, created by a fifth grader.
after returning to kat's house, where we are guests, i launched into my 3rd portrait of 18, of the speakers at the vail TEDX taking place next month in vail. the already poor natural light was fading fast, so i had to work quickly before darkness fell. i may re-do this one when i have better light. i love the photograph of the speaker on which it's based, and could envision this becoming one of my 32x32" gaze series paintings. perhaps even the larger 38x38" size.
many of the photos i have to work from are unsuitable. either the speakers have that look at me smile, or are poorly lit, or otherwise unimaginatively photographed. shadows are important, and often they are missing or too light. i look for the spirit of the subject. after all, if they are speakers at a TEDX event, they've got to have some vibrant interior world they want to share with the world. it should be present in their gaze.