The month is leading to longer days. This mean more daylight hours. There is something about them that charges me up with more energy to paint. So several pieces are in progress and a couple of commissions are in the works. The commissions I enjoy most are the portraits. Its a great opportunity to get to know an individual better and not because we are chatting but because of the hours that we share in the studio. Learning the features of the individual is like driving down a familiar road. The more we work together, the more I see of the individual, the more I get to know their features. The way the light and shadow hit the different planes allows me to chisel out a likeness that is closer to the person in front of me. The other ingredient is the essence of the sitter, the familiarity with their personality. I try to capture that character in the tiny glimpse I see of them and stroke it into my work.