With a Twist - WIP

This is 8 x 10 on Ampersand Pastel Bord with Ludwigs and a few Rembrandt's and Schminke's for the soft pastels.

I'm doing it from real life since I don't have any pressing deadlines at the moment. This is great practice and I definitely need the practice.

All I have done so far is the sketch and cover the board with some basic values and colors. Still have a long way to go.

I haven't done much artwork for the last couple of weeks, so I am in the mode of forcing myself to paint which always makes me feel better, but getting started is a "bear"!

Just to share a bit......

My adult son has been ill for the last year and a half, and we are just coming off the last round of surgery and drug "aftermath". He had a tumor removed from his left frontal lobe last August, and has had doctors pumping anti-seizure meds and narcotics into his body since then. He was in Swedish Hospital in Denver last week and had extensive EEG monitoring done to find out that his seizures do not originate in the brain, therefore none of the drugs being pumped into his body will help, and probably have contributed to the nightmare he has endured. Take away the drugs with their nasty side effects and he is beginning to feel a bit better.

He has 3 adorable children (2 teenagers and a 2-yr old), and a beautiful wife who has the weight of the world on her shoulders right now. I know they are strong, probably stronger than most people....but my heart hurts for all of them....and it makes it darn hard to have the energy and focus to paint.