[Terri Ficenec]

Thank you all so much! I'm flattered and a little taken aback.

Thanks Michele, it's good to know I'm headed in the right direction! So many things all came together late last Spring and during the summer, I think:

First of all, this forum and all of the generous critiques... not just of my own work, but reading through, following along with, the critiques of other artists as well, and trying to generalize the concepts behind the suggestions, seeing the difference those suggestions made. Certain discussions had a lot of impact... in April, Garth Herrick's discussion of velaturas was a lightbulb moment; Everywhere, the emphasis on edge control... and understanding what this really meant by seeing it applied in critiques and finished works. Also, both you and Sharon Knettell really drove home the need to plan (color, composition, etc.) before even starting a painting rather than trying to fix bad (or no) planning once the painting is underway. Everyone insisting that I really should switch to oils... (what a difference from acrylics!!) Also, the inspiration of how much other artists here have also grown!

Attending Tim Tyler's workshop this summer, a real confidence booster. He asked at the beginning what we each wanted to 'get' out of it... my primary concerns at that time were a better understanding of composition/color issues, and being able to work with more confidence/speed.... before that it was taking me months to finish a painting. This 'Daddy's Girl' actual painting took 1 week start to finish. The gist of the feedback there being, (after the initial sketchin) 'paint each area as if that is that last time you'll touch it'.... believe it or not, I'd previously painted with the expectation that I'd be back to visit each area repeatedly before it was done. I still do go back in and rework areas -most often with scumbles, or velaturas...(thanks Garth), but every time am expecting, 'this is to finish it here'. I think the effect of the 'finish it now' approach is two-fold, the painting is not only done sooner, but it's stronger/more coherent (less tentative). As far as the color/compositional concerns, I can't get into all of that here, but obviously very important and tied in with the up-front planning. Having live feedback while painting really helped to tie in the importance of color subtleties to why a composition will work or not. So understanding these things a little better is a boost.

Third... discovering the ARC website and pouring over their on-line museum, especially Bouguereau (sp?) and other amazing painter's works, especially those where the skin looks so real and just trying to figure out why, and internalize that sense.... realizing how much is possible with paint and striving for that.

There's probably more, that's had an impact but that's what comes to mind right now.

Mary, the canvas is small, but they are cropped in so close that their heads are not all that little, her head is ~6" (I usually like to work with > 7"... but she was so little to begin with, it's really not that much smaller than life.)

Again, Thanks!!