A thread of my weekly faces.

[Debra Jones]

It is Pavlovian.

I have been going to the three hour open studio for so many years, my brain does a countdown. I have been, recently due to my little snit, skipping the first 20 minutes and I think the second athena was only 2.5 hours but the time frame is only three hours.

I do think I should try a larger format and work on the boring parts, like the edges some day, but I have always tried to take whatever pose I end up with, do the very best I can with whatever the model is doing and try not to complain outloud. I don't have the opportunity to have my models pay me much, so I am training myself to be a friendly quiet worker giving no guff to the model, ever.

I assume clients want to get their money's worth and not feel tortured. This speed painting thing is a little more of a necessity because I have yet to dump the day job, but it is much easier to slow down, than hurry up!

I did a lot of small commissions in the mean time, the best I feel is the daughter of my cousin. When you are stuck with long distance Christmas presents, photos and studios, the open workshop is such great exercise!