LISA IN REDS AND GREENS

Every once in a long long while, something I do, for some unknown reason, just stands out as a "WOW". This is, in my eyes, one of them. You may not agree with me–everyone has his own preference. But this is one of those pieces that remind me why I spend so much time at the easel, working and working, cranking out countless OK ones, throwing out the bad ones (sometimes not throwing a bad one out and realizing too late that I should have). I spend untold hours at the easel because every once in a long long while one of these happens. I don't realize it when I'm doing it. I finish it, put it aside and begin another. When I look back at my work later, it jumps out at me and I wonder, what divine entity possessed me to be able to do that? I could never do it again no matter how hard I try. It's exhilarating, transcendental. I must experience this again. So I go back to the easel, hoping for another magical piece. Sometimes it takes months. Lately it seems to be almost a year, if not more. But what reassurance it is when it happens. There's still a spark in me somewhere that's capable of allowing it. I must get back to the easel.

This one, obviously, is not for sale. I try to hold on to those special ones for my two daughters, who will have my best pieces when I'm gone.