Finally 20 minutes

Today we had torrential rainfall and the studio was nice and quiet.

Finally I could set my timer to do "20 minute paintings" I have been so busy with preparations for my classes, meetings, preparations for next schoolterm, catching up on work etc. that I hadn't even be able to find time for 20 minutes works. I was craving for some "me" painting, don't get me wrong, I am happy doing what I do, but sometimes I feel like I am forever making samples (which are quick paintings in their own right of course) but they are not really "my" paintings if you get what I mean ? They are technical examples for the students to learn from, so often they are not completely finished either, to show the process rather than just the finished work. So when my friend Jane Spakowsky came up with the solution of doing 20 minute paintings, I really felt like doing some. But wow, is it HARD !!!!! 20 minutes goes by so quickly when you're doing a portrait......I normally spend quite some time fiddling on portraits until I am happy. But... well, eventhough I was itching to change some things or add some things, I stopped when the buzzer sounded and here she is :

"Miss Sadie with Flowers" - 29 x 38 cm on wood

and then I quickly did a cardboard box for another sample becuase I still had to prepare for next week which is schoolholidays here and I always run art classes for kids in the holidays : A peacock