Work in Progress: "Memory"

An on-the-easel detail of "Memory"

The image above is a detail of a work currently in progress on my easel. I'm planning to call this piece "Memory" because I was so drawn in by the woman's pensive gaze; it seemed to me that she was mulling over a distant recollection. I caught this at a neighborhood coffee shop in the trendy Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC. I've spent much of the past week working on this piece. It's a bit of a self indulgence because I've devoted a lot of attention to commissions this winter, and this idea represents a change of pace for me. It's somewhat eccentric and 100 percent pure inspiration for me. We're due to travel to visit friends down in North Carolina this weekend, so I'm not sure if I'll finish it before that point, but I'm pleased with how it's progressing thus far.

And just as this work symbolizes a new direction for me, I'm looking forward to the upcoming months because I have some new experiences on tap. In April, I'll participate in a plein air painting event along the Eastern Shore in Maryland. And in May, I'm planning a midwest road trip and painting excursion. My itinerary is still taking shape, but at this time I'm looking forward to visiting the Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio, Detroit, Chicago, and my old hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. I'm totally stoked. Further updates as events warrant...