I feel like every time I finish a piece I am further down the road to figuring out ‘my’ style. Does anyone else feel like that? Maybe it’s a painting thing, but we are all influenced by different artists work and our own work consists of those influences melded together, until our own ‘style’ emerges. Anyway, I feel like I have been walking (heck, running) down a path this past year, since I decided to make some goals for myself and now, every piece seems to be a step on that road, each finished piece leaves me itching to take another step. I was visiting my friend Laurie Blau-Marshal’s blog a little while ago, and was surprised and humbled that she mentioned me as one of her inspirations for her portraits. It made me think about people who’s work has inspired me. One comment I get about my ladies, over and over, is that they are reminiscent of Madigliani’s work. That made me realize that we visual artists are all influenced by the artists who have gone before us. We see something we like and it sticks in our mind and mixes with other work we admire. Paulette Insall had a video on her blog some months back, of her working on a portrait. I was entranced. I had never even considered doing a portrait before So I gave it a try. I was hooked. Somehow this form of art allows my heart into my work like no other.The woman, mother, feminine part of me has a venue. Nothing feels as good as painting these ladies. I don’t plan them out, they just invent themselves before my eyes. The common theme these days all revolves around being a mother, letting go, watching your peeps leave the nest, a sad but also fulfilling time. I feel like this is the first time in my life that I am creating art truly from my heart. This is my latest, the title is ‘Divine Calling’. She looks madonnaesque to me and isn’t being a mother a divine calling? I think so. One last thought to take with you today, the joy is in the journey, so enjoy each step you take.