Flamenco Academy

A couple of years ago I read this wonderful book, "The Flamenco Academy" by Sarah Bird, and was totally enthralled.  It was set in Santa Fe and was the story of two young girls who entered the Flamenco Academy.  So rich is the character development and story line of this novel, that you almost can feel the beat of their shoes on the wood dance floor.  Ever since reading that book, I have wanted to paint a flamenco dancer.  I finally created one for my cousin Carol to hang in her new home.

I hope she portrays a sense of power and passion, as well as a little mystery.

Trudy

I'm finally through traveling for a little while.  It seems as if I've been gone forever on one mission or another.  Returning to painting has been a challenge.  You'd think that someone who gets as much out of art as I do would be excited to get back in the groove, but no.  All the old anxieties and insecurities come roaring back - will I be able to do what I want - will it be any good, blah, blah, blah.

This painting is a little challenge painting dreamed up by my friend and teacher Polly Jackson.  The subject's name is Trudy - don't have a clue who Trudy is, but she is a wonderful subject. I keep wanting to type Turdy - wonder if the cosmos is trying to tell me something!

The challenge Polly posed was to paint Trudy in any style you wanted to, and send her a photo so that she could post all of them on her student blog www.areyoupainting.blogspot.com.  They should be posted sometime on Saturday.  Check them out.