24x30 | Oil on Panel

Week 50

Our free spirit walks through the open courtyard, a warm wind in her face that teases and threatens to steal her brimmed hat. Her confidence emanates through the somber clothing, as though even a shroud of sorrow must dance in her presence. A stray skims for leftovers in the cobblestones and his shadow leads the way. 

Getting started on this one Laert was nervous about the time limit, and although I wasn't, made me anxious also as to if we could do it in time. The architectural details were challenging to put in while letting it remain impressionistic and loose. I feel myself getting faster with many components. I'm understanding more how to build layers quickly, to see the parts to keep loose and the parts to detail so to bring the impression of what I want. 

We of course talk while painting, and sometimes our conversation is helpful, inspiring, sometimes is funny or sad, sometimes it's heated. The most (ok, one of the most) challenging is when Laert wants to talk math. It is a subject as distracting and riling to me as gender roles. It is like black flies swarming my face, getting in each crevice and obliterating by sheer numbers. We laugh at our slowing speed- but I'm firmly blaming the subject matter. So we buckled down to finish.

The cobblestone courtyard was the challenge for this piece- deciding which technique to get the smooth stony path without the luxury of layers and months. We ended up using velatour and paint removal - but it ended up so clean by her black fabric it surprised us both. I love that part of the painting now. How interesting and inspiring that the parts new and challenging are what we love most. It's proof that hard work and moxie are gifts. Our Elefthería is a Greek woman's name for freedom. The freedom in our free spirt comes not easy but from those gifts.