margaret

Arches CP 300 gsm, 12" x 9". 4 hours.

another in the life color studies. the third one is limping along and may make a failure.

how to portray the face? it seems to me that the life of a person is made of a handful of feelings they experience over and over -- love your country, life is a bore, i know something you don't, tomorrow is another day, i'm with stupid -- whatever. these few habitual feelings make up a life. at the same time, they experience change as they shift from one feeling to another.

a good portrait shows the expression that is experiencing the change: doubt turning into understanding, a scowl into a smile, recognition into conflict, joy into awe, awe into laughter. it's not a life feeling that makes up a life, but the way one feeling gives way to the others. the painter must identify the two characteristic life feelings.

what is to me most special about margaret is that she is in the transition from girl to woman; she can feel herself blossoming. her age seems to melt into the background, and a person on her way in life steps into view.