I just want to second everyone's words here. These are very rich and sensitive pieces. I loved all of them.

Thank you for being a fresh breath (composition wise). Beautiful work!

Marina--

What fantastic pieces! I also saw them a few days ago while I was lurking around visiting other members websites (I do that sometimes to get inspired) and I was greatly impressed with your drafting ability as well as your handling of limited colour. I agree with Michelle about your husband

Fabulous work!

Dear Marina,

These portraits are so stunning! I love them all, but you should get a prize on your husband's.

It was such a privilege to see these masterwork originals in Reston, just over a week ago. You deservedly drew quite an eminent crowd around you! Being the shutter-click compulsive guy I am, I had to document some of the buzz around your portfolio of drawings.... I spy:

Yuqi Wang,
Juan Martinez,
Linda Brandon, and
Marvin Mattelson,

among the onlookers praising you! I am glad I got the chance too! Thanks for sharing these!

Bravo!

Garth

Thank you Julie, Ilaria, Alex ,Claudemir, Ngaire ,Carlos ,Tom and Garth !

Carlos: I'm afraid that the rope will remain a bit mysterious, unless a psychanalist manage to explain it! ( My attachment to art?)
It wasn't existing in the beginning of my project, but as I was developping this it appeared to me that something was missing... When I was trying to find what, the rope appeared to me like THE solution, resolving all my composition problems, adding another dimention, etc...

Garth,
I was so concentrated trying to answer ( and to understand) questions that I didn't realised you were taking so many photos! Thats a great thing you did, I tend to live in the present and forget lots of things unless there are some traces of it like photos...