Marina, Chris, Enzie,
Thanks for the compliments. I am delivering it this week, I'll let you know how the clients feel about it. I put it in a simple frame today. Realizing it is time to invest some shopping in antique stores for cool frames!

Hi HOneymooner!
This is so salty--it's sea water (and sea breeze).

Thank you SB! Yes, I still feel as if I am on my honeymoon, just three weeks married!

The more I live with the painting the better I feel about it. I am now looking forward to delivery day!

You have every reason to be proud, it turned out beautifully. It's salt water, fresh air and happy kids and the client will be thrilled , :thumbsup:

Thank you Allan! And thanks for your tremendous help.

Patty, the closeup is beautiful. Your color sense (and use of color) is very lifelike. Good luck with the clients--but I have no doubt they will be pleased.

Thank you Alexandra, your help was so important to the completion of this painting...

It is beautiful Patti. I love the fluid plane of the water that surrounds the children and their interaction. You have a really good feeling for the beach environment. Nothing static here.

Thank you Mary!

I delivered the painting last night, staging a little unveiling for the famiy. When I pulled the drape off of the painting I fixed my eyes on the mom, watching as her eyes welled with tears and she put her hands to her face and slowly broke into a grin from ear to ear. Then my eyes wandered to the dad (who, by the way thought it silly to do the oil painting when he wanted me to do charcoal drawings of each child) as he took a step back, said "whoa" and grinned. They just love it and placed it on their mantle. Mom responded, "the painting changes the whole living room".

What a great feeling...as I was leaving dad said I will be hearing from them for oil portraits of each child; wouldn't that be grand!

All in all a terrific experience.

Fantastic! Good for you....

Such a reaction makes all the hard work worth it.

Feel free to glow.