Portrait Artist Forum - Introduction

Hello everyone. I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Lisa Gloria, and I've been reading this forum for, oh, forever. I can't tell you how helpful it's been! So I finally emerge from my (thinly glazed) shadows and say hello.

A little about me - I went to the University of Illinois to study painting but didn't finish, and then spent 10 years being a dot-com business lady in Chicago. About 2 years ago I was laid off *again* when the company went kablooie, so we loaded up the truck and moved to Toledo, and I've been painting full-time since then.

Before we moved here, I made about 3 paintings a year. In 2000, I got the bug again, and painted a few portraits in watercolor, then got laid off, worked freelance in graphic design and web design. But then I realized I was sick of the dot-com thing and needed to paint. I started researching everything I could on theory and technique, and in the last year I've produced 3-4 a month.

Long story short - I've got so much to learn! Every thing I paint is my new favorite painting ever, and then I do another one and the previous efforts look like I painted them with my elbows and one eye closed. I have read and re-read the posts here looking for clues.

I'll post for critique soon, when I have something worth your time. I'm so happy to be here - I feel like I was just allowed access to the hall of heroes!

Nice to meet all of you