[Valerie Gudorf]

Mike,

What a wonderful painting! I am amazed by your beautiful reference photos. It seems to me that if you must work from photos (and most often we must), then those photos had better be the best possible. I don't believe you could have done any better. They are so well lit and composed so sensitively, I smiled immediately upon seeing them. By employing such skill and forethought in your photo compositions, you've eliminated so many pitfalls in the finished paintings.

Now about Abigail's hair: There's no way it will usurp that wonderful, petulant expression. Linda is so right in comparing this little girl to Fay Dunaway. The look is priceless. Generations of future relatives will be talking about the portrait which results from this photo.

So don't be afraid to show the wonderful light that shines through this diva's hair.