[Garth Herrick]

Hi Everyone! This Forum is amazing. I had no idea one could log on remotely, when out of town. Great!

Dear Allan, David, Patricia, Jimmie, Mike, and Linda,

Thank you so much for all your kind enthusiasm and compliments. I never know if I have a good painting until I am told I do. Your input means a lot! I am still nervous, being less than an hour before I unveil this. Wish me luck!

Allan: I doubt I be sharing the first version, because it is quite tentative and unfinished (and I no longer like it). Although the pose was the same, she was slightly slouched and the dress was perhaps too casual, with an over sized tee shirt.

You know I am a big fan of Hammershoi's portraits and paintings as well. I saw a very moving show of his works in D.C. in 1983, and I think I've been influenced ever since.

I think the colors echo and compliment each other much better in this second version of Laura.

David: I appreciate your on-line handshake! It is nice that you say this portrait does not appear too pretentious, since Laura's family are completely unpretentious folks. I am glad this comes through.

I don't know how to explain my reasoning for refining areas of the painting, except that I just keep painting until it looks right. The more I keep working the painting, then automatically, the more refined it gets. Sometimes this goes too far, and I see where I want to try to unrefine things again (which is hard to do). Initially every passage in this painting began as a vigorous alla-prima approach. With refinements, some of that original vigor gets lost, sadly. If I could figure out how to paint everything in one shot and be happy with it, that would be great. But alas, if I fix and improve one thing, then the next thing needs improvements also. With Jane and Iona I managed to maintain an alla-prima whirlwind going in the last 24 hours, as I repainted literally everything.

As for how sharp to keep the edges, I just keep adjusting them until the feel right, and usually what feels right is not all that sharp.

Patricia: Thanks! I was trying to keep the skin tones within a soft understated range that I observed in some Paxton portraits, while up in Boston last April for the SOG Dinner (lets all gather in D.C. this next year!).

I feel close by you today. I'm in Jamestown, PA, just exactly east a short distance from Cleveland. I would love to get out to your town again and see that great museum of art you have!

Jimmie: Thanks, I think I just missed you as you were writing your quote just as I was posting this. I am jealous also of your amazing drawing ability.

You are right; I need to think about getting a website. This forum is as close as it gets right now.

Mike: Thanks! I would love to learn a little insight into the process Sargent used to paint his masterpieces. Were they alla-prima, or done in stages and layers? I like to maintain some painterly brushwork when possible. The faceted surface can add so much interest. The more I refine things, the more photographic the effect, but a slightly broken painterly color effect should be preferable, I think.

Linda: You are too much! Thanks, I will try a little harder to not paint well. I am still learning and evolving in my techniques, and have been much influenced by everyone else's high caliber work in this Forum (including your's). If you or anyone have any good suggestions on how to pull this learning process all together, then let's do it!

Hey, what do you know, it's after four o'clock and I have to unveil the painting now!

'Till later, all the best,

Garth