My love for figure and portrait work began as a teen when, on every Friday or Saturday night that I did not have something resembling a date, I sat in front of the full-length mirror in our hallway and did another self-portrait sketch, or three. Unsure that I was destined for an art career, though, it wasn't until more recently (more than three decades!) that I once again picked up the pencil and the brush and returned to my first love. For the last six years, having been taken out of the workplace by a serious illness resulting in disability, I have finally begun to realize myself as an artist.
First taking a simple plein air drawing class, I quickly began to explore my passion for the figure by adding it into my landscapes. This led to my first self-portrait in colored pencil, of me descending the Ingraham Glacier on Mount Rainier, from a photo taken by my climbing guide back in '95. "My First Descent" went on to hang in not only local shows, but also in a national juried exhibit. My next colored pencil portrait, "Enigma," was juried into the CPSA International Exhibition in '05, and went on to take a first place and a fourth place in local shows.
I also began exploring portraiture in watercolor and pastel, taking a few short workshops at Frye Art Museum, and a couple of classes at Gage Academy in the portrait and figure in pastel with Terry Furchgott. This has allowed me to explore the face and figure in several different mediums, selecting which medium best suits the image I am working on at the moment.
The following are a few examples of my work, including those first two colored pencil portraits, and ending with my most recent self-portrait in pastels:
Seems I haven't quite gotten the hang of posting images, even though I have tried every possible means of getting them here! 
After several more tries I think I've got it. However, I will leave two links until I am sure.
Hugs, 12" x 18" watercolor on gessoed paper
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...SON007_1_1.jpg
Waiting at the Window, 13" x 9" colored pencil on LaCarte sanded pastel card
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...9/EPSON005.jpg
Threaded Mode
