"Never a Dull Moment"

I have had the best week painting down in the studio at 55 Broad. Judy Waters and I have decided to share the space, and it's the best light I think I've ever had. She'll be a great roomy and I love the opportunity to be downtown all the time. Used to be I only saw people at Spoleto but now I walk down the street, see everyone and get to look at all the new art work in the windows (more on that later).

What do you do when the client wants their dog in a painting, the three birds and maybe the two cats?  I had this commission that the client had a vision of, and her husband asked if the cats could be in it too. Seemed a lot but then the poster was perfect for them to be in so that the composition worked.

I stretched the canvas with Belgian linen, primed it three times and then put a coat of the "mud" I have in the bottom of my turp jars. I really like the warm base it gives and makes the highlights at the end "pop". 

I am so lucky I get to do this for a living!