Christmas Reds

Christmas Reds, Pastel, 8x8

A Perfect Christmas Luncheon -- great friends and food, award for Most Improved Player, Golf 9 Hole Division, and a poinsettia that later posed for this painting.

For an artist who enjoys painting people, the flowers are fun. No concern for aligning the eyes, adjusting skin tones, not creating too many wrinkles! I used to think, "Oh, no. Don't let me reach for that color." Now I love creating combinations, imagining what the color COULD be, and getting in enough darks to pop the brights. 

I think receiving the award for most improved made me as thrilled as making a sale. Improvement as a golfer is measured mathematically; it's a handicap formula. How is artistic improvement measured?  Happy Holidays!