A one-hour oil portrait from a sitting. 8" x 10"

As I was getting things set up at the gallery this morning, a woman walked in. I told her how much fun it had been to do the one-hour portrait of Sharon on Thursday and playfully asked if she might sit for one, too. She said yes! Lisa is an attorney, mother of two, here in San Antonio for the wedding of a friend and had some time before she had to be somewhere. So I plunked a chair up on the platform, arranged a light, pulled my easel over, squeezed on some fresh paint and off we went! We chatted with each other and with the various folks who wandered in and out as I worked. We watched the clock and at the hour we stopped. I took some photos and will email them to her, and make her a print for her 'trouble' of sitting for me.

Now I've got Sharon's and Lisa's and want maybe two or three more to frame for samples, then I'll be able to tell people I can paint their portraits in oil and in an hour for $100. The trick I still need to figure out is packing them simply but efficiently so they can take them with them if they want. I'd prefer to ship them once they're dry and varnished.

The rest of my day I'm finishing up some things- varnished 5 paintings, repainted the tail on Pattie Wall's dog, Chaco, and am going to attempt to fix the *%$&@!!! water in the scene of Cafe Ole on the Riverwalk. I appreciate all your suggestions about that, and will try to follow some of them, at least.