Out of the blue...portrait sitting

Oil, 10 x 8
While at the gallery yesterday, I was setting up to work on the portrait of Samy and a fun couple from Colorado Springs walked in. The fellow immediately got the idea I should paint his wife, Susan. Right now. Susan protested. Her hair, her shirt, no, no, no. But her husband urged, reasoned, sweetly bullied. Somehow, he persuaded us both to cooperate. As I was organizing the easels and chairs for this new plan, he tells me that she's celebrating a milestone birthday and I guessed 50, but it turns out she's turning 60! I then learn that she's recently retired from 35 years of teaching music, and that she's a painter, herself. So we started in on the portrait and had a very nice conversation, with her husband cheering us on with "You've nailed it!" and "You're going to love this!" all the way through. I had to get up a couple of times to handle some card and print sales, but we finished up 90 minutes after we started. Susan declared the painting wonderful. You know, I need a bit more of this in my life. I LOVED having a live model. I'll keep the portrait until it dries, then varnish it and when that's dry, I'll ship it off to Colorado Springs as a reminder of Susan's 60th birthday in beautiful San Antonio. Ah.