My girlfriend Suzanne turned 45 in July. Instead of buying her a birthday gift, I offered to create a painting for her. Initially I had something completely different in mind but it didn’t work out as I envisioned. It took a while to find something that “felt” like Suzanne and was true to my aesthetic.

I stumbled upon this photo on Pinterest and fell in love with the composition, the subject matter, and the colors. I started painting in early October and finished it up a week ago. That’s the hardest part for me: finding the time to allocate to my art. I need a good chunk of uninterrupted time to really get into the groove. And once I do, it’s very hard for me stop and take a break.

I am not a morning person at all and tend to feel my best physically and mentally in the afternoon and evening. It’s a real challenge juggling all the hats: mother, wife, homemaker, volunteer, and artist successfully. One of my artistic goals is to become a faster painter. I’m sure it will come with more experience — at least I hope so!