Thanks, YSokolov!  I wasn't sure I was entirely happy with the way it was going until I spontaneously added some white gouache to the folds in the figure's robe and then it seemed to properly calibrate all the values.  The paper is Stonehenge cream hot pressed and it was good for the overall middle values but this figure ultimately needed some selected highlights.

I tell ya, after spending all week setting bathroom tile and then having to take the floor up and do it again, there's not much time for artwork lately.  Fortunately we have to wait 48 hours for the thin set to cure so I'm taking advantage of the lull to do some painting. 

Home renovations are tough. I have had my share. And still have much to do. But right now I am just getting inspired, time to time, by watching HGTV or DIY network, lol. Otherwise I paint and paint some more as I find time.

Very nice  ..  Advice from an old man --- buy a new house so you can have more time to paint !

Haha!  Hey guys, this house was steal!  $65,000. and we paid it off a year ago in March--we've got lots of room, loads of historic character, all in a generally great climate in an especially scenic area of the country--and low property taxes, too.  Actually, when we bought it I was in a very prolonged phase where I was not doing any artwork at all and so it seemed as though I'd have all the time in the world to work on it.  The up side is that we've got a lot of the planned projects done already, but this was one major renovation that we'd been putting off for some time. 

Kim, this is looking really nice. At least the painting is going well, even if the floor isn't.

Your work is so delicate. Love it.

Hate it when things get in the way of my painting!  LOve the composition

Thanks, Margo! I had a meeting Friday morning and came home to find my husband soaking all the floor tile sheets in a big pan of water to remove the bad glue and I said "Uh-oh, what happened!"  I spent an hour scrubbing them all off.  But we redid it and used the right goop so we're back on track. 

Thanks, Mara!  I use hot pressed paper which does tend to give a slightly softer look than cold pressed, I think. 

Thanks, Jan!  If you could see the 'before' photos of our old bathroom you'd agree that we had to somehow, some way make the time--it was just gruesome!

Lovely soft picture, pretty colors and great mood!

It's good that home-repair is so inspirational for your art.  You've done some lovely paintings during your renovation, and this is no exception!   Do you think your kitchen needs redoing?

Thanks, Jerry!  This is something I see everyday on my daily walk, so I've had the chance to study it in various conditions.  I'm glad you like the mood, as that is critical to its success. 

Thanks, Kevin! There isn't a room or spot on the property that hasn't needed--or still needs--some kind of attention!  We've done some things that I never imagined I'd learn how to do.  I have a Photobucket site with all the before, during and after pics, someday if I get brave I'll link to it and you can see.  A couple winters ago we had an ice dam in the roof valley over the laundry hall and because of the damage from the ice dam melting and leaking into the laundry hall ceiling the water damaged stucco ceiling came crashing to the floor one morning about 5 a.m.  That project grew from a straightforward ceiling repair to completely opening up the attic for more storage, adding an access hatch and fold down ladder, removing all the old attic insulation and putting down new, fixing the roof leaks, and *then* completely redoing the laundry ceiling with reclaimed pine.  But yes, the kitchen needs more work and we have several boxes of nifty Victorian tin ceiling panels tucked away waiting to be installed in the kitchen....So far we haven't had to hire anyone to do anything, so it's all been much less costly than it might have been.  My husband has a workshop with all the equipment and we have a good collection of 'old house repair' books at the local library just a half block away.

This is beautifully done - a wonderful painting!  I like the secondary  focal point as well.