Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The Glorious Race

Number 8 5"x7" Oil portrait
 
I managed to sneak a little time from my studies to finish up this piece. Actually I was rewarding myself for not losing all my marbles during this final semester of University. I am not finished yet but the end is in sight and I feel just like my muse, going around the final turn and racing for that finish line.
 
 Of course once one crosses the line there is always another race to prepare for. If one more Proff asks me when/who/what graduate school I will be studying with I just may lose what tenuous grip I have on those pretty little marbles!  December 5th is this glorious date I have fixated on. It is the date of my last ever exam. I have been passing in papers early, completing tasks ahead of schedule and and literally tying up any loose end in sight.  
 
It has been a long 3 years but I do not regret it (excluding the financial disaster education creates). It has given me a unique insight to the educational system my children are presently in and what challenges they will face during and after post secondary schooling. Learning is a lifelong passion that leads to its own rewards and as Sean Connery stated "I got my biggest break when I was 5. That was when I learned to read."  
 
It all starts with your ABCs.
 
The painting is a portrait of Frostys Cavello who races at the local track here. I am like a racehorse paparazzi who likes to photograph all horses and the nice ones get painted. My friend Ben is a local driver and trainer who knows all the horses and now it is a game to see if he can identify the horses I paint. I figured I had him stumped on this one as this is only a head and neck shot, but he is batting 100%! Must try harder next time. December 6th sounds like a good day to start!!