My Seventh Heaven

To commemorate the seven fascinating, exhilarating and wonderful years of living with Annie, I am painting her seven-year-old portrait. I haven't done one of her since she was five as a gift for Grandma Jane (see very bottom photo).

Can you picture Annie and I, working side-by-side in the studio, listening and singing along to Van Morrison and Annie keeps ohhing and ahhing about how beautiful the painting looks with every brushstroke I make? It is so fun! She is really excited about the whole process. Today she wore the tutu I sketched her in so she could pose for me. (Right! If she would only sit still for a minute!)

My hope with this painting is to capture the young woman I keep getting glimpses of and still show the wild little girl that I'm so crazy about. I'm showing her wearing her kitty ears and her kitty tail, and of course the bright turquoise tutu that Molly gave her that looks so good on her.

I've painted portraits before and I find it very challenging. And this portrait is doubly hard! Annie's face is one I look on day in and day out and I know it well, so while I paint it, I can see it looks a bit like her, but it doesn't capture her magic. I'm going for the magic! I'll keep you posted.