Artist Reply: Thanks Tazda! There are so many joys with working with children. They are our future, and I try to make a difference for them. I like the challenge of keeping their interest, and the joy when they are creating and doing new things. For some everything is easy, so I need to find things to challenge them. For some, things are harder, so I need to adapt so they can succeed. It's rewarding work, and it motivated me to get up and push myself to go back to work. I was supposed to be disabled and not able to work again. That made me try harder to work. It has been a blessing. A car accident nearly killed me, but gave me time to work on my art.

Artist Reply: Thanks Jerry! She was a great model. I love when they pick their own poses! It helps to show their personality so well.

Artist Reply: Thanks Emily! She's a sweetie and such a cutie!

Artist Reply: Thank you very much! So glad you popped by to see my work!

Artist Reply: Thank you! Trying to get the personality to shine through on each one, not always easy to do, but with children, they make it so easy for me. THey are always so excited to pose for the reference photos, and so proud when they see themselves. I often will as a part of an art lesson, run the finished one through some photo effects with the kids so they can make some fun looks, such as posterized and metallic. It's fun for them to do, and it amzes tem. Many have learned to use these effects to have fun with photos they have taken. THey did som lovely pop art images when I worked at that place. Planning to do this at my new work next year in an afterschool pprogram. Will be fun to do.

Artist Reply: Thanks Chas! I do like to do that! Perky is a good description! I;m trying to jazz them up a bit, and it seems this does the trick : }

Artist Reply: Thank you! It's one of my earliest portraits, so not as good in image resolution. Learned not to do that now, but didn't know back then about the differrences it makes.

Artist Reply: Thank you for such nice complements

Artist Reply: Thanks! Glad you lke this one! I used a phot for the reference shot, and this one was done kind of small, as I was still learning about all the imagine sizes and computer software stuff. Wanted to do a close uop, but it gets speckled to show it larger. I am redoing some of these earlier portaits so that it gets corrected, and are larger, which would show the brush strokes better, if I haven't blended them all out.

Artist Reply: Thank you! Love your work as well! She's just too cute, and knows it! LOL!

Artist Reply: Thank you! Love your work as well! She's just too cute, and knows it! LOL!