MOSES BOTKIN CHALLENGE September

"The Lady's Dark Journey"
5x7" oil on linen

Not my best effort but it's done. This was hard. Diana chose this month's theme..an all black composition to follow last month's all white, and I must say, I was stuck. Obviously, I fell back on a familiar reference, the bunched up cloth solution, but felt I had to add something so I took some advice I've gotten over the years from you guys, and added a bug! It's red but I just couldn't think of anything black to put there except maybe a string of black pearls, however I'm not in possession of any so, lady bug time.

And, it was a tad difficult painting on a smaller canvas because I've been painting so large lately. Sure did go quickly though.

I'm sorry to report that the new brushes I gushed about didn't last long. The ends are going in all different directions after only 3 washes, but I will say that I like the way they feel and will continue to use them. Like anything in this world, if you produce a permanent solution to the problem, there will be no reason to buy new, and we can't have that now can we?

It's coming around Tim's birthday, October 1st, and I'm hitting some rough patches. It's okay though, it's called grieving and it will go on for quite some time, so I will be kinder and more patient with myself. We had promised each other, that if one of us should leave early for some reason, the other would follow closely behind. And since I'm still walking around and actually living a life that I enjoy more often than not, I think I'm doing okay and that Tim is proud of me for that. Although, I must say, I'm looking forward to seeing him as soon as I possibly can, but in the mean time I have so very much to be grateful for, including each and every one of you who visit my blog, leave comments and send messages of support and hope from time to time. And again, I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart!

Enjoy:

 "Shades of Black"

 original oil  6x6"© 2013 Diana Moses Botkin
http://dianamosesbotkin.blogspot.com/

"Black...A Study"
12x16" oil on linen
© V.N. Ross