Strong Women Series - #4 Leaving (Lady with Hat)

Detail from finished painting (at end of post)

This next painting in my Strong Women Series

 began with me considering women in hats. 

I sketched women wearing hats for days.

Thinking I was planning for one of our painting challenges ... I realized I was 

not correctly reading the parameters of the challenge, which were:

Do a painting from memory; referencing sketches made from life, 

but not painting from those sketches ... must be from memory of them,

and must contain these elements:

1 - A woman wearing a hat

2 - A night café

3 - A floral still-life painting in the scene

4 - The conveyance of music

5 - Canvas size, at least 10 x 8, no squares

6 - Unlimited palette

(add a cat if it works out for you - extra credit!)

HERE is my post about that painting, from exactly one year ago today!!

So anyway, I began thinking of a painting using this sketch. 

I loved the idea of her hat having a flower 

with a really long stem that bounced along as she walked, 

and I wondered if I could portray that.

YOU decide if it works!

The following photos will lead you through my process.

Leaving (Lady with Hat)   18 x 12 inches   oil on Masonite

 She is included in this series because 

she has the strength to leave

... when she must.

This is a frame I found in a driveway with a FREE sign on it,

along with some other things. I had the feeling it would be great for this painting ...

and as you see here, it is!

I didn't have to do a thing (except have my dear husband cut it to fit)!

I wish I felt like blogging more,

but right now all I can do is the "regular" things

and paint . . .

I do keep painting ... outside, inside ... and in my head.

I should blog about the free course I just finished ... ok,

next post will be about that.

It was really fun.

I hope you are safe and sound.

Please keep wearing your mask as it seems that is the most

effective way to prevent

the virus from getting to other people's airways,

because you don't know if you are carrying it,

without symptoms.

Take care

Keep painting

💕