I am officially back! Had an okay visit in Sacramento, two highlights of which were a figure drawing session (thanks to Sandra!!)  and the Second Saturday Art Walk. It was my first live figure drawing (or painting, in my case) session ever. I am completely hooked now and intensely suffering at the lack of anything like that here in the high desert. Here are some of the results:

There were some seriously talented and skilled people there. I only hope that I'll get to their level when I get to their age! :)

Second Saturday wasn't that great but it was something. Saw some new works by Bernie Weston and they were nice. He is still very affordable, so all you collectors out there should hurry up and collect :) I was hoping that the gallery still had some of his smaller 8x8" paintings that I saw last time (something I could afford) but they weren't there anymore.

As usual, I had grand plans for all my "free" time, and as usual, the free time didn't show up. In Russian, there is an expression, "to divide the skin of an unkilled bear" - for which I don't know a similar English expression. It means to make plans for resources that are not yet in your hands...Anyway, I'm back, and the portrait-a-day project is restarting tomorrow!