Spring has been a busy season! I've recently had the priviledge of completing several commissioned portraits and delivering them with pride to their happy owners. I am so grateful for my job, as I get to meet wonderful and interesting people, whose lives are positivel impacted by the heirlooms that I create for them and their families.

But in the midst of commission and gallery work, I have an inherent need to create just for the sake of creating. So I recently started some pieces that express something about myself and my own life experiences. Just today a very insightful young 6th-grader asked me, "Do you ever have trouble coming up with ideas for paintings?" I replied, "Yes, I do! But when I do have an idea, I like to run with it." My latest idea (which has actually been in the works for over a year) involves a huge double portrait of myself and my twin sister, Emily. To give you some background, Emily and I are mirror image twins - we are technically fraternal, but we grew up looking alike, sounding alike, and exercising similar talents and interests. We were both artistic, and both musical, but Emily leaned more towards the musical side - playing piano and writing songs (she even wrote the music I walked down the aisle to at my wedding!) - and I chose a path that led me more towards art. In this portrait I hope to reveal something about us and our completely unique situation. Our special friendship is intensified by a spirit of competitiveness - yet we are extremely close and understand each other in ways no one else can. The painting will be simply titled "Twin Arts," and you will get to see it develop from start to finish - beginning with this issue of my newsletter, and later on, in my blog.

The 6th-grader I mentioned above was one of several dozen grade-schoolers that I was privileged to speak to for their school's annual Career Day. The children were very bright and understood completely how special a painted portrait is versus a photograph. Many of these children were interested in pursuing a career in art, and I encouraged them all to never stop being creative. They may not become portrait artists like me, but if they can find a career that lets them unwrap beauty on a daily basis, while using their own God-given gifts, they will be destined to have a wonderful and purpose-driven life.

Keep checking my blog for updates on "Twin Arts." Meanwhile, THANK YOU to all my wonderful portrait clients; I am so pleased that you love your finished paintings!

Sincerely,
Anna Rose Bain

http://www.annasblankcanvas.com/