This is Cookie, the first of my bird paintings that sold to someone who was a stranger. They had been walking down the street in Provincetown when they saw it hanging in the Adam Peck Gallery on the day my show was about open. As soon as they saw it, they rushed in, asked the price and then pulled out their credit card. Or at least, that's the way the story was told to me when I met them later that evening. Three other pieces sold that night, one to another stranger. I had only been painting the birds for six months and had already sold eight to friends before the show, but having an exhibit and selling them to strangers was very exciting.

Recently, when I started doing giclees to sell as prints, I decided to have some made so I could rework paintings I no longer own but wanted to change. Cookie was on the list. For me, she was too cute, as much as I loved the brushwork, but it was more about the blue being just too blue.

Not anymore. The background has become a deep, darker than navy color, and Cookie now has an evil twin in the making. It's only about halfway done, but I love it. I've been taking pix to put on the website in the Process category and I'm sure the transition will be interesting. Since I can't keep away from it, I'm calling her Salome, I should have it done in time to post it in next week's blog. Stay tuned, I think this one will be amazing.