Baby, It's Cold Outside

Baby, It's Cold Outside, 20x20

Detail

 Here is a piece I have been working on for the past few weeks. I was going to put another layer on it this weekend when I came across a painting online that was in a past juried show of American Women Artists. The painting I saw gave me one of those "Ah Ha" moments when I "knew" how to finish this piece. I was trying too hard to capture something with a brush that needed a hard edge approach, so I went in search of a credit card I didn't need or use. I mixed large piles of paint and went back to it.  I don't have a photo of it in progress, but I was having a hard time getting it to read as to what was the pigeon on and in front of. The ledge was clear, but the background was confusing the viewers who saw it. I took this reference photo on the steps going down to the Seine near Isle de la Cite. I love the expression on this pigeon, which I also redid with the credit card so it would fit in with the new texture.