Lost and Found

Yesterday evening I retrieved my very first chalk pastel painting from the TAFA studio so I could present it to my mother for her birthday. Mind you, I haven't actually *seen* this painting in over two years. Upon having it matted, I realized -someone- I don't know who, CUT around the edges of the Canson paper... most likely so it would fit into the previous frame it was put in during my absence from the academy. As it doesn't disrupt the actual pastel itself, I suppose it doesn't matter, but I was a bit angry about discovering this anyhow. I mean, I DID pay for the paper and positioned the still-life exactly where I wanted it. I LIKED the excess of smokey gray background! Oh well.

At any rate, Rachel, the awesome framing manager at Michaels hooked me up with a great mat to fit around my own frame, which I promptly assembled before leaving for my mom's 53rd birthday-party dinner. She cried when I presented it to her, lol..

She will be giving it back briefly sometime this week so I can take it to my photographer's studio and get a digital copy made, after which, I will be returning it to her for safe keeping.

The pastel, if you're wondering, was/is a still life of the Horse of Turino. I forgot how amazingly brilliant it is for being a plain white statue. My lighting layer really shows through brilliantly in just the right spots. My mother loves horses, so there you go.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!