Ivy is a fascinating young woman. Among her many interests, she studies German at Temple University. She asked too many good questions which got me talking instead of her talking. I found that when portrait sitters did most of the talking, I made better portraits.
The way I think about it is this. Since we have a visual brain and a logic brain, every time I dedicate time to language and talking, I don’t pay enough attention visually. And seeing really is what good painting is about. Just observing. Rendering. Then observing again. Just rechecking my work again and again. When I start thinking and forming words, ideas and responses to questions, I think the portrait tends to go downhill. Though, I was pleased with this one.