Since I haven’t painted on this particular piece yesterday or today, I’m viewing it with a mat and deciding how to finish it. This one has been a struggle. But I also have been framing two commissions and delivering them out of town, which sometimes breaks my concentration — it usually goes more smoothly.

I like the set-up of the elements and I’m pretty much using the actual colors. There’s a couple spots that need re-working, as in toning down some values. The sun was very strong coming in the south windows. And I didn’t want to make the cobalt goblet as dark as it actually was — it was very opaque and too dark, contrasting with the very transparent glasses next to it. The exception is the champagne glass with the mirrored surface.

So it has been a challenge combining and painting these elements together and making it work along with the patriotic theme of the homemade “cards” using the flag fabrics and Statue of Liberty. There are a couple minor things to finish painting, such as the base of one goblet and foreground. I plan to finish it this week, before I start my next portrait commission, which will demand all my concentration and focus.