I love to paint portraits, especially of people I don’t know. I put a lot of pressure on myself to get those faces right, so it’s much easier for me to paint strangers, who are unlikely to ever view my efforts. Painting people you know (or worse, love) is much more stressful. I hold my breath when I give portraits as gifts to family or friends of mine, never certain that they really like my efforts. And painting myself? I don’t think so.

So I went to a professional—here’s a shout out for Whitney Browne Photography in New York City! I was looking for a good picture of myself for my website and social media, something a little better than the ones my husband has taken of me, usually out at dinner, when he tells me how great I look and tries to capture that with his iPhone 6. Yes, I’ve seen all the ads, but I’m afraid that the results have been mostly disappointing. So I had a fun couple of hours in Whitney’s studio last week, with a wonderful photographer, a backdrop and lighting–everything a woman my age should have when facing a camera. This is one of the final portraits; the other is on my website under “About Me.”

Whitney and I have talked about exploring a unique collaboration between photographer and painter—a new source of energy and inspiration for both of us. Give us some time…but stay tuned.