"Proxy the Cat Lays a Few More Hairs" - oil on masonite. This was painted as a modern complement to my copy of Tissot's "Hide and Seek" which showed a family in a Victorian home circa 1880. Aspects of it are pieced together from photos, but lighted and colored completely differently. I also "removed" the back room to provide for light through the French doors (like it used to be before the room addition I made years ago).

I realized as I made it this picture was compositionally flawed, having two centers of interest, but it was for me and I liked it anyway. I could cut it into two pieces and have two nice paintings. I especially like the lively brushwork I accidentally managed on the boy on the right, and the translucent crayon box. I like the glowing skin tones of the legs on the left and the quaintness of the basket on the table. The reflection in the lamp was the hardest element since I just made it up and it took awhile to look realistic. The least successful element is the light reflecting from the back wall.

The interesting pattern on the bar chairs and pillow I took from our front drapes - subsequent to the photo my wife used those drapes to actually cover the chairs and the pillow because she liked it so much, making the painting virtually identical to the real room until redecorating occurred years later (it was always amusing to see new guests make the connection since the painting hung near the viewpoint of the painting). The book on the table pays homage to James Gurney's "Dinotopia".

I tried to figure out a way to get me in the picture - I have joked about putting a ghostly image of me mowing the lawn out back, or hidden in the lamp reflection. My wife suggests some photos on the table.