Jose Bautista painting from our 3rd raffle...

[GKreindler]

Hey all,

So, Jose's juuuuuuust about done.



At this point, the most important thing that has to happen is for it to dry for a week, so I can then oil it out and all of those lighter matte areas that are eye-sores right now will all be luscious and vibrant. I'll be able to share some details then and can talk about them with a bit more depth.

The plan is that I'll be able to oil it out and start glazing by the end of the weekend (hopefully), and I'll be able to take it to the photographers a few days later. Which means we'll be able to call this a finished painting!

Thank you all for bearing with me in this whole effort, as it went longer than I had hoped it would. The truth is, fatherhood has certainly changed the way I work (and am able to DO work), so meeting deadlines - whether 'real' or self-imposed - has become even more challenging.

With that in mind, I'm not too sure whether it would be fair to you guys to have another raffle in the near future. I know that the time table rubbed some people the wrong way, and the last thing I want to do is piss anyone on this board off, especially since you've all been so good to me for the past 8 years. At the same time though, if any of you have thoughts about it, I'd love to hear them, whether in a PM or here on the thread.

Anywho, I hope you're all still enjoying the process, and I'm looking forward to having a finished, professionally-photographed product to show y'all soon, and just as important, to put in Chris' patient hands!

Thanks, all.

Graig