Moses and Santa Fe

Before I tell you about "Moses", I wish to tell you about the first workshop I took in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It was "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", by Betty Edwards, also mentioned in my art books list.  It was an eye opener, and turning point for me, in drawing.  She now has a revised edition with workbook, and I have both old and new.  I highly recommend it!!  My instructor, Lesley Meyer, was both a friend and mentor to me, while I was in Santa Fe.  Now, to Moses.  This painting was started in a portrait class, and I actually finished it(out of class) within two weeks time(the fastest one to date).  I am not sure I could accomplish that, again.  It is pastel and done on Mi-Tentes.  At the time it was started, I was also doing a bible study on Moses, and the photo was on the cover.  Well, while in the process of getting it matted and framed, people kept asking me if it was Tommy Macione.  I had no idea who that was, but soon found out, he was an artist living there in Santa Fe(and quite eccentric).  A couple of weeks later, my mom and I were in a local coffee shop, downtown, and who walks in but Tommy Macione.  Talk about getting excited!!  couldn't miss him--looked just like the painting, only a little scruffier.  I did go over and introduce myself, and told him I had just done a painting of him(forgetting that I had a photo of painting in my purse--too much excitement!).  He told me that he had done an interview with National Geographic some years earlier, but didn't know if anything had been published(I found out later that, yes, it had been).  After that encounter, I would frequently see him painting along side the road, and very impressionistic.  To see a photo of him, google Tommy Maccione Santa Fe (the name is spelled wrong), and then click on Plaza Artist.  There is more info. on him.  I really didn't do very many paintings while living in Santa Fe, as I started working for a gourmet food broker, thus enjoying getting to know the owners and managers of most of the shops and restaurants in Santa Fe--a very enjoyable job!