What am I up to?? And is it finished???

This is my first ever blog and has been prompted by some changes which are going on in my life at the moment the most significant one of which is that I am about to retire in the next couple of months. This means I can devote more time to my art which has become quite a passion (and one of the reasons I am retiring)

I have been a member of a local art group for about 3 years and am about to start running it in a teaching capacity. Over the last year, I have done 3 workshops for them and had some surprisingly good feedback considering I have never done anything like this  before and now have another group who would like me to run some sessions as well. 

Hopefully this will fill my time and I won't know how I found the time to do my proper job in the first place!!! Somehow I can't see art as work at all, seems too much fun and pleasure to be considered anything other than a treat, pure indulgence... to be able to pick up a brush and paint as well as helping others share in this amazing hobby just seems too much joy to be considered work!!!

Is it Finished?????  

This is an image I have been working on for a few days now with the help of a pretty special artist and am wondering if it is finished... I think I am going to add a little more contrast to it yet... we'll see, am quite liking how it has progressed and I have learned a lot by working on a piece for a while, not something I am used to doing, but will be doing more of in the future.... definitely the way forward if I can curb my errant tendencies!!!