No, I am no longer looking for my Knight in Shining Armor.  He turned into a Frog long ago.  However, the guy who commissioned this piece wears his Shining Armor every day, and he wanted it as a birthday gift for his wife.  He's a metal sculptor, too, so it all makes sense.

I used Google Earth Street View for the first time (I usually prefer to take my own photos) because I liked the directness of it, and I still had plenty of room to exercise my artistic license.  Starting with collaged elements (printed material and scraps from an older painting), I painted the scene, letting traces of the original images show through a little bit.  Can you see the map or the Kinight in Shining Armor?

Getting to know a client is very important to the success of this type of work, because the home often, but not always, shows the personality of the residents.  With that in mind, I put an emphasis on the giant flagpole next to the driveway, as well as the abundance of Nature surrounding the property. 

My work isn't satisfied with being a pleasant composition of beautiful elements, but always seems to be searching for the spirit living behind it. Even my most abstract pieces have some kind of mystical quality that I need to find and bring to the eye and soul of the viewer.