his painting is my first full scale work in more than two years. I had a roommate who occupied my painting room during that time. That, and some emotional difficulties, preventing me from painting. Though I did "Jarrett" during the layoff, this piece represents my return to full pastel painting. Surprisingly, my skills appear to have held out, even improved, despite the lack of practice. Apparently, merely observing is sufficient. The choice of subject isn't very mysterious. Like millions of others, I've become fascinated by Leonardo's simple but breathtaking beauty. The source is the cover of a recent Vanity Fair depicting Leo dressed in Titanic finery. I added the windswept brooding feeling not in the source photo. I tried to minimize the blending in this work, preserving the painterly quality. I also tried to maintain the youthful beauty of the subject without smoothing everything out, as is my habit. Even so, a friend commented that I painted Leo looking older than he normally looks. She was sure that indicated a guilty conscience. It was done on black paper to minimize the amount of black pastel needed, with the resultant dust, keeping the skin tones fresh and unmuddied. I see the result as a confident step forward.