My new contraption

I call this my mini-easel-turntable. Some of my friends in Decorah had them, so I had to have one, too. It holds the work at a better angle and since it's higher off the table, I can sit up straight while I paint. Better for the back! Now let's see if it improves the painting.

The beautiful acanthus

Here's a picture of the beautiful acanthus plant. The leaves are quite large, over a foot long.

Here's the plate I just completed. The leaves are stylized but have the same feel and "flounce" as the real thing.