Oceans hold particular allure for those of us who live mid-country and have certainly been the subject of many of my recent paintings.

The beach scene featured, I painted for our middle daughter, who loves all things coastal. I tried to feature colours that would match with her current art pieces.

Painting for another is tricky. Tastes differ. Perfection rears its ugly head. Not wanting to disappoint her, I painted several beach scenes and let her select the one she preferred.

I did the same for my oldest daughter, who wanted a west coast scene. She selected both pieces I offered. The one above is the first of two.

Challenging myself to paint for others has encouraged me to take greater risks. I pay more attention to details. I am learning to be patient and take my time. Hopefully, I am progressing with each new project.

When I get discouraged, I remind myself that it has been less than a year since I first picked up a paintbrush. Still looking forward to what some actual training will do to advance my craft.

In the meantime, I keep experimenting.