It has been a difficult past few weeks. There was the loss of some dear people, the tornado that came through middle Tennessee, and personal illness. Continuing the creative process that lifts the spirit is important to me. Painting and art making tend to be solitary activities that can replenish the spirit. Today, I am focusing on building up the shadows in the lower part of the "Inglorious Chorus" painting. In painting as in life, there has to be darkness in order to understand light. I start with the darkest shadows and work out. This creates more visual interest where there is a contrast between lightness and darkness and a contrast between colors.