I painted this portrait on July 6, 2013, which was the hottest day of the year up to that point. My model Jari was a very good sport considering the sweltering summer heat. Her husband Mark, who took many of these pictures, also suffered through the weather patiently. Jari and I have a very playful relationship, and we often joke around. She has a way of walking where she stops in mid-step and turns her head. It reminds me of Manet’s “Boy with a Sword.” That inspired this painting and its pose. The background of the Manet is very dark, and I wanted to invert that. I asked her to wear her wedding dress and carry flowers in place of the sword. Prior to painting, I made some study drawings to work out the composition and color relationships. I painted a back drop and draped it across the studio. Jari took the pose in the backdrop, and then I painted her directly in one long session. -Kerry Law From the artist's statement on portrait...