I was thinking of Spring as I painted, her lean torso reminding me of myself in my younger days. This painting was inspired by a vintage black and white photo (used with permission).

Also inspired by a poem by Amy Lowell, from Selected Poems of Amy Lowell (1955); An excerpt, below:

Lilacs,
False blue,
White,
Purple,
Color of lilac.
Heart-leaves of lilac all over New England,
Roots of lilac under all the soil of New England,
Lilac in me because I am New England,
Because my roots are in it,
Because my leaves are of it,
Because my flowers are for it,
Because it is my country
And I speak to it of itself
And sing of it with my own voice
Since certainly it is mine.

Pastel on Pastelmat 14”x11”; Champagne silver frame 20”x16” with off white mat behind TruVue Museum Glass