The Mona Shaira made my back moan in agony.

This is a gift for my mother who will be visiting in a week. If anyone speaks with her, do your best to keep it on the down-low. She doesn't know anything about this yet aside from asking me for a Mona Lisa over a year ago and I'd love for it to be a surprise. I wouldn't post it but I have a feeling my blog readers are getting bored without pretty pictures to look at every day.

It's taken me this long to start because I feel slightly stupid painting her something that already exists. If you wanted the Mona Lisa why wouldn't you just buy a print? That old guy named after the ninja turtle did a way better job than I ever could have.

I wonder.... Do you know what's in the background? Have you ever looked back there or do you just notice that sly smile like I always have. If you would have asked me a month ago what sat behind Lisa del Giocondo I would have said a bunch of colors. Now I see it's much more than that.

This painting was especially difficult for me on many levels, the main one being I am an avid fan of lines. Love 'em. Love 'em in all directions and in all colors. Da Vinci on the other hand was a master shadist and I could never create such detail from so much blur, even if I tried.

It was tough figuring out where to put the lines and where not to but after staring at it for hours I could see them popping up and standing out, ready for me to paint them on. Here is the [almost] finished project. It took Leo longer than 4 years and he still claimed in needed work. I know that feeling all too well, I'm afraid and feel I may post an updated image if I go and add some more 'life' to it.

Finally... The Mona Shaira [please excuse the glass-caused glare on the frame]:











Here's our two Mona's sitting side by side competing for Mr. Da Vinci's attention:






 





  









I dunno about you but I think if Leonardo had to pick between Shaira and La Gioconda he'd had gone for the former. Don't you think? Who knows, maybe he would have painted both, or at least attempted to. As Leo himself said, "Art is never finished, only abandoned." Isn't that the truth??