I started learning to paint in this manner four years ago this month. After losing 30 years to thinking that realist painting was dead and buried — thanks Pratt! — I’m in a hurry to learn as much as I can. Fortunately, I’ve met some wonderful, helpful artists that have been extraordinarily generous. Trouble is, the more I learn the more I realise that I don’t know. I don’t even know what I don’t know, and it can make me a bit crazy sometimes. But I’m going to do as much as I can, and be happy I got as far as I get.