Back for the sixth time to Santa Barbara, this time we turned to the Pre-Raphaelites for inspiration, specifically, Arthur Hughes' somewhat melodramatic but very colorful portrait, April Love. While researching this painting, we learned that Hughes first exhibited it with some lines from a poem from Tennyson, so we included the poem fragment with the portrait in our version as well:

Love is hurt with jar and fret.
Love is made a vague regret.
Eyes with idle tears are wet.
Idle habit links us yet.
What is love? for we forget:
Ah, no! no!
--The Miller's Daughter
Alfred Lord Tennyson
 

David and Cheryl at work

Closeup of the artwork

Cheryl and Wayne at work

Wayne from above

The finished painting

Cheryl works on the face

The finished painting with the three of us