I was quite surprised to return to POL and to see my name cropping up in a forum thread. The support was very encouraging. Thanks to all of you. That and the prodding of a senior member persuaded me to start posting again. I haven't been very prolific over the summer - too many distractions - but I have several models lined up for September. I've had a few sales from my local gallery and from exhibitions locally and I need to 'restock'. I also picked up two commissions and a gallery enquiry at one exhibition so I must be doing something right! Perhaps someone can enlighten me? I've only had two negative critisisms since I started on this genre, both from women (one a local professional artist and the other an amateur ) and yet all of my commissions and sales have been to women. Men look at my pictures and move on. Women linger and start talking to me about them. I paint what I, as a man, find appealing and yet it's women that want my artwork on their walls. I wish I understood why. I could target my audience then!