Lakota warrior

On my return from South Dakota, I felt compelled to paint this Lakota warrior, using my own wax/acrylic technique. The Clemmer Effect... I dunno.
I completed the painting just this past weekend, and I'm really pleased with it. Every once in awhile, you can create something that you sit back and wonder, "Did I do that?"
I think it's one of those pieces that the stars align or something, but I think as I was painting it, I was worried that it was not going to turn out, and after some advice from my wife (who has a very good eye for detail), the went back to work, and I was just blown away with the end result.

There's a surprise in the eye, when you look very close.




It may sound kind of weird for the artist to be surprised with his own work, but I just can't help but stare at it. I've had some of my work turn out really well, and I've sold a bunch of my waxes that I've really loved, but I think it's a combination of the subject matter, and the fact that it really is one of the best pieces that I've done, or at least one of the ones that I'm the most proud of.