In 2024 I made a decision to attempt the famous Leonardo DaVinci's technique of 'SFUMATO' talk about your tongne twister, took me a while and still have to think about pronoucing it (s-fou-mah-toe).  Of course, I decided to practice making 'the' famous Mona Lisa.  
There is another Mona Lisa in Barcelona, which she looks slightly different, and as I decided to do this, I learned the technique of Spolvero ( Americans call this technique 'pouncing' - to each their own).  I learned he had to flowers, grind stones, variety of plants and roots, plants and other sources until the pigment was a powder, then added walnut oil.  Yes, walnut oil, like the stuff in our kitchens.  I wasn't going to try to find all that, and grind them, I used oils and added some walnut oil because it hardens so nicely.  

So, I got my stuff together, made an image of her, then used the impressive technique of spolvero, got her onto a canvas instead of a wood board, which is because I live in Arizona and the dryness, the extreme heat just would crack the wood I think.  So, I did ta few layers of he wet-sanding of gesso. 

I shared my progress on Instagram for a long time, but then, I found out my art is being 'STOLEN BY Ai" creeps!! which is so frustrating and maddening that these people will steal my art, and sell it without permission, it's like the copyright is out the window, so I pulled everything from Ai.  Some of my artist friends don't care, but I really do.  I worked way too hard on each piece to have some croney with ai take my work and claim it for themselves... keep in mind, humans are behind the ai stuff.. 

I digress, so I started the many many - many layers of the four colours of paint, white, vermilion ( an orange type of colour), blue ( like a royal blue ) and raw umber ( dark brown) ... it took me pretty much two years to complete.  I promise you, unless someone pays me a freaking a lot of money, I won't be doing sfumato again.. maybe in sections not a whole painting. 

So, I finished her in May of 2026, I am very pleased, she doesn't look exactly like the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in France, but I also know that I would never ever get close to the orginal, so I created my own .  She is so far, Not For Sale (NFS) I worked too long on her to just sell her straight away.  I understand why Leonardo changed his mind about selling this painting to Lisa's husband.  
I will frame her and invite a close group of supportive people to my Unveiling of My "Rinato de Mona Lisa" ( reviving of Mona Lisa) 
if you're in Tucson, in July 2026 ( date may vary due to where I can do the unveiling) and an RSVP will be much appreciated when announced.,