Rockport Cat

Rockport Cat

7 x 7, watercolor

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My quilting friends and I try to go on a retreat twice a year and this is the resident cat. We stay at the Retreat House, just a fabulous set-up for quilters. I am not a cat person but this one was pretty friendly and visited routinely for several years. 

Blacksmith

Blacksmith

7 x 5, pastel

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Trying to coordinate my blog with the new posts on Daily Paintworks is making me a little crazy---no comments from those thinking I've been a little crazy long before this! In a perfect world I would post a new painting here daily and automatically have it uploaded to the blog the next day. That's in a perfect world......

I never thought to take a photo of my dad while he was shoeing all those horses, all those years. In fact, the day he died, he had changed the shoes on one of his horses. Pretty tough cowboy at 75 years old! But I did decide this blacksmith was photo worthy last year at Folkfest in New Braunfels.

Study #8

Study #8

6 x 6, pastel

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OK, so I finally completed a study in a color scheme way out of my comfort zone. I dutifully took out the  7-8 pastels from the box and closed it so I would not be tempted to sneak in my "go to" colors. It was a challenge, but that is what this is supposed to be, right?

Thank you, dear.

Study #7

Study #7

8x6, pastel

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Back to the studies on a landscape. The challenge for me is color choice, I know where I want to go, but keep gravitating to the same color scheme. The next one is different, the recommendation of my "most ardent supporter" to quote him!

Guadalupe Cypress

Guadalupe Cypress

10 x 8, pastel

Click to Bid

My apologies to you who check this blog often to see new pictures. Getting going in Daily Paintworks has taken more time than I imagined it would. Now, my computer skills had absolutely nothing to do with it! 

This is my latest, but I am not going to post it on DPW just yet. I am thinking of entering it in an upcoming show at NBAL. 

Very Exciting News!

Sunny Apple

11 x 14 matted,  watercolor

Click Here to Bid

OK, I know this is a repeat from the last post but...............I have spent the last several days contemplating whether I should take the leap and join Daily Paintworks. This is a site where artists post their art to sell, creating their own gallery on the site of their works. It is a leap of faith for me, to step out of my comfort zone again, and see what people other than my friends think of my art.

This painting will not be on the site until tomorrow morning and will be on the What's New page for the day. It will then go to my gallery and in the auction site. So if you get a chance tomorrow, go to Daily Paintworks, (you can click on  the area to the right and it will take you there) look under What's New and see Sunny Apple in a new site. If you hit the click to bid above, it will go directly to the painting and you can "mouse over" to see it up close and personal. Just X out, you do not have to bid on it.

New painting coming soon. I promise.

Sunny Apple

Sunny Apple

11 x 14, matted

 

 

Watercolor has taken a back seat to pastel lately, have you noticed? Got back in the swing this week. The last watercolor was the big one that I am still trying to decide the best background for it (back before Christmas).

 

Really enjoy painting apples, not so much, sunflowers. Really there is a love/hate thing going on. Love, love sunflowers, not so much painting them----but I will keep trying.

Variation #6

Variation #6

6x6, pastel

 

 

Well, this pastel has been totally scraped off and reapplied and even now the pigment is thick. I am working on these to learn, but the original one was a disaster. Really, do not think this is much better, The colors shown on the monitor are not true to the original, but I am at a loss to remedy that situation. The plan was to stay in one area of the color wheel, but think I strayed too wide.

 

When I finished messing with that, another landscape was begun, cypress on the Guadalupe River. It is progressing much better. Still struggling with having a heavy hand, too much pigment too soon. So much to learn, and put into practice. 

Billy G

Billy G

8 x 6, pastel

 

 

Billy G, (you know, billy goat), lives between Fischer and Blanco. First attempt at a goat, I do believe, and also, at the attempt to show contempt!

 

Really wanted to name it, "You lookin' at me?"

 

I have been invited to be a demonstrating artist at a fund raiser put on in Wimberley to benefit non-profit organizations in the area. Looking forward to meeting the wonderful ladies involved and sharing my art with them. Thank you, Rita, for the vote of confidence in my ability to do this.

 

 



News in Italy

News in Italy

10 x 8, Pastel

OK, I did try to paint during the holidays--this one. When I took this picture in Citta Della Pieve, I was struck by the emotion it evoked in me. He just seemed so alone and the news (I imagined from his body language) wasn't good. I have been wanting to paint it for quite some time. I am not happy with this, not getting the emotion. Perhaps it is because I left out the 4 empty benches that were all around him. Whatever it is, I just am not pleased with the results. So chalk it up to another learning experience.

He was wiped off and restarted once. Does he get wiped off again, but this time for good?

Carolina Barn

Carolina Barn

9 x 12, pastel

WooHoo!! I finally completed a painting! It was a study in procrastination avoidance!! Ever have that problem--finding all sorts of things to do to avoid doing what you really want to do, because you are afraid you will fail??? I really haven't tackled any painting of substance over the holidays, mainly the Variations. Now, the Variations have afforded me an opportunity to explore color, technique, strokes, but also, an opportunity to avoid really trying to create that 'good' painting. So my confidence has been suffering. Like Rita Kirkman says, "Just do the work", the rest will work itself out.

We passed this barn flying along the interstate to Asheville in October. I took note of the surroundings and decided we would stop on the way back to take pictures. Well, we were late getting the rental car back to the airport, so no stopping. When I recognized the surroundings, I rolled the window down, wrapped the camera strap around my arm and started snapping pictures at 70 mph!!! It's a wonder the camera didn't fly out of my hand. 

Happy New Year

Not Now

20 x 16, Pastel

Hope all of you have a Great New Year. We started it off in a wonderful way-----------at the Cotton Bowl cheering the Aggies on to victory. My condolences to the OU fans, including my son-in-law.

"Not Now" will be hanging at the Candlelight Cafe, 3011 N St. Mary's, in San Antonio this month. The restaurant is featuring the Texas Pastel Society members. I am excited to get my art out at a new venue. Hoping to get some good feed back. I am trying to decide the 2 other pictures to hang in the show. Will let you know when I decide.

The cool thing about this painting is that the bull really had his head resting on her backside. The evening sun was shining so brightly in my eyes while snapping pictures, I only found it out when I was looking at the photos on the computer.

Variation #5

Variation #5

5x7, pastel

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Hope everyone had a Blessed Christmas and hoping you have a wonderful New Year--beginning with a safe New Year's Eve!

Just finished this Variation #5. I enjoyed changing the format to horizontal, looks like a totally different picture even though it is the same old subject matter. Read Richard McKinley's blog last night about harmony in a painting. He recommended using only the number of pastels that you can hold in your hand and that's just what I did.

Lacking the time to get in my reference photos and search for a subject to paint next, so I am glad to have these variations to satisfy my need to paint.

Variation #4

Variation #4

7x5, pastel

Finding time to paint has been a chore, plus the fact that the watercolor I have been working on has hit a wall. It has been put away, just sitting on the easel until such time it tells me what to do next. This is not a problem I have much experience with, but pretty sure it is not the only time it is going to happen.

So when there was a minute to pick up the pastels, Variation #4 resulted. I truly enjoy these, no pressure, just exploring the possibilities.

This will probably be the last post for awhile. Going to enjoy my family and pray that you will be enjoying your families, also. Blessings to you this Christmas and for the New Year, too. And many thanks for your support with this endeavor.

Italian Passageway #4

Italian Passageway #4

11 x 7, watercolor

Anyone out there ever have trouble with backgrounds, besides me????  The painting I have been working on is taking way too long. It is a person and he looks great (I'm pleased, anyway) but I am at a loss for the background. The photo has a number of people in the background. The plan was to put them in loosely, but now--not so sure. It is a large painting so there is a lot of background, making the task even more daunting. All suggestions welcome.

Italian Reflections is going to live in California after Christmas--check the October post to see it. You still have time to check out the Small Works for Big Holidays show at the NBAL Gallery.

Variation #3

Variation #3

8x6, pastel

Enjoying the variation studies, trying new color combos, strokes. It is a chance to complete a painting when there is only a limited amount of time to dedicate to creating art. It really is fun; it makes me happy.

Variation #2

Variation #2

8x6, pastel

It was a busy day, but getting to paint was one of the best parts. Painting involved working on the watercolor started earlier in the week and a variation of the painting above. Marla Baggetta has done well over 100 variations of a painting, exploring color and marks. Thinking about exploring that myself, might change the size format as well.

Prayers for the those in Connecticut who experienced unspeakable horror today.

Italian Passageway #3

Italian Passageway #3

11x7, watercolor SOLD

Have not been able to paint much this week, once again life is taking priority, but that is OK.  It is good to have a child home, visit with friends, and work a little. So I am posting a painting I painted earlier this year since I haven't completed a painting this week. This painting lives in Victoria, with Italian Passageway #1.

Orvieto Gargoyle

Orvieto Gargoyle

5x7, pastel  Sold

Started a new painting today, well, really, I started it yesterday. It took me several hours to get the drawing correct yesterday. That usually is a sign it isn't going to be a loose painting, but that's OK. If I can pull this off and get this watercolor done to my satisfaction, I will be tickled pink. If that happens, then you may see it here. If not-----there is a blank canvas on the other side of the paper!!!!!!

Orvieto Gargoyle lives in San Antonio. There were gargoyles everywhere in Italy and I believe I only took one picture of them--go figure??

Also, Playing at Padre and Day at the Beach, went home to Corpus Christi yesterday. Check back to the September 9th post to see them.

Look At That!

Look At That!
7 x 5, pastel
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This painting was really a serendipitous affair. To be snapping pictures from a great distance and this is the only picture of this little guy with such an awesome pose, divine intervention comes to mind. It was a lesson in minimal strokes to convey the subject and realizing shadows in reality are not as dark as they show in photos. AND just how often does a little one carry Woody around----I love it!

Hope no one was offended that I called this little one a 'critter' in the previous post. When I was pregnant with my first child, my mother had all sorts of presents under the Christmas tree to  "The Little Critter".  I sure missed that when I was pregnant with my youngest. 

Backyard Glow

Backyard Glow

6 x 8, pastel

OK, so I completed a painting in an hour after painting 'Lucky' ; well, here it is. That's right, it is no masterpiece, but it is a step in the direction I am wanting to try---loose, painterly.  This isn't for everyone, my oldest doesn't like the style at all. My goal is, as I paint more, that loose strokes will suddenly appear here and there in my realistic style.

My friend tells me to "do the work" the style will come. So I am doing the work, knocked out another one this morning. I love to paint critters, both human and animal, and he is a cutie even from the great distance he was away. How fortunate to be snapping pictures and the one he was in is this awesome pose. Is your interest piqued?

Lucky

Lucky

6 x 8, Pastel

Man, it was good to get to paint yesterday! You know I have been trying to be looser, more painterly in my style---I failed royally in the loose department with this one. But now really, can a squirrel this up-close-and-personal be loose? You've got to see those whiskers, hairs, and gleam in the eye! I labored several hours on this one, thinking at one point I was going to have to get the wet rag out and wipe it off--but I didn't. Oh, the name Lucky----well, he is still running around the yard!!!

I painted a landscape after I painted Lucky, got a little closer to the style I have been striving for. It may show up in a later post.

Italian Passageway #1

Italian Passageway #1

11 X 7.5, watercolor, SOLD

This is the first in a series I started after returning from Italy. Everywhere you look in Italy there is another passageway, whether it is a road, an opening to the countryside, beautiful ancient doors, narrow winding streets, it goes on and on. If only those passageways could tell us what has gone on there throughout the centuries!

This painting lives in Victoria, Tx. along with Italian Passageway #3 (will post it another day). The owner had the opportunity to travel to Italy this past summer. Oh, to get to go back there to visit again--what a dream-come-true that would be!!!

Exploring the Process

Untitled

8 x 8, pastel

This was my second painting I attempted way back on November 19. I was enjoying just getting the pigment on the paper, exploring the painting process. I used the same design/subject that I had used in Marla Baggetta's workshop. The result---not every completed painting is a piece worthy to be framed. Sometimes it is just a learning experience, a chance to try something out of the ordinary to see what does and does not work.

That hits sort of hard for me. You see I am a pretty frugal painter, if a watercolor doesn't work, just turn it over and paint on the other side! That is not an option with pastel paper. One of the great pieces of wisdom/advice Richard McKinley shared with me is that I should use pastels over a watercolor underpainting or over an unsuccessful watercolor painting. Now that was a piece of advice I liked--one sheet of watercolor paper used front, back and then one more time!

I'm Still Here!

Harvest

15 x 11, watercolor

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did!

If this painting looks familiar, it is. This is my watercolor rendition of Bountiful Harvest, the pastel painting that won an award in North Carolina. I haven't been painting this week, been down in my get-along, as my dad would say. So I had to pull out a painting from the summer. I was worried about getting the patina on the kettle to some out ok in watercolor, but I think it turned out pretty good. I also added the folds in the fabric that the pastel painting did not have.

I have painted a Christmas card to reproduce for the last several years, and I am hoping to get that done soon!!!! Time is running out, I am thinking.