Sir Basset

Sir Basset

12 x 9, pastel

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Love basset hounds, those sad eyes and droopy ears.  I have been wanting to paint this guy since I saw him at a Farmers' Market. He had a buddy (another basset) but he just wouldn't cooperate with the camera.

I took a hint from Rita Kirkman and under painted the non-white areas of the dog with Azo Gold acrylic paint (diluted). You can see it peeking through on the body, ears and head. I tried really hard not to go heavy with the pastel and leave it showing through. Thanks, Rita. Without the under painting, I don't think I could have covered the Wallis white paper without using heavy pastel . You can see below that with the layers of gold acrylic, I had a head start on completing the painting.

I also added green and violet in the white shadows--who knew! What they say holds true--value is more important than color!  If the value is correct, almost any color will work and it is way more interesting than gray!!!

Study #11

Study #11

6x6, pastel
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I really have been painting. There have been multiple minor catastrophes in the Beard household this week, so painting has been my calming force. The good news is the college kid survived his ski trip to Taos and made it back to TAMU, the reception for the Austin Pastel Society at the Corridor of Art was great yesterday. The art will continue to hang there until April 21, so drop by if you are in the area. Also, I have been invited to hang art in the Arthritis Association in San Antonio. That will be up around the first week or two of April.

So even though this past week the bathroom heater burned out, the refrigerator died Friday and the upright freezer died last night, it's all minor. Life is good!

Workshop production

Orvieto, the Ratindra Das Way

15 x 22, watercolor
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Well, there is a little bit of normalcy returning to the household following the new addition. So it seemed like a fine time to take a workshop! I was able to attend the workshop because the Wimberley Fund Raising event did not have enough interest, unfortunately for them, but as they say, "When one door closes, another opens." That just might be what happened to me. I wasn't just chomping at the bit to take this workshop, but very glad I did.

I had a wonderful time exploring a new way (at least for me) to complete a watercolor. The paper was saturated, but as you can see I could still get hard edges. The opportunity to play with color, a number of them I rarely use was a freeing experience. So the weekend was a great time for learning.

I have been working on pastels of a most interesting Italian lady I encountered on my visit there. Will hopefully post one of those soon.

Bundle of Cute!

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Spinner

8x14, shih tzu

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As if I didn't need another excuse not to paint on a daily basis! Dan named him the day we test-drove him, because he goes in circles when he is nervous. He is 8 months old and a joy! He loves to play, something our sweet rescue Yorkie was too brow-beaten to ever understand. We try to play and she cowers so all we do is give lots of love. 

I did paint a portrait of an Italian woman, just a head shot. It looks like her but not thrilled with it. I plan to try again. She is going to be the subject of several paintings. She played the hand accordion and had marionettes attached to her feet! She made them dance as she played the music! It was too cool. 

Biltmore Lake

Biltmore Lake

9x9, pastel

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The last full day we were in North Carolina, Hurricane Sandy finally decided to move on and allow the sun to shine. The November sun was glorious that day. The grounds of the Biltmore Estate were beautiful.  I have a friend from Ashville, North Carolina who has painted plein air on the Biltmore grounds. How awesome would that be!

Study #10

Study #10

6 x 6, pastel

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After completing the challenge painting yesterday, I couldn't wait to get back to pastel. I just couldn't decide on a subject-----so I turned to my old standby to get back in the swing.

Several new happenings going on, joined Facebook (don't have a clue what I am doing), and sold a painting on line last night! Exciting and overwhelming times---feeling like I am getting old if that is overwhelming.

Challenge Painting

Challenge Painting

10 x 6, watercolor

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Weekly on Daily Paintworks there is a challenge offered for those artists interested in a challenge, or stepping outside the box, or just want a different subject to paint. This week Carol Marine, (great artist, formerly from Austin area, Google her) offered a photo taken during one of her many workshops. This was taken in Texas, when one of her students graciously agreed to pose. 

I thought it was such a cool idea and decided to give it a try.

Harvest

Harvest

15 x 11, watercolor

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This is the watercolor version of Bountiful Harvest. It was painted after the pastel was completed. 

By the way, I didn't mention it but Bountiful Harvest was also juried into the Austin Pastel Society Member Show in Austin along with Italian Man. It is extremely exciting and humbling to have Terri Ford select these two paintings to be included in the 50 paintings chosen for the show.. That show opens Monday, February 25 at the Corridor of Art on Lavaca St. in Austin. There is an award reception on March 17, from 3-5 pm if you happen to be in the area.

Study #9

Study #9

6 x 7, pastel

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When I feel myself tightening up, "painting the fleas before the dog" to quote a dear friend, I try to loosen up with one of these. I start with a blank piece of paper, lightly draw the horizon, river, and maybe a tree. I decide on the colors I want to use and then have fun deciding where to place them. I am pleased with the results of this one, hoping to carry the looseness on to the next painting.

Apples and Sunflowers

Apples and Sunflowers

15 x 11, watercolor

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Apples are another fruit that I enjoy painting, but unlike pears, I enjoy eating apples. 

A piedi per la citta--Walking to Town

A piedi per la citta--Walking to Town

8 x 6, pastel

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I was just a working away on this guy thinking about the 10 x 8 frame I was going to buy for him, thinking this is really sort of a big painting-----when, I stepped back and looked. Upon measuring, this painting is only 8 x 6! I have been working small for so long, 8 x 6's are looking big! Don't quite know how to respond to that, other than, "No wonder it was so hard to get the facial features right!!!!!"

Another wonderful thing about Italy is that people walk everywhere. This gentleman was on the outskirts of town, heading to 'la citta'. So glad that I was out that way also, to snap this shot. Shortly after seeing him, I met Katrina, a tourist from Sweden. We walked/visited for over an hour, until she had to meet an real estate agent. She was looking for a summer home!! She could fly to Italy in less time than it takes me to drive to Dallas. Can't imagine how wonderful that would be! 

Exciting happening today!

Lucky

6 x 8, pastel

Once again I am re-posting, sorry, but I just had to share with you. Today this painting was chosen as a Daily Paintworks Facebook Pick of the Day!!! This means that if you go to Daily Paintworks Facebook page, this painting is on that front page to be seen by hundreds of people that visit that site daily. That is just so cool. I do not have a Facebook page, but I can still get to the front page ( I just can't leave a msg. on it for the other paintings I like), open it and look at the lovely paintings chosen, and you can too.

People have been telling me that I need to join Facebook. Maybe I should pay attention to them!

Italian Man is going to Austin!

Italian Man

7 x 5, pastel

I wasn't going to re-post paintings but I am so excited to have this painting making the trip to Austin this month! So forgive me, please.

I received notice today that Terri Ford, juror for the Austin Pastel Society's 2013 Annual Juried Member Exhibition, accepted this painting as one of 50 paintings chosen for the exhibition. The exhibition will be held at the Corridor of Art, 700 Lavaca St., Austin, Texas, weekdays February 25- April 19.

If you happen to be in Austin during that time, drop by the gallery. There are some beautiful paintings in the show.

Waterlilies

Waterlilies

7 x 5, pastel

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These waterlilies were growing in my brother and sister-in-law's pond at their home. I think it would be so cool to be able to enjoy waterlilies daily in the spring and summer.

Pears

Pears

6 x 6, pastel

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Real original title there! But what else could I call it?

Once again life is getting in the way of painting, I hate when that happens. But at least I am happy with the way this painting turned out, more lost edges, a little more painterly.

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

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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

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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?