Serenity

Serenity

8 x 10, pastel

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This is a painting of the pond and water feature at my brother and sister-in-law's home. It is so relaxing to sit and enjoy the sound of water trickling, sort of serene. 

It was a challenge to create the the image of water both flowing and as a flat surface. Always good to challenge yourself.

Exciting Barn news!

Carolina Barn

9 x 12, pastel

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Had some exciting news today. Daily Paintworks chose this painting as a Facebook Pick of the Day on their Facebook site. Over one hundred artists submit paintings daily to DPW and out of those 6-8 are chosen  to be featured on their Facebook page. If you get a chance, check them out there are some lovely paintings.

Winkin' Llama

Winkin' Llama

8 x 6, pastel

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This llama was too cute. He looks like he is puckering up to kiss, or is that spit???????

Sunlit Iris

Sunlit Iris

22 x 15, watercolor

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Painting days have been few and far between these past several weeks. This painting has taken weeks to complete. There were weeks that it only got attention one day that week. It is a large painting by my standards and those are always a challenge for me. Another challenge, when do you know a painting is finished? Sometimes I just have to "step away from the painting".

Painter's Block

Bath Time

about 20lbs.

Goodness gracious! Attempt to paint after 2 weeks of not painting at all and it is like never ever painting! My attempts today at a pastel study were woefully sad. I had intended to paint yesterday but my new job threw a wrench in that idea. So I got up early and finished my work and hit the pastels. Ugh!

But the good news is, today is over and I get to paint everyday next week. WooHoo!!

So since I have no painting to show, thought you might like seeing a visitor who frequents our backyard. He/she likes to bathe in the tubs of water we put out for the deer.

Weathered Beauty

Weathered Beauty

12x9, pastel

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This is just the first of, hopefully, many more paintings with this woman as the subject. She is a gypsy woman, who lives in Italy. I was blessed to get to see her while visiting Citta della Pieve. She played the hand organ as marionettes that were attached to her feet and legs danced. It was such a joy to behold and the small children loved it.

This is also my first attempt at a portrait of a female using pastel as the medium. I truly believe that portraits are easier in watercolor. Now there are plenty who would argue that point with me. 

Poppies

Poppies

22 x 15, watercolor
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I had to pull this painting out of the past. Unfortunately, painting just has not been a part of my life for the last couple of weeks.

Painting large is not something to which I gravitate, but I enjoyed this one. As always filling the the background is a challenge, didn't want to detract from the the stars---the poppies!

Four of my paintings are on display and for sale at the Arthritis Association, in San Antonio, off Medical Dr. It is a beautiful office and I hope the original art displayed by several artists brightens the day for visiting patients and their families. 

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.