Legendary

 Legendary

12 x 16, pastel

Yes, the oldest dancehall in Texas is a bit of a legend. So many country greats have played there over the years. Hopefully, it will go on for years to come. This was a fun one to create, took some artistic license with it.

Prints will be available, just contact me.

Cactus and Cedar

 Cactus and Cedar

8 x 10, pastel

This is a typical scene across quite a bit of Texas, at least here in the hill country. This was another of those that just sort of painted itself, perhaps because it is seen almost daily. Loved the cactus shapes!

Hill Country Scene

Hill Country Scene

8" x 8", pastel

The Texas Hill Country is known for the wildflowers that 'usually' cover the fields and sides of the roads each spring, this year, not so much. They are dependent upon the rainfall received in the fall and winter and not so much of that happened. So even though they were few and far between, I decided that I would paint them from memory. Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes are my favorite. Have to admit that name of the lavendar/ purple flowers escapes me, just know that they are not verbena.

 

Surprise Winter Visitor

 Surprise Winter Visitor

8"x 6", pastel

Just this week we had a bit of snow, quite an unusual happening in south Texas. I kept my eyes peeled for this little fellow. You see, several years ago we had a severe freeze lasting several days. Now I have a bad habit of leaving the hummingbird feeders up. Well, imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw this little guy on one of the frozen feeders!!! I immediately set to work to get another feeder out there with thawed food!

He hung around several days as did the freeze, keeping me busy putting out thawed food every couple of hours. He often sat in our lemon bush (where he is in this painting) just a shivering. I have the cutest photos of his little eyes closed, and those feathers puffed up, trying his best to stay warm.

I am sure we will have another cold spell and I will be on the lookout for my little visitor!

Shhhhhhhhh......... Merry Christmas!!

Shhhhhh....

10 x 8, pastel

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!!!

Third in a series of Christmas Santas, but the first pastel. This painting is my Christmas card and came about after a wonderful workshop in beautiful, rural, Junction, Texas with fabulous artist, Margaret Evans.

I am notorious for having a detailed drawing before I begin a painting.......not this time, no drawing. Following the block-in with pastel, as Margaret uses, this painting just flowed. That rarely happens, but so thrilled with the results of this one!! Thank you, Margaret!!!

Sunset in Lavender

Sunset in Lavender

6" x 8", pastel

There is never a shortage of subject matter when one paints the sky. If it isn't painting worthy, just wait awhile and all that will change. Texas sunsets are often breath taking! So fortunate to live here.

Treasured Day

Treasured Day

11" x 14" w/mat, watercolor

This painting is so very special to me. It is of a dear friend and our last adventure before cancer stole her from us. She had called the day prior and suggested we  take a road trip to Castroville to photograph the poppies. Sounded like an excellent plan to me!

We spent the day visiting, enjoying the beauty and, of course, a delicious lunch. We discussed any and everything, she was so excited to have all the wonderful reference photos. Think she had a painting completed the following day!

This is my first painting of that trip last April, just completed. I have been hesitant to try to capture the beauty/emotion of that day. Didn't think I could do it justice, but I am pleased with the results.

Miss you sweet friend!

Pastel Sky

Pastel Sky

6 x 6, pastel
Click to Buy

We had a beautiful sunset tonight, but I was not in an area where I could get a good reference photo, too many trees. So this is from several months ago, it was lovely as well.

Had the opportunity to participate in The Hill Country Invitational Art Show and Sale in Boerne this past weekend. It was a fabulous experience, beautiful venue, wonderful artists all in one place. It was a spur of the moment opportunity and I am so glad that I was included!

Autumn Grasses

Autumn Grasses

7"x 5", pastel

Click to Bid 

Really do love fall, the cooler temps, oh, yes the cooler temps! But I really love the colors of fall, unfortunately, that rarely happens here. So I rejoice in the subtle changes that we are blessed with in our area.

This originally was part of a larger painting, but sometimes 'crop art' can be a good thing. I love everything about this little painting. Some years this is all the 'color' we get! Come on cooler temps!!!

Sky #11

Sky #11

6" x 6", pastel

Click to Bid

The skies were beautiful during our short trip to south Texas last week. So glad I finally got to put it down on paper.

The Texas Pastel Society if having a regional show at the Carver Center in San Antonio the month of November. The opening reception is November 6, from 6-8pm. I have 2 paintings in the show, hope you can get by and check out the show.

Also, the Artoberfest continues in New Braunfels through the middle of November.

Merit Award Winner

Ain't Gonna Happen!

20 x 16, pastel

So happy to let you know that  this painting was given a Merit Award in the Austin Pastel Society Juried Exhibition. The exhibition was judged by Clayton Beck III. Well over one hundred paintings were entered and only 50 were accepted in the show. I am honored to have received an award with all the wonderful paintings entered.

If you can, get by to see the show at the Corridor of Art, 700 Lavaca, in Austin. I hope you will for it is worth the effort.

On April 3, my art will be hanging in the Wimberley Fine Arts Center in Wimberley, Texas, as well as, the New Braunfels Art League gallery. Wimberley Fine Arts Center is located at 13909 Ranch Road 12. I am thrilled to join a wonderful group of artists and hope you will come by and check it out.

Sky Study

Sky Study

6 x 8, pastel

Decided to try to paint a beautiful south Texas sky yesterday while working at the NBAL Gallery. We witnessed this scene when returning from a TAMU football game. There were intermittent showers and then the blue sky shown through. Think I got a pretty good likeness.

Today I submitted 3 paintings to be juried in the Artoberfest Juried Art Show at the NBAL Gallery. I will let you know if any were accepted in the show. The reception and awards will be Friday evening 5-8pm. Drop by if you can, I saw some beautiful paintings.

Cow Dog

Cow Dog

8.5x11

Pastel on toned sanded paper

It has been a great day!!! I got to paint today. I applied the information learned from the D K Richardson workshop and painted Cow Dog. I hope to enter it in the Texas Show at the NBAL Gallery on Tuesday. There are a couple of areas that need to be tweaked, but all in all I am pleased.

I really do not think he is a cow dog, took his picture at the last Market Days I participated in. He was a sweet dog. In fact in one picture, he seemed to be smiling for the camera!

D K Richardson's Workshop

 Almost completed workshop piece

10x8, pastel on Ampersand board

I know it's been about 6 weeks since my last post--believe me, I know!!! I have been working on a commission piece that I cannot share on the web without permission AND I have been working my new job. Just returned from 12 days in Memphis, which is a neat place, but it is sure good to be back home.

The best part is I arrived home in time to take a wonderful workshop given by D K Richardson at Jerry's Artarama in Austin. To me, her art is breathtaking, the realism and detail amazing. I really enjoyed the class, learned sooooooo much, and hope to be able to apply it to my work. She is an excellent instructor and very supportive/encouraging. Three of the five participants had never used pastels before. They ended up with wonderful, portraits they created all on their own. D K never touches your work she simply guides you (verbally) in seeing and applying the pastel to get the lifelike results.

I am very pleased with my painting. I have included several progress shots taken over the course of the 2 day workshop. Her method is very labor intensive, but so very worth the effort. Check out her website at www.dkrichardson-artist.com.

Initial grid and drawing

This is where my affliction of 'seeing too much" comes in handy!

                                                 

First application of color.

 Putting in the undertones of the cheek.

 Fairly, happy with this but the nose is wrong.

Pretty happy here, but sweating the scarf on her head.

Think it may still need some tweaking.

 Just have to worry about the background now.

Thanks for checking out my blog and not giving up on me!!