Zesty

7x5 water soluble graphite on paper (greeting card)
$30 + $5 sh
 

One of many small original sketches available at our "open studio" event.

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Please join artists Robin Cheers and V....Vaughan at their "satellite studio" for gourmet chocolate and new collections of gift sized artworks just in time for the holidays. With Joel's offering amazing artisan chocolates, locally crafted teas, fresh coffees and seasonal treats, Robin and V.... will be sketching from life. So bring YOUR LIFE, a child or pet to pose for an original sketch by the artists...a truly original gift idea. Also available are original art greeting cards and small paintings. 

Wednesday -  November 20th - 4 -8 pm

Joel's Coffee House

11301 Lakeline Blvd, Ste 120

Austin, TX 78717

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Upcoming Events: 

• November 20: Chocolate and Chiaroscuro Event, Joel's Coffee House, Austin
• November 29: Major's Fundraising Art Sale begins 
• December 6: Small Gems show dk Gallery, Marietta, GA

 

Aw Shucks!

16x16 oil on panel

Ask DK Gallery about this painting

This began - and sort of ended - as a sketch. I just thought that I had said enough once I got the initial block in done. Its painted over a toned panel which allowed me to just be vague about the non-essential bits.

Friday opens the Farm to Table show at DK Gallery on the Historic Marietta Square. The show features all their gallery artists sharing works celebrating the growing focus on farm fresh foods. I am happy to contribute with some of my favorite subjects featuring foods being prepared or enjoyed. To see a preview of the variety of works you can click here. 

I'm still really excited to be part of DK Gallery. They have monthly show openings coinciding with their local First Friday Artwalk. The shows give artists and patrons an opportunity to explore all kinds of ideas and themes. I wish I was nearer and could attend. I'm hoping for a visit during their Holiday small gems show.

This scene is from my New Orleans trip earlier this summer. We walked for a long way to find that Cafe du Monde serves nothing but beignets. That wouldn't do for my family. We then found The Original French Market Restaurant nearby serving some excellent Cajun food and got to watch this man shucking fresh oysters for those so inclined.

Aw, Shucks

Sometimes its just all about the paint! I was lost in just putting in stokes - color and value being my only focus. Then I step back and see those marks make a scene. I love it. V....Vaughan told me to stop at this point too. Good thing. I have made a few more marks but may just leave it in this state. 

16x16 oil on panel

A scene from French Market Restaurant in New Orleans

The panel this is painted on was coated with a pinkish grey oil paint scraped on over an old start using thr "mud" from clearing my palette. It makes a nice surface to work on - and allows me to leave some areas alone - that background color being a subtle neutral for the negative spaces.  

Just Desserts

18x18 oil on panel 
Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

The Slice of Life show opened last Thursday at Gardner Colby and I had a lovely email this weekend telling me about an article written about my work in the show. The article focused on the aerial perspective that I use in some of my paintings. I am really flattered to have sparked people's interest, especially Tom Hall, Arts & Exhibits Correspondent
of Southwest Florida. :-)
Click here to read the article.  

Saucier

11x14 oil on linen
Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

Click on this one to see it larger. I could have gone on and covered more canvas and added more details but I decided to stop. I loved it at this point - loose, fresh and gestural. This is more of what I want to do and I just have to be bold enough to do it. Hopefully, the gallery and their patrons will approve!

Brigade de Cuisine

14x11 oil on panel
sold

One of my favorite subjects to paint. Its on its way to the Florida for the "Slice of Life" show. Below is a nice little write up on the show which appears in the March issue of American Art Collector. I am still starstuck at the company I am keeping in this show! My parents are going to drive down to see it, and I wish I could join them especially as that is spring break week here in central Texas.  

Sketches @ Le Cordon Bleu

I'm officially back to work! I spent the first two weeks of the new school year putting my studio back into order. I've rearranged and cleared out and have a beautiful space to work in again! I began painting again today - working on a few painted sketches for a beach commission. I hope the client likes one of the ideas so I can get to work on the large piece.

I've been sketching a lot lately. My friend V...Vaughan is teaching a sketching workshop once a week this month so I've joined her in that. And then I heard of an open house at our local cooking school in Austin and we met over there to enjoy the demo, sketch and take notes on some delicious French and Italian dishes.

I have more and more things in the works this fall and a full page of "to do" items so stay tuned. :-)

Sunny Cafe

10x12 oil on panel
Available at Tidewater Gallery