Plein Air Painting - Don't Fence Me In

Been pretty quite here. Well - in my art world. The rest of my life hasn't been quiet at all. I always swear I am not going to get too busy and let my calendar get too full, but its out of my control a lot of time. Since school started, its been one thing after another and this month is going to be nuts.

Starting off the month though, its me time! I'm heading back to Kerrville, Texas for their second annual paint out event. Last year, much to my own amazement, I won the grand prize for the painting below (still available!)

Don't Fence Me In
11x14 oil on panel

I'm excited to go back again and have access to some beautiful private ranches and spend time in the scenic hill country of central Texas with lots of other like minded people.

I haven't picked up a brush in a week or more. Hope I remember what to do when faced with the great outdoors and miles of options!

Don't Fence Me In

11x14 oil on panel
$700
Available at the Kerrville Arts & Culture Center

What a weekend! My painting above won first place in the plein air painting event judged by Albert Handell. I am "gobsmacked" - to borrow a fun word from the Brits. Its a good word. I am still so amazed. There was a lot of talent out there - some 70 artists attended I think - and some really lovely paintings were created during the event. I am thrilled for the KACC for putting together such a good event. I hope they continue and I will definitely go back. We had access to some amazingly beautiful hill country properties. 

Above is the painting in progress along with a cute couple of goats that roamed around keeping us company. I just loved the ramshackle scene and the old gnarled oaks. I was more comfortable than ever working outdoors and didn't get lost or forget how to paint. I was able to apply what I normally in the studio quite naturally. BUT I stopped before I thought I should. LOL
That might be the key. I loved the looseness of this scene. I didn't want to go too far. 

Albert Handell (in the cap above) was the judge and he is leading a workshop in the area this week. I left three paintings at the KACC and if there are sales a percentage goes to support the excellent art community and arts center in Kerrville.

I've put a photo album of the event on my Facebook page - check it out!

Weather Beaten

14x18 oil on linen

Ask Russell Collection Fine Art about this painting.

Happy Friday! I know I am relieved its the weekend. Been a frustrating week in the studio dealing with business issues. The Girl Scout cookie campaign ends this weekend too, so I will soon have a lot more of my time back for creative endeavors. The ability to quietly center and focus on painting is just impossible with too many things cluttering my mind. I bet a lot of you can relate.

Ommmmmmmm.....

Up With the Sun

12x12 oil on panel

Ask Castle Gallery about this painting.

We may as well stay with the horse theme here the rest of the week. This was painted at a rather urban sort of stable tucked away here in Austin. You wouldn't know it was there, but once you drive in, you feel like you are in another world. The barns are mostly brick with windows and green shutters and trim and they have beautiful landscaping all around too. My daughter goes there for summer camp and some 'kids' night out' activities.

Update

I have begun to post numerous times this week but ended up walking away every time. Much like my painting of late. I am really struggling now. Its all these extra things that get in the way of painting. Even when I do have the time, I can't seem to get into the spirit of it.

I struggled several hours this morning on a cafe scene. I hate it. But I'm not going to wipe it off. I am just so bummed now and out of time to figure out what it needs. Maybe fresh eyes tomorrow will help.
To let you know what is up I will just fill you in on the last few months. My daughter developed this habit of pulling her hair out. She is half bald, but has stopped pulling it at least. We're working hard on finding out the reasons why she started it and trying to reduce stress in general. Good luck with that. The new year isn't going so well for my husband at work and apparently the 50+ hours he was already doing wasn't enough so now we hardly see him. And as you might expect, he isn't the funnest person to be around when he is home. ;-)
I am starting menopause at 41. Is this too personal? Might explain some things, however. And my allergies have been awful! Its like a cold that lasts for 2-3 months.

On a good note... which I feel I should end on....I have a solo show in July at Studio 47 in Vermont. So, my studio days right now are focused on trying to create work for that. Also, new works are going to Castle Gallery for their annual Valentine's show next week and I promise to share those here.

Its funny how a blog becomes a link to an audience that I feel some responsibility for. I am still here and still working (trying) and I think about all my friends out there. No need to deluge me with sympathetic thoughts. I am sure you are thinking it and I am sure you all have your own troubles that interfere with your passion. But if you have some idea how to paint when nothing inspires you, let me know! 

Below is the one success I had this week.

12x12 oil on panel

Weather Beaten

14x18 oil on linen

I really wanted to capture the effects of our Texas sun here. Not just in the glare of the barn yard, but in the worn and weathered look of the woodwork, the baked earth and the cowboy's features. I had a lot of fun with this painting. I think that painting something I would not normally pick was a good excuse to push myself and to take some risks. I put in heavy thick strokes of pure white, left the intense blue in the shadow and had it bouncing in other areas and I put my focal point rather far left in the painting. I like it.

Winter Morning

9x12 oil on panel

This morning I went painting at Spicewood Farms with Plein Air Austin. The weather was brisk, and the sun didn't make an appearance until we left, go figure, but I got a couple of nice paintings/starts. The stables were bustling with morning chores and some riders. And the horses were frisky because of the cold air.
Its funny that I don't paint horses more often. Growing up I did everything I could to be around horses. I've worked with saddlebreds, racehorses and hunters. I mucked stalls and cleaned tack and groomed all to pay for lessons and in the hopes of getting offered a ride. I eventually got to own them too (thanks Mom and Dad!) and spent many years training, riding and showing hunters. I think they are truly one of God's most amazing creations. They are such beautiful animals. And so curious and friendly. I think only the dog could compete with the loyalty and affection a horse can share with its master.


8x8 oil on panel - unfinished obviously

Red Barn

6x6 oil on panel
$110 + $11 s/h

Trekking across Indiana last week I had plenty of time in the car to sketch the passing scenery. This is one of many barns and cornfields I saw along the way. Most of the corn was still not harvested, but dried, and the trees were just beginning to show signs of turning. This is a bit of a switch for me. I can't think of the last time I painted a landscape, but my desire was to mark the trip, practice painting my impressions from pencil sketches and memory and to announce a new gallery representing me - Castle Gallery in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its a really wonderful space, so if you are in the area, you should make a point to go see them.

Besides getting back home and back into somewhat of the normal routine, all my time has been spent framing and shipping works to Georgia, for my OTHER new gallery. Hopefully they will have a website up soon, but I will certainly share opening info here.

Seven Strokes

oil on paper

My friend and fellow artist V Vaughan inspired me to try this "technique". Today I painted at her farm with Plein Air Austin and did several scenes using just seven brushtrokes. The idea is to plan the values and colors and how you'll lay it in, and load your brush and not lift while you make your strokes. It was a great experiment and I really enjoyed the exercise. I also found that it was a great way to lay a scene in quickly allowing more time to dabble with deatils while the light remains. I wonder if this would work for figures/cafes?