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.....

Weather Beaten

14x18 oil on linen

This is an oldie but goodie. I don't know why it hasn't found a home, except that its been in my studio for almost 2 years. I personally love it and am proud of it. Anyway - today I submitted it to the Oil Painters of America and maybe they will accept it in their 20th annual national exhibition. The audience in Coeur d'Alene, ID should be right for it.

Western Wear

8x10 oil on panel

Here is a companion piece I did this week to go along with a similar scene which is at Russell Collection in Austin. They had a customer who wanted 2 small paintings with horses, but no people in them. Hopefully this and my other piece will fit the bill.

This was our first week of summer vacation here. My daughter and I have had several play dates with friends and have been swimming. Its getting quite warm here in Central Texas. I haven't managed to paint much. I hope that when things settle into more of a routine I can work. I did take my french easel and palette downstairs to the kitchen so I can work in there and be more accessible to her.

This week I ordered a lot of frames to prepare for the show in Vermont at the end of July. I am trying very hard to be super organized and not wait until the last possible moment to get the work shipped. I will begin posting the paintings I've been working so hard on these last few months soon. Facebook friends have had some sneak peeks at what has been on my easel, but I didn't get around to posting images on my blog. Its been a little too quiet here. Not for much longer!

Standing Room Only

8x10 oil on panel

These two were tied outside at the Bertram rodeo last spring. They were shifting about, swishing tails, impatiently waiting to get to do their stuff. Most of what I watched was team cutting (calves from a herd.) It was pretty fun to watch. It seemed like a great family event - small and local. I'll have to keep my ears open for another event to go to.

Hot Spot

9x12 oil on panel

Two cowboys visiting during a rodeo in Bertram, Texas. Spent most of my day today working on my kitchen cabinets. That job rather stalled for awhile. I need to get it finished. So, while my "painter's block" continues....guess I will be productive elsewhere.

Calvert Victorian Gala

18x24 oil on linen - sold

What a fun and festive event in Calvert. I wish I could have been dressed up and dancing, but seeing it all was great. I worked smaller than I usually do for live events and finished the scene so that it could be auctioned that night to benefit the Calvert Historical Society. V....Vaughan's beautiful painting of the afternoon tea was a real crowd pleaser too. I think we are both happy to have participated in the events of the day and enjoyed the hospitality of this quaint East Texas town as a whole. Many thanks to Barbara, Cecilia and Jody for their hospitality and planning!


Some fine looking young ladies chatting around my painting corner.


The gentleman and lady in the center were the second place Best Dressed couple of the evening. They are in my painting on the right. I actually had all three winners for the best dressed couple in my work. I guess I had a good eye for authentic costume!


V's gorgeous painting is seen in the background here.

Sundown

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $12 s/h

Someone had wanted one of those previous experiment sketches I had done so I did the scene again on my usual gessobord panel. Its the same color scheme but I think I lost some of the looseness. Then again I wasn't rushing through 5-6 of them in 20 minutes.