Halcyon Daze

18x14 oil on linen

Ask Russell Collection Fine Art about this painting.

West Side Shadows

12x8 oil on panel

Ask Castle Gallery about this painting.

I am still working. I just can't seem to finish anything. And I can't seem to find inspiration for smaller things. I suppose I have to get the larger scenes out of my system!
This is a scene from NYC - the West Village one sunny morning. I eliminated any background really and focused on the light and shadow. I am now working on a larger scene of this same corner. Hopefully I can finish it this week. :-)

Downtown

10x23 oil on panel

This is one of the pieces that has been keeping me busy the last week or so. Usually I work best "alla prima" - that is finishing a painting in one session, but this one took longer. I managed to keep it fresh and spontaneous looking by concentrating very hard! I had to concentrate to look loose - figure that out.
Frankly, its exhausting.
I have not decided where I will send this yet and have to get a custom frame ordered since its an odd size. But will post purchase info soon.

BarKeep

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

I rather embarrassed myself taking this photo. I asked the bartender if he'd mind my photographing there, but I think he thought I was flirting with him. ;-)

The photos came out lousy... but I had enough to go on. Barely.

I was working on a larger version of this, but abandoned it. I think I've worked out some things on this smaller version so will continue the larger one I think. Tomorrow. Time is up for today.

Noon on Tuesday

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Love this little bar scene from the Driskill Hotel. There is the bar itself and then all around are lounge areas with couches, tables, fireplace, art and sculptures. Its somewhat of a pass through too between the main lobby and the 7th street entrance.
The title is from Sheryl Crowe's song - "all I wanna do is have some fun..."

I have been working - just slowly and on larger things and have been too lazy to post.

Crossing Sixth

8x16 oil on panel

Ask Russell Collection Fine Art about this painting.

Just as my ideas come back, its time for the weekend! This is so much more impressive in person, though I might reconsider the darkness of the shadows still. We shall see on Monday.
Have a lovely weekend, ya'll!

Musing

I mentioned in my previous post that my "muse" was off napping again. I do not really know how to describe it, but sometimes I just can't paint. I look and look and look at things and nothing inspires me. And I can't paint without that spark. I can try, but its like I am sleep walking.
So I took a break this week. I went sketching downtown. I tried to learn about watercolor journaling for upcoming family trips. I watched Ken Auster's video, "Intellect & Passion".

It made me wonder if artists like him, for instance, ever lose their inspiration? Or are they so well-trained and professional that they can paint whether they feel it or not. Is it automatic?
For me, it is not. And I've learned to live with these downtimes. Perhaps it means I am ready for another step, or growth in my work. Maybe I have just tapped out the source and it has to replenish.

And it has, I think. My sketching and observing on Wednesday manifested itself into my dreams this a.m. and I woke up with some great ideas! Something that gave me energy and I could hardly wait to get up and start.

Two problems there... I have to get my daughter up and ready for preschool and my panels are on order but not yet arrived!!

We could open up another rather controversial topic here maybe based on my first "problem".... why are male artists generally more successful and well-known than female artists? My theory is that they can go and shut themselves in their studio and do their thing without worrying about family. Not in the nurturing or care-taking sense maybe... perhaps their artistic drive is somewhat fueled by the "bread winner" instinct. They can paint for hours on end every day. Where many women have to take care of the house and children and too many other things to count and can't devote so much time to their art.

And so - I have the seeds of ideas in my head but must do other things while they germinate.

Empty Easel

I was selected as a featured artist this week on emptyeasel.com.
The write up is very flattering and I am very pleased to have been chosen and to be featured. Really - I am sitting here grinning ear to ear.
Here is the link:
http://emptyeasel.com/2008/02/06/robin-cheers-paintings-of-life-in-motion/

Maybe this is the push I need to get back to painting this week. I'm on a brief hiatus waiting for my muse to get off her lazy butt. ;-)

City Beat V

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Below are some pencil sketches I did today of my dog. She is a very relaxed schnauzer and, as such, wonderfully relaxing for me. I was trying also to teach my daughter a bit about drawing what you see, rather than what you know. Perhaps she is too young for that yet. ?

City Beat IV

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h

The colors here are a little unusual. I took the pink brick sidewalk to an extreme perhaps and used green shadows. Are there ever green shadows? I like the combination though and I'm a-keepin' it. Though this might look neat also with a very stark "white" background. I will perhaps do that on the next one.

City Beat III

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h

A friend teasingly asked if I sat on the rooftops lurking to take photos. Well... not precisely. I was in a parking garage or on a balcony. Its fun to play with the perspective in this way. Its more of a challenge than I would have thought.

City Beat - II

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Another "bird's eye view" of a more casual male crossing the street.

City Beat

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

This was a lot of fun. Its something I've wanted to do for awhile... this view. The overhead perspective of people moving through the city. This guy was checking his cell phone reception I guess.. or maybe late to a meeting.
I have more planned. Stay tuned!

Due Amici

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

This is actually from my trip to Italy. I went in 1998 - ten years now. Too long. This scene is from Siena. Italy is such a wonderful and amazing country - from the ancient history to the modern cities alive with the warmth and vivacity of its citizens. I went with two other women friends. We started in Roma, worked our way down to Napoli and the Amalfi coast (pompei, Capri, etc.), staying in Sorrento. And then up to Firenze and capped it off with a stay at the Tenuta di Spannocchia (a 12th century villa) near Rosia and Siena.
The villa and its environs are amazing and I highly recommend a visit there. It was truly a dream come true for me.
I am really quite passionate about Italy. Not only was the food incredible and the history, the people, the romance and excitement, but I felt at home as well. The climate is so like Texas - the landscape and plants. I suppose that is why spaghetti westerns worked so well too.
I might have to go and paint some more of Italy now. And dream of a return trip.

Arrivederci!

Morning Walk

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Another of those ancient streets in old Nice. The narrow streets, if they can even be called that, and the height of the colorful buildings, really create wonderful compositions with the bright sunlight pouring through.

Bonne Nuit

16x16 oil on canvas

Ask Russell Collection Fine Art about this painting.

Another memory of France... this time in Paris. I have no idea what restaurant this might have been. One of the thousands with sidewalk seating.
I have to say I was really pleased with how I painted that green light glowing on the red awning. It took several tries to get the right value and not have it be too bright, too distracting or too obvious.

Look for new works in all my galleries this weekend. And look for some small works coming here again now finally.

Bonjour

16x12 oil on panel (see below for framed image)

Ask Russell Collection Fine Art about this painting.

Someone asked me at the Plein Air Austin "art share" Saturday why I was frustrated much of last year. Upon reflection, I think it was because I was not able to express myself. I think my mind was ready for the next step; I knew the brushwork I wanted to create, the gesture and impression... but my hands had not caught up. I felt a disconnect between what I saw in my mind and what I was able to make happen on the canvas. I am feeling pretty good these last few months about my ability to get the painting how I envisioned it at the outset. Lots of suggestion, basically. More and more impressionistic.

This painting I did late on Friday night when I couldn't sleep. I got to thinking about our trip to France nearly 8 years ago and browsed through my photos. This is so very like Nice and many of those old cities of Europe.

Topping Off

12x12 oil on linen panel

Ask Gallery la Place about this painting.

This will be available at Gallery la Place in Georgia by Feb. 2nd. Speaking of, they have their website up and running and I'd recommend looking over the artists they represent. I am really impressed and feel I am excellent company. Its a new gallery, so I am happy to see the quality of artists they were able to sign on. I think the gallery should do very well.

Bookkeeping Blues

If I had a painting to represent this, it would be someone slumped over her desk with a black cloud over her head and piles of papers and empty mugs next to her. Its that time of year again... time to go over all of last year's income and expenses, file property taxes, sales tax, and prepare for April income taxes and do inventory.

I am ill equipped for this aspect of my work. Its incredibly frustrating, esp. because I don't keep the best files and my formerly excellent memory has somehow been replaced by a sieve since I became a mother. Any brilliant ideas for record keeping for artists?
For now I am done with last year's stuff at least. And look forward to painting tomorrow, if not later today.

Sunday Sketches

These were from Thursday when I went downtown. The young ladies looked so chic in their black trench coats. Its been "cold" here so everyone is bundled up too which is different for us.
My goal is to do more of these sketches and then to paint from them, or paint on them. I just need to get more background next time. I sketched some good poses, but then got home and did not have them in context to complete a painting.