Mambo - day 1

"Mambo"  (pastel, 5x7 inches)  click here to bid

Well, I'm going to attempt 30 Paintings in 30 Days of November. Theoretically, it should be easy, since all I have for real "work" on the schedule this month is my workshop at the New Braunfels Art League Nov 20-22 (some spaces still available btw!) But already I had paint and post this one early, since tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 1) we're going to the Texas Renaissance Festival and will be out all day. So I'm counting this one for November!

See progress shots:

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Road Sketch #20

"Road Sketch #20"  (pastel, 3x5 inches)  click here to bid

Here's the other little road sketch that was buried in my studio mess. Only took me two days to post it after I said I would... but I'm making progress on the studio clean-up. Might even be painting some new stuff this weekend.

....Ok, I'm considering doing another 30-paintings-in-30-days in November (like I did last year.) I'll have to seriously get a jump on that plan in the next two days if it's gonna happen. And Sunday we're thinking about going to the Texas Renaissance Festival (yes, with my daughter's new costume for Halloween weekend) so I'll have to prep that post early. Of course, now that I've said it and posted it on social media, I'll have to make it happen. (One of my favorite techniques for self-motivation! Hahaha!!)

Road Sketch #19

"Road Sketch #19"  (pastel on Ampersand Pastelboard, 3x5 inches)  click here to bid

Cleaning out the studio, I uncovered 2 little paintings from my original road sketch series that must have gotten buried during one of my frequent framing frenzies. What a pleasant surprise, as these were two of my favorite road sketches! And, since they're still not framed, I'll put them through another auction round!

This one was from a day that was full of south Texas humidity from a shot out the windshield at full zoom, to catch that shimmery disappearing road illusion. Good thing there was not a lot of traffic, because I get really distracted by stuff like that, lol!

Evening Glade

"Evening Glade"  (pastel, 14x11 inches)  click here to bid

This painting is on Wallis paper that is mounted on a 16x20 board so is suitable for matting with a frame, or it can be trimmed and framed without a mat. This was the most successful of my paintings in the Barbara Jaenicke workshop last weekend. What stuck me about the scene was the strong diagonal shadow, and the way the lights and shadows danced on the tree trunks. I kinda sorta caught a little bit of what I wanted to catch. I'm pretty happy with this one. (I do like the sky holes!)

Today I continued to clean the studio. I got so far as to (get my husband to) hang the french hanging rods on the left wall. First I had to clear that entire side of the room (which was the worst!) and mop the floor on that side. My agent from The Gallery at Brookwood will be stopping by tomorrow to pick out some pieces to take, so when I got the rods in place, I filled the wall with paintings.

 Unfortunately, everything that was on that side of the room is now on the other side of the room, so you don't get to see that side yet! Ha! Hopefully tomorrow will make good progress, but I'm pretty sure the clutter will need to be redistributed throughout the room once again. ...It's a puzzle, and I love puzzles!

Meanwhile, here are some shots of "Evening Glade" in progress:

Castor and Pollux

"Castor and Pollux"  (pastel, 32x32 inches)  $4100
(EDIT AS OF 11/2015: This painting now available at The Gallery at Brookwood)

Here's the reason I've been silent for several days. FINALLY, a new large work! First one since May of this year. Just HAD to get this done for the Wimberley Alive Music and Art Festival this weekend, Oct 24&25, 2015.
(EDIT AS OF 10/23: The decision was just made to postpone the entire festival [because of the rain]. The team is meeting today at 2:00 to determine what that means.!)

And, if you follow my blog, you might notice that this is not the painting I was going to paint. Yes, I decided after all to do this one, which I'd had in mind for a while. I just really like to push compositional rules, and wanted to see if I could line up those faces perfectly and still make it work!

This painting's complete compositional process will be part of a slide show for a new workshop next March in Kansas called "The Large Project", where I'll guide students through combining photo references to create one large painting.

Meanwhile, here are just a few of the many photos of the painting progress:

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Cowplay

"Cowplay"  (pastel, 6x12 inches)  click here to bid

Ok, here's the last of my last batch. Gotta get to work again!

I did! In fact, today (finally!) I did most of the underpainting for a new LARGE painting, to begin to replace the two that sold from my show in June and the last one which I took to the Gallery at Round Top. Since then, I did two more art fairs with no new large piece, just older stuff! I'm determined not to let that happen later this month at the Wimberley Alive Music & Art Fest, Oct 24 & 25!
Scroll all the way to the bottom to see a sneak peek at my new large longhorn underpainting in progress...

On your way, view the progress shots of Cowplay!

 Cowplay is another of my rare ventures into the hazy, overcast day. I just couldn't resist the pose!

And here (drumroll...) is most of the underpainting for "Big Mama", 36x36 inches...

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Don Keemauv

"Don Keemauv"  (pastel, 8x6 inches)  click here to bid

I already had a donkey titled "Lavender" and since lately I've been naming the donkeys "Don Ke...." or "Donna Ke..." I decide this one could be mauve.

Here are some progress shots:

  The first layers are gold colored. This is Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold fluid acrylic color mixed into Golden (brand) Fine Pumice Gel. The gel is clear, so the color mixture is semi-transparent, and gets darker on each application.

3 layers of the gold primer

the final terra cotta primer layer with the photo reference

 The final layer of primer is the Art Spectrum (brand) Pastel Primer in the terra cotta color. I lay it into the darkest areas, then scrub and dry-brush it into the medium values of the gold to continue the value scale and add more depth to the monochromatic underpainting.

Then, on to the pastel!

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Brewski

"Brewski"  (pastel, 8x6 inches)  click here to bid 

One of the last in my latest batch of minis. I'm almost done with my daughter's Halloween costume, which occupied me all weekend. Then I'll be onto a new large painting to be my showstopper at the Wimberley Alive Music & Art Festival Oct 24 & 25.

Here are some progress shots:

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