Little Donnie (Warm Fuzzy #66)

 

Warm Fuzzy #66 - "Little Donnie" (pastel, 5x4 inches) $260

There's a traveling petting zoo near Austin Texas called Fry's Fun Farm that always has the CUTEST little babies! I enjoy visiting some events where they set up. The little chicks and ducklings get their own pen to protect them from big human feet.

Little Donnie's portrait fit perfectly in a 5x4 and will be one of my fave minis at my Solo Exhibition!

Watch a short demo video of the pasteling of Little Donnie here!

Not long now, the show opens this Saturday, March 27, at the ARTS for Rural Texas, 114 North Live Oak Street, Fayetteville, Texas. Opening Reception that day from 5-7pm.

Can't make it?  Preview the show online here!

I want to share with you a quote from Karen, the Director of ARTS. She has such lovely things to say about my work! 😊

"Rita Kirkman’s exhibit, Kindred Spirits, focuses on the similarity, a kinship, in humans and animals, The artist captures emotions in the eyes and stance of the animals, expressions with which we humans identify.  Rita Kirkman’s paintings of animals have an unmistakable presence and a connection with the viewer.  With a background in portraiture, she captures the spirit of each as an individual soul."
~Karen Vernon, Executive Director ARTS for Rural Texas

 

PS:  I'm also absolutely tickled to say that two more paintings have sold today, for a total of 4 already sold!  Here they are:

"Little Bunny" 6x4 inches, sold

 

"Two o'clock has come and gone." 36x36 inches, sold

 

 

"Summer" 10x10 inches, sold

"Little Goat" 4x5 inches, sold

Warm Fuzzy #46 - Gosling

 

Warm Fuzzy #46 - "Gosling" (pastel, 8x4 inches) click here to bid or buy

I just finished two back-to-back 3-day online workshops. Whew! These were what I had been preparing for all these months since the pandemic started and my string of four east coast workshops turned in to two that agreed to stick with it and move to Zoom.

I created my Virtual Open Studio Days in part to "practice" my studio streaming setup in preparation for these two workshops. All the preparation sure paid off because they both went more smoothly than I had anticipated (Well, except for a few moments when Alexa interfered with the connection of my bluetoooth headset and I finally told her to turn off after I realized it was my headset trouble and not everyone else's mics... Ahh, the adventures of technology!)

This cute little "Gosling" was my opening demo for this week's workshop with the PSNC. He was one of the babies at Fry's Fun Farm a few years ago. I love that petting zoo, their baby animals are the best!

Young Duck Resting (or "How to Fold a Duckling", refreshed)

"How to Fold a Duckling" (pastel, 5x7 inches) click here to bid

Lately, I've been sorting through a few of my paintings that for whatever reason have never found a new home, and seeing what can be done to give them a new life!

This duckling, from a few years ago, has been one of my personal favorites since the moment I painted it. Such a funny and unusual pose! But it's direct from a shot I took at a petting zoo, so I think ducklings really do fold themselves up like this sometimes, to rest...

See it there in the upper left?

I refreshed it today with more fluff, and some cooler notes in the background. Since it's out of the frame I decided to give it another round on auction!

Here' are a few shots of the original progress from way back...

original version

refreshed!

Thanks for watching! Please share!

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Fuzz Ball (and the Nebraska workshop)

"Fuzz Ball"  (pastel, 7x5 inches)  sold

This was the first of my demos at the workshop last weekend for the Sand Painter's Art Guild in Valentine, NE. This was a cutie I had painted before and really enjoyed, so I figured it would make a fun and interesting demo. (See "Duckling in the Light")

The workshop had 20 amazing attendees, all were eager to learn and had great progress and intelligent questions. Held at the Cherry County Fair, we were surrounded by the excellent artwork of League member show, which I judged, and my own work (they said "bring a bunch!") The quilt show and award-winning vegetables helped fill the other side of the room. Yum.

See LOADS more photos on my FB page, shared from the Sand Painter's member posts!

Grounded Duckling

"Grounded Duckling"  (pastel, 6x6 inches)  $249 Available at The Gallery at Round Top

My last painting before the pastel convention. Tomorrow I get to head up to Albuquerque for the biennial convention of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS for short). I've attended every other one since 2007, when I was awarded Master Circle status. If you're not familiar with the convention (also called IAPS for short,) this is the long-awaited week when pastelists from all over the world gather, paint, learn, network, unwind and recharge. To get an idea of why I'm so excited to go, see my (long) post about the 2011 IAPS on my Art Journal Blog HERE!

Late yesterday I decided I'd benefit from cleaning out my travel pastel box for the trip...

See some pics of that process on a new Art Journal post HERE!

Meanwhile, here are some progress shots of Grounded Duckling:

Stay tuned next week for some Albuquerque landscapes, maybe!

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Toulouse

"Toulouse"  (pastel, 4 inch circle)  $125 framed

I had four little round frames that I refinished in black and gold so I could paint some small circles. Most have been chicks, but I couldn't resist the light on this young duck. I named him Toulouse in homage to Lautrec's wonderful stage lighting on many of his paintings, like this famous one, "Al Promenoir del Moulin Rouge" from 1892.

Here is Toulouse in his frame:

Yellow Duckling (and a double caricature at the S.A. Rodeo)

"Yellow Duckling"  (pastel, 6x6 inches)  click here to bid

Finally! I was able to get a few minis done for my daily posts late last week while at the San Antonio Rodeo. This is one of my favorites of the batch. I like the severely formal pose contrasting with the severely cute subject! This one's from the Fry's Fun Farm Petting Zoo, same as all my bunnies!

Here are the couple of progress shots I managed to get, in between being distracted by paying guests getting their portraits and caricatures drawn...

Meanwhile, here's a caricature I was rather proud of on the weekend. It's been a while since I got a record of one of my better caricatures. (And I just love how these look in the Rodeo Barnwood frames!)

What a cute couple. Perfect faces for caricatures!

Duke - day 10

"Duke"  (pastel, 7x5 inches)  click here to bid

Day 10 of my 30 paintings in 30 days of September!

This young duck was also from Fry's Fun Farm, among some other chicks and ducklings separated from the bunnies in their own little pen.

Here are some progress shots:

Thanks for watching! please share!

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Duckling - in AIS Exhibit

"Duckling" (pastel, 7x5 inches)

This, one of those rare, fast and flowing works that painted itself last month, I decided to hold back from posting and entered it into an exhibit instead. I'm thrilled to announce it has been accepted into the 15th Annual American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition. Only 165 artists' works were accepted from 1330 entries!

The show will be held at Abend Gallery in Denver Colorado, Oct 2 - Nov 1, 2014.
Opening Reception/Awards Presentation, Oct. 2, 5pm-8pm.

The judge of awards is AIS Master Artist Clayton J. Beck III, who I happen to know appreciates small works and feels they are sometimes underrated.

OK, Clayton - here's one of my best small works to date... we'll see how it ranks with the rest of the amazing entries! ;) I'm overwhelmed to be included in the list of accepted artists, which reads like a Who's Who of American Impressionists!


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Duckling in the Light

"Duckling in the Light"  (pastel, 7x5 inches)  click here to bid

Some of you, if you connect with me on FB, may have heard of the fierce battle with the progress of my latest Renaissance Portrait.

It's been frustrating, but I was determined not to have a cow about it.

I had a duckling instead.

It was cathartic. Thanks for watching! Please share!


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Duckling Walking

"Duckling Walking"  (pastel, 6x4 inches)  click here to bid

This duckling, along with "Gem" the fawn, was what I painted while at the Beachcombers Art Show at the South Padre Island (TX) Convention Centre. I love this little guy's attitude in his stride, like he's got somewhere to go and he's not afraid to get there.

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