Beau

 

"Beau" (pastel, 7x5 inches) bid or buy

 Here's "Beau", from VOS Episode 124 Part 2, which I finally finished. (Muses and Buddies on my Patreon can watch it here!)

See a quick speed video of "Beau" here!

Argie in his Blanket

 

"Argie in his Blanket" (pastel, 8x6 inches) bid or buy

Here's a quick speed video of Argie expertly edited by my son. Enjoy!

Muses and Buddies on my Patreon can watch the real-time video in Episode 122 here!

If you pay attention you can see when I when I wipe off most of the first try, to correct the drawing and values and paint it again!

#20 of 21-in-31 "Cowamel"

 

"Cowamel" (pastel, 16x8 inches) is available framed, and will be with me at the Midland Septemberfest Art Festival, Sept 9-11, 2022.

I'm finally on a roll, now that's it's almost the end of the month! That's usually the way these things go. But after #21 I really have to finish those darned donkeys!! (Maybe those can be #22? If I'm lucky..)

I'd had this cute calf partially underpainted for quite a while, so I finished it all up yesterday in front of my phone camera. I really liked the freshness of the terra cotta underpainting part, so I thought I would be able to pastel her quickly... but turns out all those subtle reflected greens and violets in the fur took a lot of attention and a really long time! Much longer than this quick speed video that my son made. 

Enjoy!

 

#19 of 21-in-31 "Mewler Contented"

 

"Mewler Contented" (pastel, 10x8 inches, available framed) might be with me at the Midland Septemberfest Art festival Sept 9-11, 2022.

Back to some of my last underpainting batch now, heading into the final paintings of my month's goal!

This was from a pic of Mewler as a kitten, sitting on my lap in the morning. First thing in the morning (before the house has warmed back up to summertime temps) is the only time he's a snuggly lap cat.

I had fun painting all these textures! I hope you enjoy this quick video of the pasteling. I was able to leave a considerable amount of underpainting showing... Mewler's coloring was a good warm match for the gold and terra cotta colors.

#13 of 21-in-31 "Hereford Mini"

 

Day #13 of 21-in-31: "Hereford Mini" (pastel, 4x4 inches) bid or buy

What a month! Only 8 more days of my challenge left, and I still have the Rooster Mini to post tomorrow. Pastel Live is almost over. I missed most of today by having to go Costco shopping (yeah the boring normal life of an artist mom...) and since our nearest Costco is 35 minutes away, it's really an all day trip.

But... we had Rana Tagliatelle Grilled White Chicken with Portobello Mushroom, and imported French cheese bread for dinner. 😋 A good trade off.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I hope to get back out to the studio, watch some more Pastel Live demos with half a brain while working on the Donkeys (yes, finally!!) Or maybe I'll be brave instead, put the Donkeys off for another few days, and paint along to Karen Margulis and Brenda Boylan ...and Lyn Diefenbach!? Oooo! That might be a good way to accomplish 3 more paintings for my month? If it doesn't take me six more days to tweak them all up to standard, lol!

Meanwhile, please enjoy this little Hereford Mini speed video! Muses and Buddies on my Patreon page can watch Episode 115 when I pasteled this half-Hereford along with the Baldy Mini, the Busy Bee Mini, and tomorrow's Rooster Mini!

#11 of 21-in-31 "Baldy Mini"

 

#11 of 21-in-31: "Baldy Mini" (pastel, 4x4 inches) bid or buy

I thought I'd mark my half-way point with a half-faced cow! This was one of the 4 little paintings I pasteled at my Virtual Open Studio on Tuesday.  

Next up will be my Pastel Live demo! Whoohoo! (Though it was pre-recorded, it will "go live" Thursday at 3:40 ET) and then I'll get to post it! What a fun week this is! 

Meanwhile, enjoy this little video of this little Baldy!

Half-Faced Hereford

 

"Half-Faced Hereford" (pastel, 12x6 inches) bid or buy

Thank you to the Pastel Society of Southern California for having me do a Themed Thursday with them on Zoom last week!  This was an informal "paint-along" demo, and I decided to paint this simple half-faced Hereford cow, because I like the colors, and the light/shadow value patterns.

So, yeah! Since their Themed Thursdays are free events (some of you were there after I posted about it earlier,) the resulting video is also free! Whhoo-hoo! 😀 Here it is on the PSSC YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/1AEBQrjtyOw

You can find future PSSC Themed Thursdays on their events page when they have one coming up. Past events are there too!

Highlander

 

"Highlander" (pastel, 6x8 inches) bid or buy

Here's the star of my Highland Cow Paint-Along from Saturday! The reference photo was generously shared by my friend and fabulous animal artist Frances Daunt. She lives in the UK, with easier access to these shaggy darlings than I have in Texas. 🙂

My Moo-tastic Muses and Bunny Buddies can access the entire paint-along video! Meanwhile, enjoy this speed video!

Day 18 of 21-in-31: FuzzyMoo

 #18 of 21-in-31 - "FuzzyMoo"  (pastel, 12x12 inches) bid or buy for a limited time on DailyPaintworks

This cute fuzzy bear of a cow was pasteled during this week's Virtual Open Studio.
 

See a GIF of the process here!

Day 15 of 21-in-31: Diamanto

 

"Diamanto" (pastel, 12x12 inches) ($595 framed) is my 15th painting of my 21-in-31 challenge for May. I already had used the name "Spike" but I wanted a title to to justice to his horns, so I did a little research. Diamanto is a Greek name meaning "One which is as pure, strong and sharp as a Diamond".

Diamanto was underpainted during the May 18th VOS (which video I'll be editing next) and just finished pasteling him today. Enjoy these progress pics!

 

Day 12 of 21-in-31: Radcliff

 

Day 12 of 21-in-31: "Radcliff" (pastel, 8x8 inches) Bid or buy for a limited time on DailyPaintworks

This little bull calf was so cute standing there, I wanted to give him a full body portrait instead of just a head shot.

Enjoy this GIF and progress pics!

Day 11 of 21-in-31: Coby

 

Day 11 of 21-in-31: "Coby" (pastel, 10x10 inches)

For my 11th painting of my 21-in-31 challenge for May, I thought it was a good time for a nice backlit young Hereford steer.

Bid on or buy this painting unframed for a limited time at Dailypaintworks.

Enjoy this 3-minute speed video of the painting process!

#10 of 21-in-31: Dior

 "Dior" (pastel, 7x5 inches) bid or buy here

I named her Dior because she reminds me of the black and white gemstone called Diorite. Plus, she just looks so elegant. She really did have those shaped eyebrows! I met this heifer at a friend's ranch while up in Minnesota last fall.

I had fun with my mark-making on this one, and used a relatively limited palette.

Enjoy this video montage of the painting of Dior!

Day 8 of 21-in-31: "Mimoo"

 

Here's Day 8 of 21-in-31: "Mimoo" (pastel, 7x5 inches), the little cousin of Day 7's "Moofasa"! They were both with me at the Boerne Art Waddle yesterday.

See progress pics here!

Day 7 of 21-in-31: Moofasa

 

I've been afraid of slipping behind in my goal of 21-in-31 this month, so I marathoned 3 little pastelings yesterday of some little underpaintings I got done on Wednesday. Here is Day 7 of 21-in-31 "Moofasa" (pastel, 7x5 inches). He'll be with me this Saturday at the Boerne Art Waddle. map here. Stop by the Carriage House Gallery booth on the creek if you're in the area!

Tomorrow I'll post Mimoo, his little cousin, who will also be there!

See a quick GIF here!

Sunday

Finally! For your enjoyment, here's a little speed video of last months' Paint-Along Cute Calf, named "Sunday" (pastel, 8x8 inches) bid or buy here

You can enjoy the actual paint-along here for a $10 pledge on my Patreon page!

Mr. "Smith" goes to The Woodlands too!

 

Here's another favorite picked up from the gallery I just got out of. "Smith" (pastel, 10x10 inches) A classy Braford bull (Hereford Brahman mix.. I just found that out today!) I just love that little strip of late afternoon sunlight on his face... my favorite kind of light.

I painted him just before the pandemic, during one of the festivals where I do caricatures. I would sometimes take underpaintings along to pastel during slow times. (With my then-new Heilman sketchbox and Richeson pastels that I bought at the 2019 IAPS convention!)

Smith is with me at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival this weekend, April 9&10. (If you're in the area, find me in booth 404 by the Watercolor Terrace in the center of things!)

See progress pics here!

Chic Chick

 

"Chic Chick" (pastel, 6x4 inches)

Here's another one of my little favorites that was languishing in a gallery all through the pandemic. "Chic Chick" is finally home with me and will be with me at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival this weekend, hopefully to find her forever home. (If you're in the area, find me in booth 404 by the Watercolor Terrace!)

I love this one so much I had her as my Facebook business profile pic for a long while there! Enjoy this fun GIF and progress pics!

"The best paintings are sometimes the simplest."

Little Fish

 

"Little Fish" (pastel, 4x6 inches)

 Yay! My "Little Fish" painting has been accepted as one of the 100 creative works to be "caught" at the famous VIP "Art Dash" Party on April 8, the night before The Woodlands Waterway Art Festival (just north of Houston, TX.) Get your tickets here!  

This FUN fundraiser benefits The Woodlands Arts Council Student Art Scholarship program. Afterwards, enjoy the festival (April 9&10) and find me in booth 404 near the Watercolor Terrace!

See a quick GIF here!

T is for Tiger

 

"T is for Tiger" (pastel, 12x12)

Among the few paintings I picked up from a gallery last month, this is one of my favorites from my Alphabet Series. I started the series a few years back to get myself out of a painting slump. It worked, as the series is still not complete!

I was really happy with the looseness I was able to achieve with this tiger. I really don't know why he hasn't sold yet, when the Lion and the Meerkat and the Dolphin and the Hippo and many others (even the Quail!) all sold pretty quickly. But that's to my benefit now, because I can take this Tiger to The Woodlands Waterway Art Fest next weekend (near Houston TX.) If you're in the area be sure to stop by, I'll be in booth 404 by the Water Color Terrace near the center of things!

Enjoy these progress pics of "T is for Tiger"!