"Buddy"

6 x 6

oil on panel
sold

A Christmas gift commission for a friend's granddaughter, hope it was a hit. I was told that Buddy always has his tennis ball, so that had to be included in the painting.

8 x 10

oil on canvas

sold

Another commission, headed to Tennessee.

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. Wishing you a new year filled with good health, happiness, and good art!

Christmas Greetings

6 x 6

oil on panel
sold

Wishing everyone a very Merry "Doggone Good" Christmas as we head into the last week of this special holiday!

"Young Indian Girl"

8 x 10

oil on canvas panel
available at Adobe Western Art Gallery

This is the last of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Had some interruptions this month, mainly internet connection, so didn't get the full 30 in for the challenge. But have learned a lot, painting more regularly and trying new techniques. 

There is no end to the art journey, it's a constant learning experience! 

Thanks for following along!

"Pueblo Girl"

8 x 10

Oil on canvas

A  young beauty from the Indian pueblo.

"Fuel City Longhorn"

8 x 10

oil on canvas

sold

Several of these guys live between two expressways in a grassy space behind a business called Fuel City. A nice bit of "Texas" right in the middle of the big city!

"American Indian"

8 x 10

oil on canvas
available at Adobe Western Art Gallery

Here's another addition to the 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Unfortunately, we had a break in our phone and internet cable last week and we were without service for several days. So that's my excuse for not posting lately! Have been painting, just not posting to the blog. I think we forget how dependent we are on technology these days until something like this happens. 

"Boxer"

12 x 12 x 1 1/2

oil on stretched gallery canvas

sold

Half way through the 30 Paintings in 30 Days, # 15!!! What does this boxer have to do with the Indian theme of the challenge...absolutely nothing!

"Tribal Leader"

8 x 10

oil on canvas

 Day 14 in 30 Paintings in 30 Days.

"Cowboy Fan"

8 x 10

oil on canvas

Painted with several friends the other day and we had Raul, wearing his Dallas Cowboys hat, as our model. It was 'one of those days' and my painting was a disaster, so to prove to myself that I could do this, I painted this portrait when I got back home as a challenge to myself. 

This is #13 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days.

"Cactus"

8 x 10

oil on canvas-$95

Click to Purchase

 Day 12 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days. This was painted from a photo taken inside the garden gates of the Alamo in San Antonio. Loved all the shades of blues and greens accented by the cactus blossoms.

"Indian Village"

8 x 10

oil on canvas-$95

Purchase here

One of the benefits of painting often is trying new things with technique, style and color. Feel like I "mixed it up" with this one in a more abstract way. Fun to try something different. This is #11 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days.

"Straw Hat"

8 x 10

oil on canvas

The is painting number 10 in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge, which means I'm one third of the way through this challenge. Guess by the look on this guy's face, he's not as happy about it as I am!

"Dog"

8 x 10

oil on canvas-$95

Click to Purchase

I know that my 30 Paintings in 30 Days theme is the Indian and the West. Well, this looks like an Indian dog...right?

"Indian Territory"

8 x 10

oil on canvas-$95

Click to purchase

It's been a week now since the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge started, here is entry number eight.

"Pigtails and Feathers"

8 x 10

oil on canvas

Day 7 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.

"Papoose"

8 x 10

oil on canvas
sold

This mother and child painting is entry number 6 in the 

30 Paintings in 30 Days. I'm also including the block in

to show the beginning stages and some of the values in the 

early stages.    

   

"Feather Headdress"

8 x 10

oil on canvas
sold

Day 5 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days.

"Turquoise Necklace"

8 x 10

oil on canvas

It's day four in the "30 Paintings in 30 Days"!

"Brave"

8 x 10

oil on canvas-$95

sold

Day 3 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Warm Blanket"

8 x 10

oil on canvas
available at Adobe Western Art Gallery

Day two of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Thanks for following along on this challenge with Indian and Western theme.

"Chief"

8 x 10

oil on canvas
Available at Adobe Western Art Gallery

Well, here I go again! You might remember this past January that I participated in a painting challenge, 30 Paintings in 30 Days, offered by a California artist, Leslie Saeta. She is sponsoring this again for the month of September. I found this to be a huge "growth experience" and couldn't resist another try! I found that a theme was much easier to follow for the process. Did ranch inspired paintings last time, and as you see here, you guessed it...Indians and the West this time. I'll be heading to NM and AZ this fall, so have this idea in my head. Will definitely be prepared for the Wild West when I get there!

Hope you will follow along with the other artist as well, almost 350. Click on Leslie's name above to see the rest of the participating artist's work.

Again, my apologies if my followers find this "too much" in your mailbox each day. I'll give you a rest, and myself, in October! Thank you so much for "following", you give me much encouragement!

Birdhouse

I know this seems a little "crafty" for an oil painting blog, but wanted to show you what I have been asked to paint for a donation to a fund raiser. The event is called A Feathered Affair and benefits TRAC, Trinity River Audubon Center, here in Dallas. The birdhouses, about 25 that will be stuffed with gift certificates, will be auctioned off during a reception in October.

When a friend saw a photo of what I had painted, she said in horror, "You put a cat on a birdhouse!!!" I know....what was I thinking???

   

Here are a couple of more views showing the painting on all four sides.

"Doctor's Office-1895"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

This is one of my entries in the plein air show at the Dallas Heritage Village. Need a doctor? This is where you would go in the late 1800"s, complete with examining room, operating room and pharmacy all in one place.

The art show will be in October at Heritage Village, I'm sure there will be some great plein air paintings in the exhibit.

"Coolin' Off"

11 x 14

oil on stretched canvas

Knew one of these days that my photo of this dog would become a painting! I was out at one of the local parks painting en plein air when this dog jumped in the nearby water fountain, was so glad I had my camera with me to capture this happy guy coolin' off!

Have been painting so many local historical buildings lately for two upcoming shows that I had to "take a break" and paint something else. This one made me happy!

"Pilot Grove Church-1895"

9 x 12

oil on canvas
sold

Pilot Grove Church is one of the older structures at Dallas Heritage Village, home to the largest and finest collection of 19th century pioneer and Victorian homes and commercial buildings in Texas. 

Several days of plein air painting this week with the wonderful cooler July temps, and Heritage Park offers limitless painting opportunities.

"Bell Tower-MSSA"

9 x 12

oil on canvas
sold

The is the bell tower at the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly, part of the Chautaugua movement in the US at the turn of the century, located in East Tennessee between Nashville and Chattanooga.  I'll be taking it to The Gallery on the Assembly in a few weeks. This entire area is filled with quaint old Victorian homes built in the late 1800's to the early 1900's. My husband will be teaching a photography class there and I'm planning on a week of plein air painting. A little slice of early Americana!

Dallas Reunion Tower

9 x12

oil on  canvas

Painted with our Monday group of plein air painters yesterday and found this lovely spot south of downtown Dallas with the Trinity River and the top of the Reunion Tower in the background. For those of you who aren't familiar with Dallas, the tower is a big part of our skyline. An elevator takes you up 50 stories to a restaurant and observation deck.

"Proud Bird"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

The proceeds from this painting will benefit the Oklahoma Tornado victims by supporting Mercy Chefs, a non-profit, faith based, charitable organization committed to serving professionally prepared meals, during local, state and national disasters and emergencies. My son's in-laws have had devastating losses in Moore, and while he was there helping with the clean up, his family was served food from Mercy Chefs. Please consider taking this proud bird home and helping in this worthy cause.   

$95 on the Daily Paintworks 

"Gilmer"

30 x 40

oil on stretched canvas

nfs

This is a painting for our son's new office. It was painted from a photograph on his property in Gilmer which is in East Texas, a beautiful section of our state that is also referred to as the Piney Woods. Overlooking the 15 acre lake has been one of his favorite places to be in that "get away zone" for peace and tranquility. Hope this painting continues to take him back to that "quiet place". 

Copper Tray

11 x 14

oil on stretched canvas, $125
sold

Bought this beautiful copper tray at my favorite shopping spot, a garage sale. Was visiting my son in Houston and on an early morning walk, I stopped at a sale and asked them to "hold" this tray while I went back to the house for money. I thought it was well worth the extra walking!

"Colley Whisson Workshop"

10 x 14

oil on board

sold

Have just had the joy of taking a fantastic four day workshop with Australian artist Colley Whisson. http://www.colleywhisson.com/

Be sure to check out his website and take the time to watch some of his demos on YouTube. His use of color and the ability to capture light in a painting is like watching a magic act.

These are my four paintings from the workshop, following along with him as he did a demo each day on his step by step process.

10 x 14

oil on board

sold

12 x 16

oil on board

sold

12 x 16 

oil on board

"Thanks For The Ride"

16 x 20

oil on stretched canvas

Loved these two little girls showing appreciation for their horse and buggy ride through the town of Estes Park, Co. This painting is going to the ACA art show at a local gallery for the month of May.

Robert E Lee Statue

9 x 12

oil on canvas

Robert E Lee statue on his horse Traveller, at Lee Park in Dallas. On June 12, 1936, the statue was unveiled by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A smaller-than-actual-size replica of Lee's Virginia home, Arlington House, is also located in the park.
Our Monday plein air group is still painting historical sites in the Dallas area.

"Versailles Park Gazebo"

9 x 12

Oil on canvas

$125

Have had several beautiful Spring days to paint with my local plein air group. This is the gazebo at Versailles Park in Highland Park, also called Echo Park by my children because you can stand in the middle of the gazebo and your voice will echo. The area is a perfect example of the dogwoods, azaleas and tulips that are in bloom here in the Spring.

This park also has fond memories for our family because our son proposed to his wife here and she later had her bridal portrait photographed here. A similar painting was their first anniversary gift. 

"Morning Light"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

sold

This is my "quick draw" painting from the Outdoor Painters Society weekend show, Plein Air Southwest at Southwest Gallery. The timed quick draw event was held at the Dallas Arboretum with about 40 artists completing a painting from 10-12. These were quickly framed, delivered to the gallery to be hung on the "wet wall" for the opening reception from 3-7. That's the reason for the hasty, not so good photograph. But I am happy to say that the painting sold within the first hour of the show.

Here are my other two plein air pieces that were juried into the show about a month ago. If you are in the area, visit the gallery for a real visual treat!

Here is the gallery link for all the artists in the show, along with their paintings:

http://swgallery.com/artists.aspx?style_id=28

Happy Easter

 "Angelic Perch"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

Several months ago the Highland Park Presbyterian Church had an art show for our plein air group that paints historical sites in Dallas. We had painted outside their church and they wanted to feature these paintings in a month long art show. With the success of that show, they wanted us to paint some of the features inside the church which will result in a show there for most of the Spring months. 

These are my three entries to the show that will start mid April.

The angel sculpture and also the altar cross are works of one of the church's members, Barvo Walker, who is well know internationally, and especially locally for his replacement sculpture on our Texas State Capital, and also of the fireman and child sculpture from the photo after the Oklahoma City bombing. 

"You Are My Witness"
9 x 12
oil on canvas

One of the church's stained glass windows.













                                "Altar Cross"
                                Oil on canvas
                                       sold

                             Cross and open bible on the main altar.
                     

"Rise and Shine"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

Painted this recently with a group of art friends at a soon to be opened art gallery and studio space in an up and coming area of Dallas. This bright and light space called for a bright and cheery painting! 

"No Trespassing"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

One of my plein air groups that paints Dallas historical sites met today to capture some of the shot gun houses in the 10th street district. Here is a little information on the area. 

Tenth Street Historic District

Dallas' 12th historic district was adopted in 1993. One of the only remaining intact Freedman's Towns in the nation. It is a cohesive collection of modest folk and vernacular dwellings dating from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. In this neighborhood there are 257 domestic structures, four commercial structures, three institutional structures and one cemetery.

A few of the houses have been updated, but as you can see from the "No Trespassing" painting above, many have not. Quite an interesting morning visiting parts of Dallas I had never seen before. The Preservation Dallas Society is planning an art show later this year featuring many of these plein air paintings. More to come on that event!!!