"San Juan River"

11x14

oil

Couldn't have found a more beautiful display of fall colors than this view of the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs, CO. Painted while on a paint out with a group of OPS painters this past September.

14 x 11

oil

This was the first morning light coming through the fog in the backyard of the Pagosa Springs, CO cabin where we stayed this past fall. Just noticed that my previous post is a painting of that cabin. What a great trip!

"Homeward Bound"

22 x 30

oil on stretched canvas

Heading home at the end of the day results in an eager sprint! 

This will be one of my two entries into the National Oil Painters of America show held here in Dallas this coming May, 2016.

"Sunset Campsite"

22 x 30

oil on stretched canvas

Not sure how I let so many months pass before I post new paintings on this blog. Certainly not that I haven't been painting! Miss it and especially keeping up with blog friends and seeing their new artwork. Okay, like everyone else, here's to new years resolutions to improve on posts!

This painting was inspired by a group of tepees just south of Santa Fe, NM. The western sunsets add even more awe to an already magnificent landscape. 

Thanks for checking in!

"White Rock Stables"

9 x 12

oil on canvas panel

Purchase here

Had a great day out with some of my painting buddies for a day of plein air. White Rock Lake in the middle of Dallas offers wonderful painting opportunities away from the hustle of city life, not only the lake and boats, but hiking and bike trails, and a real hidden jewel is the stables. 

Wasn't sure how this photo would turn out, seems I've misplaced my camera charger, so took this was taken with my iPhone camera. Think it's pretty close to the original painting. Have new batteries and charger ordered so will retake when they arrive and compare the two photos.

"Power to the Bluebonnets"

9 x 12

oil on canvas panel

Purchase here

Spring is the best time to head south of Dallas to the Palmer/Ennis area to find the bluebonnets in bloom. Met several other plein air painter friends there last week to capture the beauty of our Texas state flower in full bloom. The rancher whose house is in the background came out to visit with us just as we were setting up. There is a designated Bluebonnet Trail in this area and the property owners are more than generous and welcoming.

Someone said that if you are a painter and live it Texas, you HAVE to paint the bluebonnets...it's the law!!!

"Hillside Siesta"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

Knew immediately as we rounded a corner on a country road in the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee that this "had" to be a painting. Sometimes scenes just "speak to you"...I love when that happens!

"South Rim"

9 x 12

oil on canvas

This is my first view of the South rim of the Grand Canyon. It is so spectacular, no one can prepare you for the vast beauty, ever changing with light movement. 

We visited this past fall, and would have loved to have lingered longer for more photos, but the winds were blowing at 40 mph which made the temps freezing cold. Definitely not a good idea for getting too close to the edge. 

It's been fun revisiting this day, but in a warm studio. Hope you enjoy!

"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.

"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". 

"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

"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

"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!!! 

"Mountain Guard"

8 x 10

oil on stretched canvas

purchase through DailyPaintworks
sold

A lone cowboy stands guard overlooking a mountain range. I actually spotted this cowboy at the cattle drive in the Ft. Worth Stockyards and just substituted the Stockyard buildings for the mountains. 

"Pelican Point"

9x12

oil on gesso board
sold

Headed to White Rock Lake early Monday morning to paint with our plein air group, driving in the most beautiful hazy fog. I arrived at this cove where you could see nothing but shades of gray with the dark outline of the trees and a few of the fall colors peeking through the mist. By the time we unloaded our cars and were set up to paint, we were greeted with this clear sunny day. There were numerous pelicans just off to the left, thus the name, Pelican Point.

"Side by Side"

9 x 12

oil on panel painted in plein air
sold

We have just returned from a "perfect" week in the Smoky Mountains staying in an old Victorian home in Monteagle, Tennessee, with homes built in the late 1800's, early 1900's. The Fall colors were just beginning to turn while we were there..breathtaking.  The blue Adirondac chairs were the first plein air painting of the week. A lovely little gallery there, called The Gallery, has just started showing some of my Monteagle paintings from previous trips and I'm happy to say that two sold the first week. The ones that have found new homes are "Caged In" and "Monteagle Garden" and are shown left and right...

"Mission San Jose"

9 x 12

oil on hardboard

plein air

Mission San Jose is the largest of the San Antonio missions and is considered "Queen of the Missions", founded in 1720 and restored in 1930. I'm ready to put my name on the list for another OPS paint out in San Antonio! Be sure and watch the youtube about the weekend that my husband put together:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8iJYaIIgrg