First Painting at TAFA--oil, 16x12"

My first painting assignment at the Texas Academy of Figurative Arts in Fort Worth, Ron Cheek, Director. This represents two three-hour sessions. I had time to paint in lights and darks in the whole figure, but it is fairly rough , no refinement.

This is the approach for beginning figure painting instruction, where a very limited palette is used, in this case only black, white, and raw umber,

Old Blanco County Courthouse (Study) oil, 8x10"

Hopefully I'll get around to doing a larger and more detailed version of this 1886 courthouse in Blanco, Texas, which is no longer used for its original purpose. The county seat moved to Johnson City in 1890 and this building is now a museum. My parents lived in Blanco for many years, and to me this has always seemed a very peaceful and beautiful little community on the Blanco River in the Texas hill country.

The history of the building can be found at http://www.historicblanco.org/history.htm

Heidi Outdoors - study oil, 10x8"

I posed my daughter outdoors for a portrait; took a lot of pictures, and did a color study in oil. The oil didn't turn out good, so I did this from the oil and one of the photographs. I will do a larger more finished one now that I have a better idea of the outdoor colors on her face.

Painting people outdoors really gives you different colors and values, and few shadows in some cases, which make it hard to show the structure of the face. I saw lots of blue reflections from the sky in her face, but painting them looked out of place, they are much more subtle than I saw them, I had to tone them down.

Old Bank Building, Kaufman--oil, 10x8"

Something I've been interested in for quite a while is small town downtown buildings. I've spent a fair amount of time driving through them in Texas. I'd like to publish or exhibit a series called "Texas Small Town Downtowns".

Doing them as small as this one, it's hard to paint architectural detail. It may be best to do small studies like this one, then do a larger one in studio based on the study and a photograph. I'm particularly interested in the way light creates interesting shadow shapes and colors as it falls across the warm brick colors. Something that creates a mood. I like Edward Hopper's paintings, his most famous is "Nighthawks" http://www.edwardhopper.info/night-hawks.html

These paintings sold in an auction to benefit a little girl sponsored by the Children's Organ Transplant Asso.

Both SOLD

Garden Entrance--pastel, 6x8"

Donated to a non-profit

This morning was overcast and misty, but I was determined to make a picture while waiting for church. A painting shouldn't always depend on color and light to be successful. Composition, edges, brushwork, and value treatment are also important.

I travel with a pastel assortment that doesn't have the greatest selection of colors, and I was limited by time. I wish I had used a different color of paper. Those are my excuses.

Turtle Creek Idyll--pastel, 10x5" on Canson paper.

SOLD

This small vertical pastel was done recently in plein air. I've done this scene before, but of course each painting has its own look. I liked the varying reflections in the water, and the contrast between foreground and the late afternoon background. It's one of the prettiest places in Dallas.

Rosie--oil, 10x8"

This painting of my wife's dog received a First Place in Oil award at the Irving Art Association's Pet Portrait Show.

You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get an animal into a good pose, let alone be still for a picture. They're either too close, too far away, the light's not good, they won't be still, they're looking directly at you, they're looking away, you have to lie down on the ground... It's probably best to photograph them when they are asleep. (ditto for little kids.)

Bench with Blossoms--pastel, 8x11.5

I've always liked this plein air painting. I'm not good at thinking of interesting or "poetic" names.

Driveway--oil, 8x10"

While driving and looking for something to paint in Kaufman, I spotted this scene of flowering shrubs and late afternoon shadows, and I stopped to paint it on site, or "en plein air".

San Angelo Depot--oil, 8x10"

Sitting in the cool shade of my pick up, early on a Saturday morning, I painted this scene in San Angelo, Texas.  Hard to get details at this size. Across the street is Old Fort Concho, didn't think to get some photos of it.

This one was accepted into the "Deep in the Art of Texas" show for July 2010 at Texas Visual Art Association's downtown Dallas gallery.

Cast Head--charcoal, 20x16"

My drawing instructor, Steve Armes, tells me this is about halfway there. I am having to take a hiatus from it, after working on it for 14 weeks, one or two nights per week. Maybe someday I will finish it.

The cast I have been drawing from, without the background and cast shadow, which I forgot to include.

I have been using the "sight-size" approach; the drawing is exactly the same size as the cast head.

St. Gregory School, Tyler Texas--oil, 10x8"


While painting this building in late afternoon, the security guy came out and asked what the heck I was doing. I assured him I was merely a painter and liked the building in this light, and that I would be doing caricature drawings of the students there that evening. He said "well, ok".

Step One--oil, 18x14"

The beginning of my portrait of a Border Collie. I toned the canvas with red and yellow. I found the background in the photo kind of interesting and abstract and decided to paint it like it was, but a bit more colorful while keeping it soft-focused so as not to distract from the dog.

I am drawing a cast head in my drawing class. This picture shows my plumbline using the "sight-size" approach.

My instructor is Steve Armes. His website is: http://www.stevearmes.com

Signed up for drawing classes with Steve Armes http://www.stevearmes.com at the Creative Arts Center in Dallas. http://www.creativeartscenter.org

Shining Symbol--oil, 5x7"

The Alamo Forever--acrylic, 6x8"

I almost never use acrylics, but sometimes the quick drying is nice.

Simply Freedom--oil, 5x7"

I've done several small ones in this series in oil. I'm ready to go back to doing larger ones or maybe switch to a different medium.

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