Texas Hill Country

6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

We went to San Antonio in January and on a excursion out from there, we wandered around the area that is referred to as the Texas Hill Country.  I took the reference photo for this painting then as the trees had some unusual branching that I thought was interesting looking.  The trees were smaller and shorter than ours in Mississippi.   I think these are live oaks but I'm not sure.  

Waiting to Show

8" x 10" oil on canvas board

This was a horse that was showing at the Dixie National Rodeo a couple of years ago.    I don't even know what kind of horse it is but thought he was pretty.   I'm still working with the palette knife but just on the background - didn't have the courage to tackle the entire horse.  I painted on top of a black ground and started to leave the background black but it looked like a painting on velvet that way so I decided to add the yellow background. 

Delta Dining

5" x 7" oil on canvas board

On today's painting I used the palette knife a little.  I still find it awkward and am in envy of those who can manipulate it and create an entire painting with one.  I love the texture they produce.

Challenging Text

6 x 6 oil on canvas panel

This is my latest entry for the Daily Paintworks weekly challenge.   This is the first time I have painted in 4 or 5 days and I had a rough start.   Someone had taken this photo in New York of a lady texting and we were all to do our own interpretation.   I'm a pretty literal person so mine is pretty much like the photo however some really had some neat "takes" on it - like just  her lips or just the side of her head or wild colors!   It's fun to see each artist's version.

Bedtime Buddy

6 x 6 oil on canvas panel

This photo was taken at night of a very sleepy Buddy!   He roused long enough for me to snap his photo.   Buddy belongs to my son and daughter-in-law who live in Marietta, GA.   

Swamp Scene

 6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

This was painted on top of a black underpainting, black gesso actually.  It's the first time I have ever painted on a black canvas but it was pretty neat - sort of like painting in the negative.  I had taken the photo for this behind an office building in Jackson.  There is this beautiful swampy area behind the building.  It is really picturesque but you have to watch out for snakes and alligators!  I didn't stick around long enough to see any but I hear they come up on the grassy area all the time.

The Swimmer

5" x 7" oil on canvas board

This is my latest entry for the DPW Challenge.  I chose to use a split complimentary and complimentary color scheme.   We had several to choose from and I chose turquoise, orange, red and red-orange.   I have messed up all the settings on my camera trying to get a clearer image and true colors and have not been successful.  I am about ready to pitch this camera.  That being said, this is one of the swimmers in a swim team painting I did a couple of years ago.  I pulled this one out and painted it according to the DPW rules.  The actual painting has a much more vivid color of turquoise in the background which enhances the orangey flesh tones.  

Mama Crowson's Thread

6" x 6" oil on canvas panel - SOLD

Today was a "wipe-off" kind of day.  I wasn't pleased with anything I did and totally wiped off several attempts at a kitten and this.   I felt compelled to post something, so here it is but it isn't exactly what I was striving for.  These are spools of thread that belonged to my grandmother - the old wooden kind - and I thought it might make a neat still life but I fiddled with them too much.   We are leaving for Atlanta to see our grandchildren on Thursday so I will get a painting break and maybe a fresh approach for next week.

Chicken - Head On

 6" x 6" oil on stretched canvas

This is my entry for this week's Daily Paint Works Challenge.  We were given a photo of a chicken to paint - front view.   This is  a first for me - face shot of a chicken!  I'm still attempting to paint in a looser fashion with broader brushstrokes - not there yet,  but I'm ok with this one.

Afternoon Sunlight

5" X 7" oil on canvas panel - SOLD

         (not sure why this popped up for today, I posted this one back on March 24th?)     

I painted this today in my painting group.  We enjoy getting together once a week to paint at a local church.I started this with a large brush painting loosely but near the end, I caught myself pulling out the little ones and trying to add detail, something I am trying to fight doing!!!!  

Afternoon Break

8" x 10" oil on canvas panel

While shopping before Christmas at a bookstore where my niece is employed, I spotted another employee reading on her break.    I asked if I could photograph her and she graciously allowed me to take several shots.  I loved the way the light was coming through the door and falling on her hair and shoulders.  I'm afraid I didn't do her great looking turquoise bag justice; I loved it but I was really trying to play up the figure and not the bag.

After Rehearsals

11" x 14" oil on stretched canvas

Today has been a busy one so I'm posting a painting I completed today but started earlier.  Jackson hosts the International Ballet Competition and the last one was last year.  The rehearsals are on the Belhaven College campus and I parked in the parking lot there one afternoon to try to get some candid photos of the dancers.  I feel like a stalker at times with my camera but I really enjoy figurative painting and it's about the only way you can get truly candid shots.    If people see you, they either stop and pose or look disgusted and go the other way.  I would probably do the same thing myself with a stranger trying to take my picture.  If you ask to take the picture, they also pose.  Oh well, so I try to sneak in a few shots here and there. 

Pirate Study

6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

This pirate and I fought for a good chunk of my morning and I'm not sure who won the battle.   My reference photo wasn't too good - not enough color and I had to make it up as I went.  Last summer,  I was in Houston, Texas visiting my sister and we decided to go to Whole Foods where they were celebrating "Pirates Day" or something like that.  This was a customer who was dressed to the nines in pirate costume and he was really into his character.  I asked him if I could take his picture and he was more than eager to oblige.  He was a pretty convincing pirate - never once did he really smile.  I had my flip camera and I was able to film him.   This photo really has a glare, but now on the left side.  I still can't figure out how to photograph these.  The light reflects off of the oils and I am always experimenting with different areas of my house to take these in.  I welcome any suggestions in the "comments" section.

Give Me That Fish

6" x 6" oil on canvas board

This was painted today in my Tuesday painting group.   There was nothing I could find that I was dying to paint so I selected this fish photo from some of my files.  It was a challenge trying to stay loose and not paint in the individual scales on the fish.   

German countryside

6" x 6" oil on canvas board

This is my yesterday's daily painting.  Because of the storms that rolled through,  it was so dark by late afternoon that I couldn't get a good copy in natural light, which is the ideal for photographing these.   The glare of morning light has sort of washed out the right side of the canvas but this is my entry for the latest daily paintworks challenge.   Two photos of German roads were submitted to the challenge and we selected the one we wanted to paint.  I selected this one because I liked the shadows in it.   You won't see too many landscapes posted here because they are the ones that give me the most "fits"!   Hopefully I will have another painting completed by this afternoon and can post it since this is Monday's painting. 

Mayes Lake #2

6" x 6" oil on canvas board  - SOLD

Busy day today because the art show starts at 11:30 and is not over until 5:00.   I am posting this painting that was done earlier this year since I won't be home to paint.  I need to get back in the groove tomorrow. Use it or lose it is apropos to painting for sure!   Sometimes I will spend all morning on a painting, then end up wiping it all out when it just doesn't work - hope tomorrow won't be like that.   We'll see!

Modified Abe

8 x 10 oil on canvas board

A few weeks ago for the daily paintworks challenge, we were supposed to paint Abraham Lincoln from an old black and white photo.  We could either paint him in color (make it up) or we could use a 3 color palette of only burnt umber, ultramarine blue and white.  After submitting, I modified mine a bit and added the red tie - it needed a little color!!!!  I didn't place him so well on the canvas, I wish more of his hair showed.   That's why I like these daily exercises, you learn something each time.   We have been busy today setting up for the show at St. Richard, lots of artists there working in many different mediums - glass, pottery, photography, painting, custom clocks, you name it!

Mug Shot #1

6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

I've been getting ready for a show this weekend and haven't had time to paint today so I'm posting one I did a few weeks ago.  This is painted from a mug shot.  The idea came from another daily painter who painted a different mug shot each day for 100 days.  They are really fun to paint because there is such a variety - male and female,  they aren't "posed" and none are smiling.  Interesting faces and of course each with a story!  I probably won't be able to paint this weekend but I will continue to post with some daily paintings I did last month.