Friday, April 29, 2011

Mesquite Trees

Mesquite Trees
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD
This was my third painting of the day. Mesquites are not terribly well thought of in Texas, especially on ranches.They are thorny, don't produce much shade, and can take over a place. I don't think they are anyone's favorite tree. However they are nice to paint in the spring with their lacy pale green foliage.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Prairie Fest Wildflowers

Prairie Fest Wildflowers
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD
This is one of my favorite paintings that I completed during Prairie Fest. I think it was the fourth one of the day. Tandy Hills is a really beautiful park and the festival is a really great event. This weekend I have a show of art work at a show called the Gardens of Granbury and Glen Rose, at the Granbury Square Plaza. I'll be painting at the show on Saturday morning with my friend Sheri Jones. Then next weekend I'll be painting at a friend's place in Granbury, lots of busy weekends painting. I can't wait.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Sunrise at Tandy Hills

Sunrise at Tandy Hills
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD
This weekend I participated in Prairie Fest at Tandy Hills Park. My friend Sheri Jones and I were the first two to start painting. On the drive over the sky was just grey. But, by the time I set up, the sky was an orange/yellow color with purple clouds. I was amazed that it changed so much. It made waking up at 5:30 worth it.
 It was a great day, I finished five 8 x 10s in all. Many of my really talented friends participated also including Sheri Jones, Blair Currin, Olivette Hubler, Carol Ivey, Steve Miller, Claudia Davis, Janice Weaver and Tina Bohlman. I was fortunate to buy two paintings in the silent auction, a cactus painting by Sheri  and a view of Fort Worth's skyline by Blair

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Ogre Woman Kachina

Ogre Woman
8 x 10
oil on canvas
not for sale
This is a painting of one of my favorite kachinas, an Ogre Woman. I bought her in Albuquerque. (She is a fairly old one.) I chose to paint her at an angle as she hangs on the wall.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The Ducks at Watters Creek


The Ducks at Watters Creek
Bronze Sculpture
 This is the largest sculpture I have done so far. It is a mother duck followed by ten ducklings. The mother is around three feet tall and the ducklings are around 18 inches tall. They are at the Watters Creek retail resort in Allen, Texas. It was a fun project. The developers wanted to create a family friendly atmosphere with lots of public art. The ducks were designed to be large enough for children to sit on. Whenever I've been back to see them there are always people taking their childrens' photos on the ducks. It's really great seeing them being appreciated and enjoyed.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Kokopelli in the Jardin

Kokopelli in the Jardin
8 x 10
oil on canvas panel
This was painted in a beautiful garden at a home in Granbury. I really liked the rusted iron Kokopelli sculpture in the flower garden surrounded by the cedar fence with all the old timey flowers in it.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Granbury Garden

Granbury Garden
8 x 10
oil on canvas panel
$150
Granbury is such a beautiful town with many historic homes and buildings. It has a charm and character that many of our Texas towns and cities have lost. There is a sort of timelessness that is eharacterized by the care that the people show in their gardens and homes. I especially like the gardens full of the same flowers that were in my grandmother's gardens like poppies, roses, peonies, iris, and phlox,

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Northern Pintails

Northern Pintails
6 x 10
oil on canvas panel
I used to have this pair of pintail ducks, some Canada geese, and wood ducks. I painted the geese a few times but only sketched the ducks. I never got around to painting them until I did this one. I had the ducks for years until some racoons found a way into their pen. They didn't touch the geese but I lost all the ducks. I do have a lot of photos so I may paint some more in the future.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Spring Azaleas

Spring Azaleas
8 x 10
oil on canvas
I went to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens with a great group of friends and fellow artists today to paint. The roses are really starting to put on a show as they are in my own garden but today I wanted to paint the azaleas which seemed to be at their peak. I liked the way this little sculpture was surrounded by the pink blossoms. These bushes were over six feet tall. This is quite an accomplishment  because our soil in this part of Texas is very alkaline and they like acidic soil. The weather was great for painting out and I think everyone was pleased with their paintings. Afterwards we went to lunch and then to my house for dessert. It was a very enjoyable morning and afternoon.