Two Plein Air Events In One Day

Tandy Hills Morning 2014
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD

    Saturday was one of the most exhausting and rewarding days that I have had in a while. The days events started for me at 7:00 when I left my house to drive east to Tandy Hills Park. When I got there my friend Carol Ivey was just setting up to paint. Today was Prairie Fest and a group of us were painting there for part of the event.

    The weather was great. We were joined by several other artists including Claudia Davis, Janice Weaver, Olivette Hubler, Jeff Ott, Dan Spangler,  and others . We turned in our paintings to be auctioned off. (Mine sold.) Then four of us had to head on to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge for a second event, Fort Worth Wild a VIP celebration of the 50th anniversary of the nature center.


Fort Worth Bison Herd
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD

    The great weather continued at the nature center. The four of us were joined by the rest of our group including T. K. Riddle, Mary Rabine, Sheri Jones, Tina Bohlman, and Steve Miller. We had painted out there a few weeks earlier so we already each had one painting for the show and were there to paint a second one before the auction that evening. I chose to paint the bison but in a much looser style.



Me working on my painting along the trail to the tents.

    This event was held for the 50th anniversary of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge as a fund raiser to restore the parks CCC structures. Everyone painted wherever they wanted. Then before the start of the event they set up their easels along the path to the tents where the event was going to be held, and finished their paintings there as the guests walked past.


Me painting along the path, Tina Bohlman is painting across from me.

    It was a little windy but not too bad. There was a huge turnout, over 300 people who each paid $275 to attend. So from the point of view of the artists, exactly the sort of people you want at an art show.
The tents were set up on the site of the CCC structures, on a large hill with great views of the park and lake. There were several tents set up with tables in them where we were going to be eating as well as a tent where the paintings and other auction items were displayed and an area where the caterers were set up. Bonnels of Fort Worth catered the event. The food was delicious. Besides the artists painting along the path my friend Vince Villafranca  did a live sculpture casting in front of the tents.

One of the tents before the event.

    The location was just perfect for this sort of event.  I saw so many people I knew. It was sort of a whos who of Fort Worth. There was a table set aside for the artists but I was invited to join several groups of friends at their tables. Everyone I talked to said they thought this was a first class event.

Marty Leonard and Mayor Betsy Price

    The mayor was one of the first speakers. Other guests included local and state politicians and the head of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (who was a very funny guy.)  All of the speakers did a great job .The nature center is such an amazing place, over 3600 acres, and they all were effective in expressing what a treasure the nature center is.

    As the night went on the tents were lit with colored lights. And the views of the sunset out of the ends and sides of the tents continued to just get nicer and nicer. Hal Jay from WBAP  was the master of ceremonies and he was so funny as well as incredible in getting the guests to bid more and more on some live auction items including the right to name the new bison bull which went for $10,000.


Spring Bison
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD

    Almost every piece of art we created was sold. I sold both of my paintings. The event lasted until after 9:00 . I didn't get home until after 10:00 and I was pretty tired. It had been a great but long day.

Prairiefest 2013

Prairie Fest 2013
Oil on Canvas
8 x 10
$100

Last weekend a group of us went to paint at Prairie Fest at Tandy Hills Park in East Fort Worth. The weather was super, with very little wind, which is a treat at Tandy Hills. This park has plants that are now very rare in this part of Texas including wild foxgloves. ( My friend Sheri Jones painted them.) Other friends there were T.K. Riddle, Olivette Hubler, Hai Chi Lee, Linnea McKinnie, and David Tripp.

Wild Foxglove

Indian Blankets at Tandy Hills

Indian Blankets at Tandy Hills
8 x 10
oil on canvas
$175

  A few weeks ago my friend Sabine Higgins and I painted at Prairie Fest at Tandy Hills. It is always a bit like being out in the country when I'm at Tandy Hills and this year the wildflowers were the best ever. I may have to go back and paint there tomorrow. Next Saturday I'll be painting at Glen Rose at the Paint the Glen Paint Out and Sunday painting in one of the gardens in the Hidden Gardens  garden tour.   

Plein Air, French Impressionists, Jaguars, and Horses

Me painting in plein air at Tandy Hills, in east Fort Worth.

    I have had a lot of things going on. Spring continues to be beautiful. The bluebonnets are gone but the Indian Blankets are out in full force now, so plenty of painting opportunities. I have been out painting whenever I get the chance. The temperatures have been great and it hasn't been terribly windy, which I am grateful for. Some of my favorite places have been the Botanical Gardens and Tandy Hills Park.

The beautiful hills and wildflowers at Tandy Hills.

    In addition to painting in Plein Air I have been really enjoying the Impressionist exhibit at the Kimble Art Museum. This exhibit has over 70 paintings. There is a large group of Renoirs as well as paintings by the other great  French Impressionists and artists from other countries including Belgium, Italy, and the USA. My friend Beatriz Welch gave us a tour of it recently, and it was a wonderful experience.

My Arabian Horse Sculpture.

Arabian horse at my friend Sabine's.

  I finally finished my Arabian  Horse sculpture. The final step was going down to the farm where my friend Sabine lives to get her critique. She has two horses, but not Arabians, however there are several very nice ones on the ranch so we had plenty to look at. It was really valuable having an expert look at it for me. I am learning a lot about horses but still have a lot to learn.  I made a few changes and then took it to the foundry. It should be ready in a few weeks.

Me sculpting a jaguar in the Fort Worth Zoo.

    I have been going out to the Fort Worth Zoo which has been a challenge because the nice weather has really been bringing out the crowds. I started a smaller jaguar in the winter and decided  that I was really enjoying it and wanted to make a larger version. This one is going fairly fast. I still have a long way to go but I'm looking  forward to finishing it and having it cast.

My jaguar sculpture as a work in progress.

   People are always so nice and encouraging when I'm out sculpting. They always say things like " That looks really good" or " I could never do that." What is embarrasing is that they say that even when I'm just stating out and it looks like something a five year old would make. Oh well, I know that they mean well, and that's what counts.

Christmas in Cowtown Donattion

Tandy Hills Snow
6 x 8
oil on panel

     This is a painting I did from a photo I took at the Tandy Hills Park (a little while ago.) After this summer of record heat it still brings back pleasant memories.
     It began to snow heavily as I drove to the park. the flakes were big and wet as I got out of my truck and began to walk around. In no time the snow began to accumulate. I was the only one around and I felt like I was miles from the city. It was beautiful.  Eventually I knew I had to leave before the roads iced over. So I headed home, built a blazing fire, and enjoyed an evening at home.
      So, when I was asked to donate to the Junior League's Christmas in Cowtown I thought this was an ideal painting. The event is in early October when it will probably still be in the 90s. Hopefully this painting will add to the Christmas spirit of the event.

Prairie Fest Morning

Prairie Fest Morning
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD

This is the last of my Prairie fest psaintings. Yesterday we had a great outing at my friend Maryann's property in Granbury. We had artists from all over the area including Fort Worth, Weatherford, Aledo, Grand Prairie, and five who drove all the way over from Dallas. The weather was great and a lot of really nice paintings were produced.

Greens and Blues

Greens and Blues
8 x 10
oil on canvas
SOLD

This was my last painting of the day at Prairie Fest.  It was a fairly simple painting, just about the composition of some big shapes, and the colors green and blue. This was my only painting of the day with no wildflowers.

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.

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.

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