Workshop Eye

"Workshop Eye"...a demo study...see???

Click here to see workshop schedule...SEE ADDITIONS THIS WEEK...Fredericksburg, TX and more

Even though our eye and eyelid is ROUND, there are lots of planes...If you can see planes, it's a big head start toward being able to paint them!!

The Western Art Academy continues with 13 great student artists, ages 16 - 19. It's fun to be around this energy for nearly 2 weeks...

Cowgirl Tara _ CLICK TO BID

"Cowgirl Tara_16X12 _____by V....Vaughan_ click to bid

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Our lesson today at the Western Art Academy was portraiture, etc....Here is my "demo" of our model, Tara. She is great...this is another "bigger" painting, but still a demo...

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Boxer Guy_Block-in

"Boxer Guy"__Block-in for a painting, 18 x 18...this part is 14 x 11 or so____comission

No, we did not have a boxer for a model. The art students at the Western Art Academy had a model today, but it was a nice cowgirl! We also took a field trip to sketch and photograph some champion cutting horses....This painting is one I am working on in my "spare time". It is a commission I blocked it yesterday and illustrates some of the principles I am teaching for the figure/portrait session of this Academy...

Bajo de Los Pinos

"Pajo Los Pinos"____16 x 20 oil____available

Today was a day off for the kids I am teaching at the Western Art Academy. It is 8:30 PM and guess where I am? In the studio with 8 of the student artists, planning to be painting till midnight...ah, THIS is the life!!!

This painting above was painted en plein air a few weeks ago in Colorado, with an artist friend who would not let me paint small...hahaha...he gave me one of his big canvases and I spent the whole time just painting at his pace.

So, I stood behind him a little bit and told him that if I struggled, I was going to just copy his painting...(I was kidding, but was tempted to!)...I watched him peripherally and matched his pace, so that I could finish at the same time and not keep him waiting...I don't hate this painting!

Still Life Demo_14 x 11_CLICK TO BID

"Still Life Demo___14 x 11 oil on student canvas _____click to bid

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Our lesson today at the Western Art Academy was all about edges. These young artists are all gifted and KNOW the basics (you ought to see the great compositions !). They have strong drawings and have taken a lot of care to get the big shapes of color into their objects...now they are "sculpting" the objects using more color and controlling the edges...here is the one I did as a demo...it's a good "example" of edges directing the eye through a composition...a nice painting, but not on my usual fine linen, so the auction is ON!!!

If you are in the neighborhood (Kerrville, TX) on next Saturday, August 2, please come to the Western Art Museum for a fantastic exhibit of art by the next generation of superstar painters! They will each have at least two original oil paintings on exhibit at the museum, and will be there to visit with you about their art and future! All the paintings are 18 x 24 or 16 x 20...

San Antonio Demo__a composition lesson

"San Antonio Demo__a composition lesson from a few weeks ago"....oil on linen panel

To be fair to me, this lesson was NOT about composition, but about pre-mixing with a limited palette, and I was yakking the whole time and overlooked a VITAL compositional point...can you see it?? Let me know!!

This one is just barely past the "block-in" stage, but composition matters, even early on!

(It's an easy fix, but I wanted to show the "before" shot, anyway ...

I have a 10 day workshop in Kerrville, TX at the Museum of Western Art. I am living and teaching on the Shriner University campus, and my students are from 16-19 years old...winners and "high placers" in the Livestock show art competitions (a BIG DEAL for art students in these parts!)...it is a great "gig" for me, because I get to be a full time artist all day every day and all night if I want to.I am getting caught up with commissions and fall paintings. I have a great apartment and all the meals I can eat! The best part is the great art students, of course!

Drive By Coleman___Click to Bid

“Drive By Coleman”….6 x 8 oil on fine linen panel……CLICK TO BID
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I do not offer to sell m(any!) of these “drive-by” paintings, because I am holding them for a show.
Since this one is my favorite of the summer, so far, I just HAVE to share it…(And I did not paint today, and needed something to post! J
A “Drive-By “ painting is just like it sounds…I paint while in the car (husband driving) and capture the “moment” as it moves by…We took the pick-up truck to Colorado a few weeks ago, and when it was my turn to ride in the back (under the camper shell and on a nice soft mattress with Maria the dog), I painted this one outside of Coleman, TX.
Tomorrow I begin a 10 day journey of teaching some great high school award winners about oil painting. We’ll be at the Western Art Academy, Museum of Western Art in Kerrville ,TX

I have some paintings on display at a Sitric House and Home. Come celebrate the Grand Opening of their unique concept in building/remodeling and decorating! On THURSDAY, July 24, 6-9 pm. In Austin at 3401W. Slaughter.

Coosa View________Click to Bid

"Coosa View" and "Coosa View Before"___12 x 16___Click to bid

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This was my morning demo at the workshop in Gadsden, AL. I had painted a quick study the night before, on a small canvas (see post of July 18), and decided that this view presented some great things to go with my lesson....The demo went smoothly, then the group got started on their own paintings. It was a perfect day for painters who were new to outdoor painting and didn't have all the gear. There was not a breath of wind, which was good, because some of pur easels weren't very sturdy. My easel is sturdy and light, but I got careless and left the canvas loose, just leaning like everyone else's. I never felt the puff of breeze, but it got the best of me and provided a great teaching moment, when it toppled my canvas into my palette...see the nice blobs of paint in "state 1"? The lessons were:

1. Never unhitch your canvas

2. Clouds aren't white

3. Practice what you preach!

Gadsden a great place to paint! Beautiful atmosphere. Mountains. Blooming trees. Rivers, waterfalls and and waterfowl. And FARMS!! 15 painters joined me in a one day workshop and they were so enthusiastic that no one noticed that it got up to 97 degrees! Well, except that one guy. I will just call him "Red Kevin"...heehee...

Elaine's Day in Gadsden

"Elaine's Day In Gadsden"....6x8.......sold

No that's not Elaine in the boat. She was having even more fun on the bank above, painting with me in the gadsden, AL workshop I taught on Saturday! There we packed in a full day of painting on the hillside next to the courthouse, overlooking the Coosa River. I painted this little one early, hurying up to get the fishing boat in before they moved on, but they stayed in this place for about 30 minutes! The fish must have been biting!

Three Red Lights

"Three Red Lights in Gadsden"....6 x 8.....$150

While I painted on the Coosa River, yesterday, I turned to start putting things away and this caught my eye...wow...I HAD to paint it! It was too dark to photograph it then, so I did it today!

We had a great workshop (14 attended ), and we painted all day...then LATER we found out it was 97 degrees today! No one complained till we got the weather report! I painted another one of the Coosa, like yesterday's post, but it blew over into my palette, so I have a little repair work to do. Nothing like a little unpredictable color!

Coosa Overlook

"Coosa Overlook"....6x8 oil on linen panel.....$150 to the first to ask!

Painted about an hour ago....I think I liked the one I painted after this better, but it was too dark to photograph it. Gadsden Alabama is a beautiful city, with the Coosa river running through it!

Tomorrow is my workshop with 15 -20 nice new friends here, followed by the reception for the opening of "last Year on the Farm". This is my collection of 365 plein air paintings which I competed late last year. I hoep you can come see this last exhibit where all the paintings will hang together...through August 31!

Those Blue Alabama Hills

"Blue Alabama Hills"____6x8 oil on linen panel_____$150

We have "atmosphere" in Texas, but not this much! It does not feel humid, but there must be lots of moisture in the air to make the hills this blue...gorgeous! I did not do justice in this, my FIRST Alabama painting....tomorrow I will go out with my hosts and scout some locations for Saturday's workshop. I am told that we have a FULL workshop of enthusiastic painters, ready for plein air and chicken clinics! Contact the Gadsden Museum of Art

THANK YOU to Kristi Reed with WJXS-TV 24 in Jacksonville, AL, who did a fantastic interview with us, today. It will air tomorrow morning at 5:30 or 6 am and at 5:30 pm. (I am not sure about the am time, so get up to watch at 5:30, just in case....hahaha)

Conejos Cotton Hatch

"Conejos Cotton"___11 x 14___Oil on linen panel

Saturday, I will conduct a workshop for a CROWD! and do a demo or two , (Chicken Clinic?? of course!) and then we will have a gallery talk and a nice reception at the Gadsden Museum of Art. I look forward to meeting all the nice people who have put together a wonderful exhibit.

If you have not been to my web site, lately PLEASE GO. ALL the paintings from the "Last Year on the Farm" are there, and so are most of the field notes, and the status of each painting, whether sold or not. Please contact me if you are interested in anything ;)

**The painting today was painted in Colorado, on the Conejos River, while every cottonwood tree dropped it's cotton...it looked like snow that day (I left it all out of the painting, except the stuff that stuck to it.) But that's not all. A half hour into this, there was a HUGE hatch of little moths like I have never seen! I rescued 73 otf them before loosing count....
In a few hours I leave for Gadsden Alabama. My 365 paintings of "Last Year on the Farm" are there, now. The folks in Gadsden are buying them right and left, and I will bring home what's left, and start delivering the "Sold" ones! If you bought one, or want to CONFIRM your dibs, NOW is the time to do it. I have a lot of people wanting them and I will be selling them off unless you have a deposit...OK??

Se Acordo Pedro__Click to bid

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"Se Acordo Pedro"___14 x 11 big!___for me___Click to bid

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I teach a lesson in my workshops, which I call a "Chicken Clinic". The step-by-step process helps "chicken" painters be brave.
This is the biggest one I have done as a demo, (so far), and the title, "Se Acordo Pedro" means "Peter remembered"...I like this title, because my maiden name was "Pedro". Since it was a demo, the price is low for one this size!
After the demo, I made some subtle changes, including the slight silhouette of a background form...could it be Peter?
Click image to enlarge.

Join my next Chicken Clinic THIS SATURDAY at the Gadsden Museum of Art in Gadsden, Alabama. After the workshop we will have an Artists Reception for the "Last Year on the Farm " exhibit, and a gallery talk about the 365 farm paintings....
vvaughan8@yahoo.com
http://www.v-vaughan.com/
http://www.vvaughan.blogspot.com/

20 Miles From Santa Fe - A Drive-By Painting

"Drive By_20 Miles From Santa Fe"....6 x 8 oil on fine linen...$100

Oh, I am sorry, I promised to show the completed Chicken Clinic from the weekend workshop. We had a birthday celebration and 2 baseball games and I lost my daylight before I could photograph it...So I will post this one for a few hours and replace it with the completed FAT CHICKEN from yesterday!.....note the special price on this drive-by painting . I did this one as we approached Santa Fe late in the afternoon a few weeks ago....it has a juicy sky!

Chicken Fat

"Chicken Clinic_Fat".....16 x 12....A BIG ONE, available! but wait till you see the "finish" tomorrow

You can see the easel holding this one down before it gets away! In yesterday's workshop, I demonstrated this one as the class painted along...it was my biggest "Chicken Clinic" demo, but Carrie painted along with a HUGE 24 x 18...wow! ...and all the chickens came out great! I will show the completed one tomorrow, and explain why it looks like this now ;)

Happy Sunday

Palo Duro Crossing

"Palo Duro Crossing"____8x6 oil on linen panel____$150

I painted this at the last workshop I taught in Palo Duro, looking up at the canyon wall from the first water crossing there.

Today, (Saturday) I am teaching a FULL GROUP of 15 in Austin, for a day long mini workshop, starting with a Chicken Clinic....I am really looking forward to this group, because many have already contacted me with great comments and questions...Teaching is something that I enjoy a lot, because I LOVE LEARNING and passing along what I have learned. This summer I am studying Physics, Spanish and sign language...Tomorrow I might post the NEW CHICKEN from this workshop, just to compare it to yesterday's!

Chicken Clinic CS

"Chicken Clinic CS"....8x6....$150 to the first to ask!
Well, this one is not on par with yesterday's "Jake", but here is the "fruit" of my last "Chicken Clinic". I teach workshops and somethimes we begin with a "Chicken Clinic", a step-by-step lesson where we get our brushes loosened up and take the white off the canvas...it's fun and helps you understand how oils work, guaranteed to make you BRAVE (not "chicken", get it?) and in the end you get a nice chicken (OK, a rooster) to take home...Next clinic: Saturday with a great group of artists in Austin!....get ready, y'all!

Jake Tatum_______a commission

"Jake Tatum"____16 x 20 oil on stretched linen_______A Comission for Till

A few weeks ago I posted the "block-in" of "Jake"...here is the finish! I hope you like it, Till...what a great time I had painting Mr. Jake! This painting is much biger than my usual commission, so I enjoyed getting to "sprawl" across the canvas :)

Tomorrow is another road trip for me, as I get to deliver Jake to the Dallas area. I plan to go see the Impressionists exhibit from the Chicago Museum at the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth and see my neice, Chanelle, again...looking forward to a geat day!

Down From Espanola

"Down From Espanola"....6 x 8 oil on fine linen...$150 to the first one who asks!
This was a great New Mexican sky outside of Espanola, NM last week. I paianted as my husband drove and then we drove right into this rain storm!
We had the big billows like this in central Texas today, as I hauled a car-load of high schoolers to the nearby water park called "Schlitterbahn". After a couple hours the skies let loose and we ended up getting WETTER at the water park! ha! Happy birthday to my youngest son, Samuel!

Rockport Stop_Click to bid

"Rockport Stop"....6 x 8 oil on fine linen panel....Click to bid

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Just as we wrapped up our workshop a few weeks ago, this thunderhead built up, being illuminated by the sun late in the day.
Rockport , TX is wonderfully HOT this time of year. The July 4 Rockport Art Festival is one of Texas' great events. Next Rockport Workshop will be in September.

COnejos Greens

"Conejos Greens".....6 x 8 oil on linen....$150

Back from the mountains...sad sigh

Palo Duro Detail

"Palo Duro Detail".....6x8 oil on linen panel...click to bid http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140247052375

In May I taught a one-day workshop at Texas' great Palo Duro Canyon. Here is one I WANTED someone else to paint, and when she chose another scene, I decided to paint it....Click the image to see it big.

Storm Coming

"Storm Coming".......16 x 20 original oil on canvas........painted today

I finished this one a couple of hours ago....just before dinner. The afternoon thunderstorms have been with us all week, here in the Rockies. Today's storms were BIG, with hail and lightning. Nothing like a little ligthning to help you finish a 16 x 20 QUICK!

Tomorrow is our last day here, so I plan to stay out all day and paint. Happy Independance Day!

Conejos Clique

"Conejos Clique".....6 x 8 oil on linen panel......$150

It has rained every afternoon....like the usual monsoon season in the southern Rockies, but it seems to be here earlier this year. This lively band of horses paused for a few minutes while I did this little sketch yesterday morning.

Conejos Willows

"Conejos Willows"____12 x 12 oil on linen panel_____ask

THis was my first one a couple of days ago.....the view of the Conejos river from our porch....my favorite view. Seeing it here on my screen shows me a few things I need to fix!