El Confin de la Luz

El Confin de la Luz___a gallery work__24 x 30 oil on linen

Here is a big one I have been working on for a while. The mission, here, is San Jose in San Antonio, TX. I have had this painting in mind since last spring when I was there as a BIG STORM blew up and The rain cloud was literally over the mission, much like this.

I love the symbolism of the mission, its architecture and purpose, juxtaposed with the symbols from nature: light, shadow, storm cloud, big heavens, rain left behind, doves flying through...The title is Spanish, meaning "Boundary of the Light". It is a line from the book of Job in chapter 10....

The hardest part of this painting was the perspective drawing, and keeping the verticals vertical! If you have drawn with me, you remember how I STRESS VERTICALS on man-made things..they are ALWAYS vertical, from any angle...my next drawing workshop is June 14-17 in Fredericksburg, TX. e-mail me for info vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Mission San Jose_6x8 oil on linen panel

"Mission San Jose_6x8 oil study on linen panel___$190 unframed and wet! click image to see detail
The best restoration of all the San Antonio missions. I could paint here all day! San Jose means "Saint Joseph"...
I have a monitor problem, and had to edit this photo by "feel"...if it looks dark and muddy to you (like it does on MY monitor:), that's my fault! The original is really nice! Here is an endoresement: TigerDirect.com is an AMAZING web site full of all kinds of computer and digital related things. Thanks to my friend Eric, I bought a little video camera, some SD cards (4GB for $5....REALLY!), and other things I REALLY needed. Besides the amazing prices, shipping is FREE and they update you on the shipping almost every 5 minutes! I ordered on Monday and got my goodies on Wednesday...FAST!...guess it's time for a monitor...

San Jose Panorama _ study_ 4 x 10

"San Jose Panorama _Study_ 4 x 10 oil on linen panel. Click for detail...$190 unframed, $250 framed
When I visited the San Antonio Missions the other day, it was HOT...about 103 that day. (Texans are making sport of all this heat now...just 3 more days of this and we will have broken the all time record for number of days over 100 in a year! woohoo!)...Some of the living quarters in the wall around this great mission have been restored and inside these thick walled rooms, it was only about 85-90 degrees...MUCH cooler than the outside air! These rooms weren't restored last time I was there, so I was REALLY excited to see the changes! I think this is the most painted mission in San Antonio...it is simply beautiful. One time I was visiting and there was a wedding. OFTEN there is a Mariachi Mass going on...I have a really neat frame for this painting. Let me know if you want to see it framed.