Sunslide

Sunslide___6x8 oil study on linen panel___$190
Here I resume works from my recent workshop in Fredericksburg...hello to the workshop gang! For the next few days I will post the rest of the finished studies. I title this one "Sunslide", because the sun did not set that day, it just "slid" out of sight"......Happy Holidays to all!!!

If I miss a few days of posting art, you can almost be sure something is not well...
I have lost a dear, dear Brother-in-Law....more of a brother to me, since he has been in our family from the time I was a little girl... Doyle Bridgefarmer married my sister, Mary in 1970, and was the father of SIX of my nieces and nephews....He was sick since summer, and cancer claimed him just before Thanksgiving....so, it has been a sweet month of much time spent at their house, and with all the family.
My family is rather fun-loving and very up-beat, so having this time to say long goodbyes has been good for many reasons, but now we have the long process of missing him...

Cottonwood Chill

Cottonwood Chill___20x16 oil on linen__for Passing America: The Great Plains__$1700 unframed
With Summer here and temperatures in the 100's every day, we can only DREAM of fall! Somehow, though, "dreaming" is a good tool for the artist! ...

I remember being young and BEGGING my parents for a horse! My friends had horses and we lived neat a stable where they were kept. Every day after school and all summer long I would hang out at the stables, brushing the horses, cleaning the stalls (YES, I LOVED doing that!...ANYTHING to be around the horses...I even loved the smells!...you tom-boys know exactly what I mean!).

...my friend Betty Sue would often let me watch her horse Ginger when she was out of town. This was the best of all worlds! I got to spend every moment with Ginger, and I would take her down to a far pasture to ride bareback, to halter her up to a tree and sketch her for hours. Her eyes told me that she loved me better than Betty Sue...(dreaming, remember?). My favorite thing was riding her into the deeper waters of Walnut Creek, and she would swim across with me holding onto her mane...Walnut Creek was cool because it was spring-fed, so this was a great summertime treat!....I never got my own horse as a kid, but DREAMING about them , I think, made me a better artist! I can draw a horse now, from memory, at ANY angle....

Color of Quiet__Cypress, pond, reflections, fall, trees

Color of Quiet__24 x 36, a painting for Christmas from Steve to BRV___Merry CHRISTmas!
All those cypress studies lately were preparation for this large painting commissioned by my brother-in-law, Steve, to honor his parents at Christmas. Whenever I posted the studies, I had to be rather cryptic in my description of the work, because I knew they read the blog. Steve was great at reading between my lines as I posted comments about those little cypress studies, but refrained from details that might give it away!
Yes, my brother-in law is "Steve Vaughan" (not to be confused with Stevie Ray...) and, believe it or not, he is married to "Sarah Vaughan"...no joke! (You music lovers are now amused!)
MERRY CHRISTmas to all, on this wonderful night!
PLEASE see yesterday's blog post and respond if you want the chance for that free painting.....my 1000th daily painting!

Fall Flight_Geese, goose

"Fall Flight"___7 x 8 framed size....oil on matt board, framed and ready to hang__$190
I worked this study from some reference photos I took in Maryland last fall. There was a pasture full of Canada Geese grazing, and flocks were flying over at the same time. I have been to the Eastern Shore several times in the fall and am always amazed at how many birds gather there. I am still not sure if they are there for the winter, or are just passing through on their way south. To me, Maryland is "way north".
Since I have two more years of high school football, I will not be going to Maryland in the fall (or any place for that matter) till 2011. Till then, I will stay close to home and in the studio! As fun as travel is, and as exciting as art selling and painting all over the country are, there is NOTHING to compare with watching your own young "chicks" prepare to fly out on their own!...I FINALLY believe what everyone told me: "They grow so fast!"

Hint of Gold_6x8_fall, mountains, canyon

"Hint of Gold"___6 x 8 oil on linen panel__available at Act I Gallery in Taos, NM
They say Texas weather is unpredictable, but I think the mountains might top even Texas weather for that category. My buddies and I were at this location for just a few days and we had great fall color the first few days, then the winds came, and then rain and then one day it sleeted all day...Here was a moment of early morning sunshine...These aspen trees had most of their leaves blown off before we left. I am glad I painted them when I did....a special feature of this trip was a FULL MOUNTAIN MOON! Stay tuned and I will post those over the weekend!
I have some one day workshops coming up, if you want to have fun painting.
Next Saturday morning I will be in Calvert, TX for a short half say workshop. Believe it or not, we will cover a lot! Starting with a sunrise demo / paintour....please let me know if you are interested!
V.... vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Nestled in Taos__12 x 16, adobe, church, southwestern

" Nestled in Taos"__12 x 16 oil on linen panel__available at Act I Gallery, Taos, NM
click image to see details
HELLO AGAIN! I have been in the mountains with no email or phone....painting the change of seasons in the Rocky Mountains. PLEASE stay tuned for a few sweet little paintings from this COLORFUL trip!
It started last Saturday, as I spent the day in Taos, doing business with my gallery there, ct I. I stayed on and painted this on a PERFECT DAY to paint outside! This little church is across the street from Act I, so I was able to send people inside to see finished works (just in case I flubbed the demo)...
After the demo we drove north into Colorado, to stay at my in-laws summer home along the Conejos River. Fall was in full force, so getting three artists to go 70 miles was quite a task....stopping every few minutes or so to snap pictures tends to slow you down...we'd still be out there if it weren't for dead cameras (sorry B.) and more dead batteries than you can imagine, (right N.?)....Tomorrow I will post the first one from Colorado.

New Mexico Back Road__fall, mountains, building

New Mexico Back Road___6 x 8 oil on linen panel___$190 if you ask first!
Since I am headed for Taos and southern Colorado to do some painting in a few days, I thought I would brush up on painting fall colors. All artists take a lot of pictures, and my personal goal is to paint ALL of mine! :) So this was painted en "Plein Computer Monitor"...sort of like plein air...sort of :)
I am fighting off a cold, and it is gaining ground today...off to bed early!...below is my BUSY October schedule. Come to see me if you can!>


OCTOBER SCHEDULE_________________________
Oct. 3___ A Saturday Demo in Taos at Act I Gallery
Oct. 17 Workshop in Calvert, TX. A mini half-day Plein Air Workshop. Sunrise demo, followed by workshop until noon. Primarily in oils, but all media and skill levels are welcome. Officially starts at 8 a.m. and ends with lunch. $45 Contact Cecelia at grannyc_54@yahoo.com for information and a supply list. http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/profile.php?id=1380900702
Oct. 24 Texas Country Reporter show, Waxahachie, TX Courthouse. ALL DAY
Sunday Oct. 25 First Annual Bovine Art Show, Cactus Jack's in Gruene, TX
Oct. 31 All Day Workshop with Austin's PACT. Limit 20 students email me for details vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Fall in the Canyon_6x8

"Fall in the Canyon"__6 x 8 oil study on linen $150

In a few weeks my favorite place in Colorado will look a lot like this. I am working on some Fall paintings right now, and going through some photos I took last year...Fall would feel pretty good right now, after a few weeks of 100+ degree days...Good news, though: FOOTBALL SEASON started today for the Round Rock High School Dragons...my son had his first scrimmage and his mom survived! Bring on Fall!