15- Whooping Flight

Whooping Flight

#15  in the BIRD SEED PROJECT
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6 x 8 oil on linen panel__$190 unframed
I remember when I was a little girl and the whooping crane was so rare...there were only a few dozen left in the whole world. Today there are only a few hundred, and a bad winter or hurricanes could wipe out many at any given time...so to see them in the wild is a real treat! I saw this one in flight last winter in South Carolina.

Snow Pony_paint horse, oil painting, snow

"Snow Pony"___6 x 6 oil study on linen___$150
Plenty of horses are having to graze under the snow these days...I hear...but not here in central Texas. I painted this from a photo I took last winter. Pretty soon I will be taking another trip through the plains, hoping to see some snow and livestock on the little farms there.
Merry CHRISTmas, y'all!

LAst Year on the Farm-March 8 Sunrise

Last Year on the Farm - March 8 Sunrise 6 x 8 oil

A Brilliant show, this morning! We had a foggy "bottom" which reflects the light like water does. Did I tell you that the cows are gone? I would have enjoyed seeing their forms through the low fog. Nancy, you need more horses, out here!!!

Romeo Lounge

"Romeo Lounge - Sketch" V....Vaughan

Yesterday's post will tell you a little bit about Romeo. He is our "GOOD Dane"...not great...GOOD. Danes are huge and hugely gentle and loyal. Romeo is an outside dog, mostly, except in weather extremes (which is often in Texas!). THis week is cold and when I wasn't looking, he escaped his kitchen floor bed and we found him on the couch, pretending he belonged there. I made him pay for it...with a pose for this sketch. How about them legs!? No exaggeration, I promise!

Bimbo and Marvin

"Bimbo and Marvin" 8 x 10 special commission

Here are a couple of friends of the family....These pups have a very special story. I greatly enjoyed painting them, becasue it was like looking into the eyes of my son's dog (my studio playmate), Maria.

Late Day

01-08-2007 Last Year on the Farm
When the light gets low this time of year, there is an orange cast over the whole farm. Yesterday's sunset was crisp and bright...This might be my favorite "color" time of the year...with lots of complementary colors at war with the eye! I like teaching my thoughts and experience with color and theory...some unique thoughts, too! I will be teaching a one day workshop in Rockport, TX on SUNDAY, Jan. 28. We will work in the afternoon and early evening...yes, plein air in the dark! There will be a waxing moon that night...I hope you will join us in the carpool caravan from Austin!

Pedro

"Pedro" 6 x 8 collection of V....Vaughan Family
This is another painting I did with "palette droppings"...I dipped into my private collection to show here, since yesterday's painting generated a few comments! Yes, this is one I plan to keep....but I'm painting similar pieces! Hope you've enjoyed the "break" from farm paintings...back to "farming" tomorrow :)

Silver Lining

01-02-2007 Last Year on the Farm
The January full moon rose on Jan. 2. The forecast was for 100% chance of rain on the following night so I had planned to catch the moonrise this night. I really like it when the sun has barely set while the full moon rises, so I was ready....unfortunately, I was stuck in traffic before picking my son up from basketball practice, so by the time we drove down the driveway the sky was dark and the moon was up...LIKE THIS! I had to have dinner first, so by the time I painted, I had to do most of it from memory...like this...then it rained the next day...but on Jan 4, I "proofed" my work and after seeing the waning (sort of)full moon rise, I think I can live with this study!

Happy New Year Cows!

12-31-2006 Last Year on the Farm.................Happy New Year!
Starting tomorrow, the beginning of 2007, we will truly be in our LAST YEAR here on the farm. I have a few calendar days to make up this year in order to have a full 365 days of farm paintings. I look forward to these and especially look forward to the emerging spring, so I can use some GREEN! Our spring can actually come at the end of January if it gets warm enough! Till then, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

White on the Rocks______click to bid

"White on the Rocks" 8x6

These birds are found on the Texas coast. They are not too shy and I just LOVE their bright yellow feet!....I saw this one in Rockport, TX not long ago. I liked the background and the rocks and wanted to paint them...This is a reminder to all that I teach an all-day plein air workshop one Saturday a month in Rockport. We cover a lot in that one day and it is my main desire to have students become familiar and COMFORTABLE painting outside on location. The next workshop day coming up is on SUNDAY, Jan 28. I will be there Saturday doing some sessions with art educators from all over. But on Sunday, anyone can come and take the class. We will start after church (1 - 1:30 or so) and have 2 sessions: the first will be about planes and edges and what light does on the edges (so, we'll paint architecture) ...the second session will be "DUSK". Many of you liked the dusk paintings I have done lately, so I will teach how I do it... I believe there is a new moon that week, too, so I'm hoping for clear weather...e-mail me if you'd like to take the workshop

Dakota Bear

"Dakota Bear"......................... for Stacy
What a fun painting this was....I combined a few of Stacy's photos to compose this portrait....It will be in the mail in a few hours , on the way to Christmas! please have a merry one!

A Fall Day ...3 of 4

6 pm A Fall Day Last Year on the Farm ...4 pm hour

I sent a batch of 6 paintings to my group today...(this is MY favorite of the 6) from a series of 24 paintings in 24 hours...On Monday, Dec. 18 I can send you the last batch of 6 paintings from “A Fall Day Last Year on the Farm”….They are all painted from the 6 – 7 am hours right at the end of my 24 hour paintathon. It is fun to compare 6 am before cold front with 6 am after cold front….I think you will enjoy the last 6! if you know anyone who might like to see the mail, please tell them to use the space above and to the right to give me your e-mail address. Click "JOIN" and sign up today! When you join you will get an e-mail each day that just has my painting of the day. I usually do not write anything to read, just a picture to look at!

See today’s ebay item
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140063224710&rd=1&rd=1

Fall Day Last Year....2nd of 4 to show

"Fall Day LAst Year on the Farm" 11-27-2006 1pm

This is the 1:00 hour when the weather was really changing....a big cold front was blowing in and that's why I chose this fall day to paint 24 paintings in 24 hours. Yesterday I sent the first batch of 6 paintings to my group. Today I sent this one along with 5 others. If you want to see all 24 small works (24 in 24)please type your email address in the space at the top of the column at right and then click "join". I will send you all 24.
I have some new auction paintings on ebay. Click here to see one of them.

Fall Day Last Year on the Farm - First of 4

"Fall Day Last Year on the Farm" 11-37-2006 6 am

I had been waiting for the Perfect Fall day in Central Texas....As a painter preparing to do 24 paintings in 24 hours, I wanted the day to be typical for Austin, but I also wanted it to have "variety"so that the art would be interesting! The news had reported a HUGE cold front bearing down on us, so I decided to paint the change that was predicted for Nov. 27, 2006. I began at 6 am that day, knowing that 24 hours later there would be a GREAT difference! Here is my first painting in the 6 o'clock hour...it was cool and mild with LOTS of puffy clouds ahead of the cold front.
If you have joined my group you have seen the first batch of 6 in the 24 hour session. This one is my favorite of the 6. Tomorrow I will send the group 6 more. If you want to see them then give me your e-mail address at the top of the column at right and click "JOIN"....this will add you to the group that receives an email with my "painting a day" image.

"Cruiser and Kaylee"

"Cruiser and Kaylee"....10 x 8 ..............and 8 x 10................for the Wilkie's


These are a couple of paintings I did for a couple of nice people I know. Aren't they lucky to have such warm, precious pets?!! BIG NEWS...If any of you listened to the Laura Ingraham Show (a national radio show) on Monday, she mentioned me and a little painting I did of her dog, Troy, who recently died. I was moved by her tale of Troy so painted a little picture....As I was in my studio, Monday, I just about fell off the chair when I heard her mention the art at the end of her show. She said that she'd post it on her web site, but I haven't seen it yet....maybe someone needs to remind her :) (http://www.lauraingraham.com/)And for the Wilkie's....I will send Kaylee and Cruiser as soon as the paint dries! Merry Christ mas Y'all!

It Rained Today.....click to see similar painting

"It Rained Today" .......................V....Vaughan
Recently purchased fot the permanent collection of The Great Plains Museum at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln
A few months ago The American Plains Artists had their National Juried Art Show. I had two pieces in the show. I just found out that the hosts of this year's show, The Great Plains Art Museum, purchased my painting, "It Rained Today!" for their permanent collection. ...I thought you'd like to see it! A VERY SIMILAR PIECE, Called "Glow Study" IS AVAILABLE FROM WHISTLE PIK GALLERY AT THIS LINK: http://www.whistlepik.com/Events/ChristmasMiniatureShow2006/Vaughan.htm

Toll Road Lights

"Last Year on the Farm 11-24-2006"..........................V....Vaughan

The new toll road is all the rage in Austin...not too disturbing to us, except that our last year here on the farm will be noisier htan usual. The lights actually add a bright spot to the paintings (in addition to the little distant lights of Manor, TX. I have over 100 paintings of "Last Year on the Farm" and later this week I will do the first of four little series' I call "Day on the Farm". I will paint 24 little paintings in 24 hours. I will try to blog them all at once, but don't know how....any ideas? I might just send them to my GROUP, one at a time :)

TV Sky________________Click here to bid

"TV Sky".....................................................11 x 14
If you were watching the morning news in Shreveport, LA on about Oct. 10. 2006, then you saw me paint this live! KTAL (NBC Channel 6) dragged me out of bed for an early morning paint-out in the studio. This one is bigger(11x14) than my usual auction items...you might get it at a steal! A SMALLER, similar painting of mine is for sale for over $500. See http://www.whistlepik.com/, Christmas Show. Find V....Vaughan on the list and see "Glow Study"

Grackle at Revel_________Click to Bid

"Grackle at Revel".................oil......................6 x 8

I painted this while showing art at the Red River Revel in Shreveport, LA in October. Grackles are wht we call these black birds. The males are beautiful with blue reflections on their feathers.

Bloom Ripples___________click here to bid

"Bloom Ripples"..........oil.................6 x 8

A little water lily I painted this fall at my church. THis was a practice painting I did before a demonstration for Plein Air Austin, a great group of painters in our area. I will probably paint some more of these this weekend at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. I'll be showing some new works at their Christmas Event Saturday and Sunday. The event is inside and the venue is warm and cozy! Please come see me there! I don't know what cold weather does to water lilies, but we will find out!.