Son of Sun

Son of Sun___18 x 18 oil on linen___for American Women Artist's Show, Tucson, AZ

This is a familiar image for me!...one I have derived works from since taking a similar photo a few years ago. This version faces left whereas a previous version faces right (see below-on blog)... This square format original is my piece for the American Women Artists Visions of the Southwest Show. It opens in a few weeks at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, AZ on November 2.

I am orffering the giclee reproduction for a short time. It is a NICE giclee on paper, signed and numbered in a VERY small edition of 20. Please consider a gift of fine art for Christmas!

 

 

 Sunny One __12 x 16 Giclee Reproduction on paper__Click here to enlarge

Limited edition of 20. Signed and numbered ___Price $80 includes shipping (USA)

Sketch-Team Ropers

 

Team Ropers- Sketch with Watercolor Pencils...see State 1 Below

I have a workshop coming up in Fredericksburg in a couple of weeks. We will send a lot of time sketching and of course tracking the sunrises and moonrises! CONTACT Fredericksburg Artists School RIGHT AWAY if you are interested! There are spots open as of today! bush@fbgartschool.com

Below is the first state of this one. Drawn with watercolor pencils, then "washed" for the finish....a technique I enjoy!

Mission San Jose Sketch

Mission San Jose___watercolor pencil on paper___10x10

Great friends are visiting us from Nebraska and the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art.

Anna and Allen have been exploring Texas this week, and Saturday we met at the Missions Trail in San Antonio, where I did some sketching!...I have dragged them all over to see the sights! Things like my old farm, the urban bats of Round Rock, the Monument Cafe, Round Rock Donust and the Oasis....It has been a fun week, and I hate to send them back to Nebraska...they are both a great treasure to me and I can't wait to get them to come back and do the things we didn't get to do this time around!

I will be teaching some of my sketching techniques, and "capturing Impressions Quickly" in Fredericksburg Oct. 28-30...sign up soon! vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Resting

Resting ___Watercolor pencil sketch

 I was notified this week that one of my "Romeo" sketches won FIRST PLACE in an art show, and I will get a little bit of prize money! This one was a "quickie" sketch from a recent drawing workshop I taught in Texas.

I have a book called Last Year on the Farm: A Story of Change. It is published by BLURB.com and they recently had a price increase...so, click the link to see the book. Use the code FANS at checkout and you get 20% off books from now until October 23, 2012. http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/196927  let me know if you get one!

Dove Sketch

Dove Sketch___a workshop demo in water soluble graphite and colored pencil

"Chiaroscuro" is defined as:   the distribution of light and shade in a picture...in art it is "an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'.

"Chiaroscuro and Chocolate" is the title of my little workshop series at Joel's Coffee Shop (aka Rocksports). In over 20 years of teaching part-time, I have plenty of tricks to help artists see and sketch better, faster, and with a variety of media. Chiaroscuro describes the outcome perfectly!  Brad Payton, the owner of Joel's is also an artist and a Chocolatier, so we indulge in his chocolate creations whenever we can while working out our drawing problems! My pal Robin Cheers, a "regular", likes the Hot Chocolate, while I will take a pecan truffle or two (or 30...really). Brad recently perfected his toffee, which is Billie's favorite!

We will have some more sessions in November...please contact me if you want to come. And if you want a more indepth, concentrated workshop, sign up for three days with me in Fredericksburg at the end of this month....soon! Info below...

_______________________WORKSHOPS_____________________

November__Austin___ "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__Full Moon at Fredericksburg Artists School, contact V...,.

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2015___February-March ___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it

Wes' Wolf

Wes' Wolf Demo___from the workshop

My informal sketching workshop in Austin Might resume in NOVEMBER if a few people are interested...just let me know! Above is one of the sketch demos I did with my wolf-loving-student, Wes....Mine is a quickie, rough wolf...you should see Wes' ...he is an amazing young artist with a superb eye for detail :)

_______________________WORKSHOPS_____________________

November__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__Full Moon at Fredericksburg Artists School, contact V...,.

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2015___February-March ___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it

Skull Study__demo

Skull Study__demo with watercolor pencils on paper

The photo below this one shows "step 1". Watercolor pencils are a fun medium for sketching. We are working with these in my high school art classes, and ALSO in my month-long weekly evening drawing class "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate"...tonite is the last class, and I look forward to the "new folks" who are coming!...We have had a blast! I supply the drawing materials, and a little bit of encouragement, Brad supplies the chocolate (and coffee and teas) and the artists bring their paper...

If you would like to know about this series, EMAIL ME and I will put you on the info list...we will resume again in a few weeks...maybe!...below are the locations for my other workshops...

 

_______________________WORKSHOPS_____________________

September 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__Full Moon at Fredericksburg Artists School, contact V...,.

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

 

Some Sophomores from Hyde Park Baptist School, Austin, TX...on Tuesday I helped this group serve at the Reveal Ministries Food Pantry...this group helped unload, and distribute 13 tons...yes TONS of food, like potatos, cabbage, carrots, onions, cereal and other things...and they sorted thousands of childrens' clothes for distribution to some of Austin's needy people...This is the "after" photo!!!... yes, they did it with a lot of JOY!!!

 

Rest of the Horse

Horse Rest__Oil Pastel study

As we explore sketching in all different methods and media, I am doing demos for each lesson. This was done with oil pastels and a mineral spirit wash...The last sketching workshop (Chiaroscuro and Chocolate) is this Thursday in Austin, TX....contact me if you would like to join us!

_______________________WORKSHOPS_____________________

September 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__Full Moon at Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Chiaroscuro and Chocolate___a workshop sketch of Brad

I did this sketch at last week's drawing session at Joel's Coffee Shop. My new favorite medium is water soluble graphite and carbon. COOL SUPPLIES that I found and am sharing at the workshop. I call it "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate". You furnish the paper, Brad pours the tea and coffee, and everyone helps themself to all my drawing supplies. I do a lot of demonstrating and the only way to shut me up is to keep me eating Brad's great gourmet truffels and drinking the coffees he prepares...Our last session is this Thursday. See more workshop info below... 

_______________________WORKSHOPS_____________________

September 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__Full Moon in Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Antler Demo

Antler Demo___For Students and Chiaroscuro and Chocolate Workshop__Sept 27
My September focus has been on DRAWING. Both in my professional workshops, my high school teaching and also with contest entries.(more on that later).
Here is a quickie demo I enjoyed doing for some high school students. They really got into this one, which I did with water soluble graphite....I hope you can zoom in to see the detail, which is quite RUGGED :)
At Thursday's drawing session "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate", I have been sharing all these cool drawing materials...this isn''t "LINE DRAWING", but my approach is very different...LET ME KNOW if you want to join us for a few hours Thursday in north Austin, TX. Cost is $30...plus chocolate fees  :)

__________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

See this SPECIAL ONE. ...I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__Full Moon in Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Invisible Clearly Seen

Invisible Clearly Seen___30x24 oil on linen___Contact V.... for info 

I am a member of a group of artists who exhibit 4 times a year at a church in Austin, TX. This group is VERY DIVERSE, with artworks that explore many different media and methods, including sculpture, metalwork, glass and mosaics. Each exhibit has a theme, and the artists create works based on the theme. We write an interpretation of our work in accordance with the theme. Here is my interpretation of my new painting above:

"God's created handiwork reveals His very character. When we seek to understand Him, He often uses His natural world to "explain" and answer some complex questions. Sunrise happens every morning, and it is often a visual rhapsody displaying His glory! We see LIGHT swallowing darkness, reminding us that God IS LIGHT. Light reflects off of other created things: the moon, fog, clouds: These only reflect and do not generate light or color or warmth."

Come to the reception Friday, if you are nearby!

The Prayer and Creativity Team (PACT) Presents "Visual Rhapsody" a multi media art exhibit at "Open Doors" Gallery at Hill Country Bible Church Northwest Campus in the Worship Center Balcony (Building A- 3rd Floor).

The opening reception will be Friday, September 21 from 7-9 pm

• Free admission
• Excellent, original artwork with a Christian perspective.
• Live music and delicious desserts served.

For more information refer to www.pactofaustin.com or to schedule a gallery tour please

 call 577-3339.

Hillside Glow__12 x 12 oil___workshop  demo__sold

Saturday was a FULL day and a FULL workshop in Salado, TX with The Salado  Village Artists group. We packed in a lot of art as I shared my favorite themes and tips on oil painting. I really enjoy teaching my own concepts and watching how artists apply it to their natural strengths.

I think my FAVORITE part of teaching is SEEING the "fruit" of what someone HEARS me say. Sometimes I see it immediately, but often I see an artist years later and they show me their work that has evolved in a direction TOTALLY different from mine, but I still "see"  my influence. It might be the colors, or the brushwork, or a sensibility, but it's a thrill to have a part in someone else's creation!

I have recently viewed college portfolios of a couple former young students...And tonight I saw a new painting by an artist who has worked with me a few times, and who is now doing ABSTRACTS!!! I was blown away!!...and will talk about that tomorrow :)

__________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

See this SPECIAL ONE.

I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September, 20, 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__at Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Whooping Cranes Dance at Dusk

Click image to enlarge

Dance at Dusk__10 x 30 oil on linen__available at Wind Way Gallery in Rockport, TX

Here is a new painting I just delivered to Rockport's Wind Way Gallery. They had a wonderful reception for my guest exhibit opening on Friday night. LOTS of my Rockport pals came in, and I also got to make a whole bunch of new friends.

This painting is one I have been dying to do since February when I was lucky enough to photograph a pair of whooping cranes as they took flight at dusk. My photos were terrible usual, but I could piece things together for this painting.

Whooping cranes are HUGE. They are very endangered and rather difficult to happen upon. My earliest memory of whooping cranes is that when I was 10 years old, I learned that there were only about 20 of these birds left in the whole world! I remembered being very sad about that, and hoping I could see them one day! Now there are over 300, but that makes them very very endangered. Disease or bad weather can wipe out many at a time...My friend Deam Harrigal in South Carolina is the Biologist at the Donnelley Wildlife Refuge, so he had been watching this pair for a while, and took us there to see them.

....THANKS DEAN!!

__________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

See this SPECIAL ONE.

I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September, 20, 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Oct. 28-30__Texas__at Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Boat Trailer

Boat Trailer__6x8 oil on linen__$350 at Wind Way Gallery, Rockport (framed)
Across from the gallery in Rockport, TX, was this little boat. When I was there a couple weeks ago, I did this little painting that will hang in the show which opens tomorrow!
Join us Friday, September 14 from 5 to 8 pm for a reception, and the unveiling of another NEW WORK that I will post on Saturday night...

Lifeguard

Lifeguard__from my sketchbook

Today, Sept. 12 is my drawing workshop...Let me know if you want to join us for Chiaroscuro and Chocolate  at Joel's Coffee Shop in Austin's Lakeline Mall area. $30. You can just show up, but drop me an email! One of these sessions, Brad will actually work in his kitchen and we can sketch while he works.

ALSO, there is a FULL DAY workshop, in Salado, TX on Sat., Sept 15 Contact Belinda
AND a THREE DAY detailed workshop, Oct. 28-30 at Fredericksburg Artist's School

I spoke briefly in chapel at school, this morning.

Great high school students at Hyde Park in Austin! I told them I would post this "before" and "after" shot of them enthralled with my speech....OK, I posed them a little bit in the "after"...

Before

After

Chicken Pate'

Chicken Pate'__a sketch at the cooking school___with extra detail sketches

This chef made chicken pate' which we sampled afterwards...I liked drawing his hands :)

Wednesday, Sept 12 is the second meeting of my September drawing class. Last week we went in depth on PERSPECTIVE problems. As a high school art teacher for over 20 years, (I teach at Hyde Park High School, now...just a couple morning classes), I have  a BUNCH of drawing lessons that are easy to understand and take the mystery out of that scary blank page or canvas. My FAVORITE thing is when an artist "gets it" with an "ah ha"!!! Let me know if you want to join us for Chiaroscuro and Chocolate in September at Joel's Coffee Shop in Austin's Lakeline Mall area. You can just show up, but drop me an email! One of these sessions, Brad will actually work in his kitchen and we can sketch while he works.

ALSO, there is a FULL DAY workshop, in Salado, TX on Sat., Sept 15 Contact BelindaAND a THREE DAY detailed workshop, Oct. 28-30 at Fredericksburg Artist's School

 

Brad the Chocolatier__My sketch class demo__JOIN US Wednesday!

The second installment of "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate" is THIS WEDNESDAY, Sept 12, from 6:30 - 8:30 sharp at Joel's Coffee Shop (and tea and truffles and tees!) It is a great location for sketching, talking art and enjoying some gourmet goodies!

I hope this sketch is right side up...a little glitch shows it sideways, but this is Brad, our host and chocolatier! Email me if you want to come...cost is $30 and includes tea, coffee and my drawing supplies...you supply the sketchbook!

Signed with Polenta___a sketch

Took a little diversion today when I went with my pal Robin Cheers to sketch at Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School. We sketched during a couple of cooking demos. Here, Chef Shoyer prepares Italian Polenta, which, of course we all sampled at the end....I decided to "sign" my sketch with the Polenta and my fork...starting a trend, maybe???

 

Next week's Austin sketch workshop is WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12. 6:30 - 8:30 at Joel's Coffee Shop.

email me if you want to come! vvaughan8@yahoo

Tanner and Ashton

Tanner and Ashton in Port Aransas___tiny canvas__SOLD

My son and daughter in law enjoyed time with us in the south Texas surf on Labor day. Here is a tiny canvas sketch in oils that I gave them...

Tonight was the first of my September drawing sessions here in Austin. Come sharpen your sketching skills and enjoy some great gourmet chocolate, coffee, tea and fellowship with other artists. $30 each session. You do not have to attend all of them...I give homework :) Email me for info, and a supply list, and to let me know you are coming to the NEXT session!

Wednesday, Sept. 12, Chiaroscuro and Chocolate at Joel's Coffee Shop

Other fall workshops:

Sept. 15, 2012___Salado TX, Contact Belinda Walker__MAYBE FULL! Ask Belinda about wait list

Oct. 28-30__Texas__at Fredericksburg Artists School. Be rested up for this one! I do marathon teaching in a three-day, full-moon workshop!

Blue Moon II

Blue Moon II___5x7 oil, framed__available at Wind Way Gallery__$250
Here is a second little painting of Friday's Blue Moon down at the Texas coast!
I am gearing up for Thursday night's sketching session. Please let me know if you are coming to this one...Thurs., Sept. 6, Chiaroscurro and Chocolate at Joel's Coffee Shop

THURSDAY kicks off a month of weekly drawing sessions here in Austin. Come sharpen your sketching skills and enjoy some great gourmet chocolate, coffee, tea and fellowship with other artists. Email me for info, and a supply list, and to let me know you are coming!

Thurs., Sept. 6, Chiaroscuro and Chocolate at Joel's Coffee Shop