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!

Before Rain

12-29-2006 7am Before all the rain...wishing they were LONGHORNS!
...And BOY did it rain! We had rain all day yesterday after I painted this 7am study and the 8am one below. I am traveling alittle bit early today, so I will do a later painting. I look forward to future farm pantings because with the rains recently, our tanks are filing up again~~~"tanks" are what some call "pnds" ...stock tank is another word....
Happy New Year! Go Longhorns!!

This Morning on the Farm

12-29-2006 Last Year on the Farm

The sun broke for a few minutes this morning. I painted from 7 - 7:30 as the cows were laying down and after I was through, the sun broke through so I painted this one. As soon as I finished it, the dark clouds rolled back in from the south and it began to sprinkle.
I am planning another 24 paintings in 24 hours...A WINTER Day Last Year on the Farm...for the end of January! Please stay tuned for details or JOIN my group to hear the details FIRST and to get ALL the images...Fill in the blank above and right and click "join"
Good Morning and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dec. 5, Last Year on the Farm

12-05-2006 Last Year on the Farm
This is from earlier in the month. This morning's painting looked a lot like this just after sunrise, but I had trouble loading the image here on Blogger. I wish they would make the new Blogger as good as the old one was :)
I will be starting big studio paintings from these farm studies today. Until I get the whole year painted, I am holding on to the studies, but if you are interested, I have started a "waiting list" for people who want first pick when they go on sale. Thanks, Annie, for signing up to be first "dibs" for "Midnight" from the Fall Day series. ....but, I have other small ones that I put on e-bay from time to time. These sell for way less than my show price...the link below is for an auction that ends today.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140067300028&rd=1&rd=1

Pie Steam

12-27-2006 Pie Steam Last Year on the Farm

This one is for Aunt Nancy who does all the farming on the Farm. On Christmas we all got together at Nana's house...probably for the last time and Nancy saw part of the "Last Year on the Farm" series of paintings. She was ammused by the paintings that showed the troughs and the many "pies" around where the cows feed. This morning I painted before the frost melted and many of the pies still had steam wafting up....nothing like fresh pie!

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

Last Christmas on the Farm

12.25.2006

The Cattle were lowing near the little stable. What is that light back there?
:)
MERRY CHRISTMAS, y'all!

"Last Christmas on the Farm 12-20-2006"
I sent a batch of Farm paintings to my group today. This one is my favorite from my little batch ...I have received beautiful gifts this week...Awesome, colorful mornings that thrilled my soul to paint. I thank the Giver of the morning! These little paintings went to my group this morning, snd they get to see them all. If you want to join the group, please put your e-mail in the little box at the top of the column on the right and click "JOIN".
Although, this painting above is not one of the brilliantly colored sunrises I saw this week, I like it, because it illustrates more of God's gifts: the cows KNOW when it's going to rain! They DON't know how LONG it will rain, so they rest while they can! They will ALWAYS spend the day before a rain laying down and resting....How do they know?
Merry CHRISTmas, to everyone!
V....

Hay Rows

"Hay Rows and Cowbirds for Sonja" 9 x 12

I met Sonja at a show recently and she commissioned this painting after seeing a similar one in my exhibit. I just shipped it this week, so I hope she has gotten it and likes it. It's hard to tell in a photo, but it has a lot of texture. This is a view of our lower pasture and that's our aunt on the tractor, cutting hay. I will miss all the farm activity: cutting hay, turning it, baling and putting it up....it's such hard work for the farmers, though! But great recreation for an artist! :)
Merry Christmas eve, eve! Happy birthday to my sister, Mary! xxoOXOoXX

Bay View from Caro's...Click to bid

"Bay View from Caro's" 6 x 8

Here is a little one I painted from my friend Caro's place in Rockport, TX. I have been teaching plein air painting down there about once a month. We have a great group of "regulars" and welcome new painters ANY time! Our next Saturday paint-out will be in January, so contact me or the Art Center if you'd like to come. Past sessions have focused on painting "Early Morning Light", 'Moving Targets" and "Green"...
This little painting is available in an ebay auction...My ebay sales are ALWAYS a steal, so look in uif you are interested :) Click here if interested
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140067300028
MERRY CHRISTmas y'all!

Kelly's Place

"Kelly's Place" 6 x 8
I call this "Kelly's Place" because Kelly commissioned the little painting. It is a special location near Kerrville, TX...a place with a lot of sentimental meaning....I understand the sentiment so well, as our family prepares to leave our lifelong dwelling place early next year. I just shipped Kelly's Place this week to arrive in time for Kelly's Christmas trip and this was to be her gift....The USPS let us down BIG TIME! and sent the art to some unknown location...a HUGE disappointment to Kelly and me, too. I will ALWAYS depend on FedEx from now on!...well, except for the paintings I shipped today USPS...BEFORE I learned of this "mistake"...never again...
Have you finished your shopping? ...me either :)

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!

Patty

"Patty" For Claire

This week I will post my Christmas Collection! The commissioned paintings I have done for friends who commissioned them. I hope you like them!

Fall Day...24 paintings in 24 hours

6 am hour....11 - 27 - 2006...

If you have joined my group then you have seen all 24 of my paintings from Nov. 27, 2006 : Fall Day Last Year on the Farm...I painted 24 paintings in 24 hours! These are small works that I will add to my series "Last Year on the farm". This one above is my favorite of the batch that I sent to the group today!Please join today and drop me an e-mail ( vvaughan8@yahoo.com) if you want to see todays' 6 paintings. I will be doing a "Winter Day Last Year on the Farm" as soon as winter gets here! If you want to see all 24 of the winter paintings, sign up ! At the top of the column at right there is a place for your e-mail address and then click the "join" button... 

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.

Renee's Poppies...click to bid

"Renee's Poppies"..................................11 x 14

This is a nice sized painting (11 x 14) that I am trying to "give away" in an ebay auction. I am trying a few auctions to move some of the paintings that I have already taken to shows, or things that I have multiples of. My father-in-lay RV has a great poppy garden in Colorado, so I paint them a lot and usually have a few poppy paintings on hand.
Today I begin "24 paintings in 24 Hours"...or what I am calling "One Fall Day Last Year on the Farm". I will begin posting those works late in the week. Please use the box at right to give me your e-mail and hit "JOIN" to see all 24 paintings. I will send them out in groups of 6 to everyone in my mail group. The group gets the art in a mail every day. No visiting, just an image...Please let me know if you want this!
Wish me well! I'll be painting for about 24 hours straight and I am not much of a coffee drinker :)
Here is the ebay link if you know someone who would like to bid:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140063210813&rd=1&rd=1 

Farm Fog......

"Pierces the Fog - Last Year on the Farm"
I painted this in Feb. of 2006....many months ago. Today I decided to put all of my farm paintings in order in my studio. I couldn't find this one to put the correct date on it for you, because I have mixed up the order. I have over 100 paintings in my series "Last Year on the Farm" and in just a day or 2 I will paint a FULL DAY on the farm..."A Fall Day Last Year on the Farm" will be 24 paintings in 24 hours. Please use the box to the right to send me your e-mail address and hit "JOIN" I will send you the 24 images in a couple of batches. You'll also be the first to see my daily painting in an e-mail that you can look at and share or toss!I hope you will check in later this week for 24 in 24!
Today I have a new piece of art on ebay in an auction. You can click here to see "Poppies"
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&viewitem=&item=140063210813&rd=1&rd=1 

Farm Morning-Arise, Shine

"Arise, Shine".......6 x 8......."Last Year on the Farm"

In just 2 or 3 days I will paint a FULL DAY on the farm..."A Fall Day Last Year on the Farm" will be 24 paintings in 24 hours. I will average one painting per hour, but will try to paint more during the daylight hours than the night...This will not be an unusual thing, because I have had little art marathons my whole life...from the time I worked all night on the high school yearbook cover, to the time I painted 72 hours straight on a promotional poster for a Willie Nelson record album....I just haven't done a marathon like that in a LONG time! .....The little painting above was painted January 2 of this year, 2006. I used it as a study to paint a large painting. Those who have joined my group received a mail today with the image of the large painting . Please use the box to the right to send me your e-mail address and hit "JOIN" I will send you the image of the large painting! You'll also be the first to see my daily painting in an e-mail that you can look at and share or toss!I hope you will check in next week for 24 in 24!

Farm Last Year

"Moonrise at Sunset"...................Last Year on the Farm.........A Big Painting

Some time this weekend I will begin a little series within the "Last Year on the Farm" series. ...
"24 Hours in the Fall -Last Year on the Farm"....Yes! I will be painting 24 paintings in 24 hours (remember, these are VERY SMALL paintings...6" x 8" and I have painted the subject several hundred times before, but never like this!) You will get info when I post the paintings, starting on WEDNESDAY....I will put 4 of my favorites here on the blog next week, but if you have joined my group, you will get to see ALL 24, 6 at a time over 4 days! Now, this is my plan, barring unforseen problems, like sleep deprived illness ! If it goes well, I will do Winter, Spring and Summer, too! Summer is when we will have to move off the farm, so those paintings might be pretty special. 

"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

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

"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!.

Rockport Cloudline.....Click to Bid

"Rockport Cloud Line"..................................................................6 x 6 oil

This was painted last week on location in Rockport, TX. We marveled that the clouds stayed like this for a couple hours! Really! I learned from Caro, a local who has sailed the world, that the clouds come off the water and build up along the shore as they hit land...Great to know, if you are a painter painting "moving targets" (our theme that day). I have been teaching a workshop series: one Saturday each month in the fall. Please join our great painting group "en plein air" for the last Fall class on Sat. Dec. 16. *note to my class....see how much better it looks with the figures on the beach?

"Blackwater in Color"......Click here to bid

"Blackwater in Color" ...............6 x 6.....oil on linen
Click to Bid

I painted this in Maryland last week at the Blackwater Wildlife reguge... Scroll down to see the eagle that landed there. I painted him the day before. I will start selling these small works soon, and if you want this one today, I will let it go for $100. Soon I will let all my mail list know about the little ones for sale, but for now, only you faithful bloggers know :)