Above Abiquiu

Above Abiquiu, New Mexico__16x20__available at Act I Gallery, Taos, NM
This area of New Mexico is where Georgia O'Keefe lived and worked. It is still a remote and beautiful place. I started this one last summer and just got around to finishing it....Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! No matter what you are going through, there is SOMETHING to be thankful for...even good old memories :)

Alfie on Avocado

Alfie on Avocado__8x10 oil on panel____SOLD...a commission for J and J
Alfie was a beloved pet for my friend J in Arizona. Her favorite "shot" of him was a small black and white snapshot of him on his favorite couch. J gave me this photo and a few color snapshots to work from....I have a little more work to do on Alfie, (now that I can see him here, I see some "atmosphere" things I want to adjust). I painted Alfie in color, using those few faded photos. I am not REAL sure about his coloring but from the look of the couch in black and white, and the setting of the photos which looked like the 1970's, I guessed that the couch was that famous pigment called "avocado green"....

Strider

Strider__8x10 oil on linen panel___commission for Strider's family
So at Christmas time I finish up all the year's commission's and this week has been "dog week"! Strider , here was "compiled" from several of his family photos: use this one for his smile, this one for his bandana, this one for his "pose"....which means I did a preliminary sketch first, for approval. I really enjoy that kind of "art direction"...one of my favorite things when I was a "commercial artist", (aka graphic designer) was sitting with a client and hearing their "vision" which, if they could illustrate it, they WOULD! I enjoyed the challenge of FIRST hearing them correctly, then creating whatever it was that they had in mind. ...Strider
is gone, now, so this painting will be a memory forever. I think it's so important to "bless" the family with a meaningful painting.
I LOVE dogs...our new little Junor (aka Puppypuppypuppy) is in my lap as I type this, and Maria is at my feet!! Here is a really neat youtube video that PERFECTLY describes WHY we love dogs :) (thanks Pam!).....as soon as Strider dries, I will ship him "home"....

Luna

Luna___10x8 oil on linen panel for Tina
Here is another painting for Tina, whom I mentioned yesterday. This one is Luna, her other beloved Chow...I am still making a few minor little "oil changes" on Luna, but...here ya go!

Mars Dog

Mars___10 x 8 oil on linen panel____for Tina
I met Tina at the Easton Waterfowl Festival in Maryland. She owns a couple of the prettiest chow dogs EVER, and I am lucky enough that Tina let me paint them for her! Here is her big boy Mars...great name!...I have a few "Ear-justments" to make, but will ship Mars off later in the week...
For you artists looking in: Thick fur can seem like a scary thing to try to paint...the secret is to see BIG SHAPES, rather than long individual hairs....each shape has its own color and value...if you mix color carefully, and draw the shapes well, you'll get it!

Our Lady at La Bahia

Our Lady of Loreto__at La Bahia___see framed version below...for Whistle Pik Miniatures Show
This is the final miniature for my grouping of paintings for the Whistle Pik Miniatures Show, opening next week in Fredericksburg, TX. The canvas I used is a small piece of linen and it is hand cut and a little bit "rustic" looking...goes well with the frame :)
There is a niche in the front of the chapel at La Bahia (you can see it indicated in the painting I posted a few days ago...click here to see it below the cross on the right...here is a detail and some info from the La Bahia web site....

Located in the niche above the chapel entrance is the statue of Our Lady of Loreto sculpted by Lincoln Borglum, of Mt. Rushmore fame. This centuries-old chapel was where Fannin's men were held during part of their captivity before being massacred. The First Declaration of Texas Independence was signed inside the chapel

El Presidio La Bahia

El Presidio La Bahia___4x8 oil on linen framed for Whistle Pik Christmas Miniatures Show (click blog image to enlarge)

I have a grouping of 4 small works for this year's Miniature Show at Whistle Pik Galleries in Fredericksburg, TX. The small canvases are all mounted and framed the same way (see below, and see yesterday's post). I have been doing a lot of work at the Presidio in Goliad, Texas. This is the site of one of Texas' most important events, and this place brings a deep sense of awe when you are there. I want my paintings to remind viewers of that...I wish you could see them all together!

La Bahia Thermals

La Bahia Thermals___small oil on linen panel, framed for the Whistle Pik Miniatures Show___December

Whistle Pik Galleries in Fredericksburg, TX was one of the first galleries in the country to feature "miniatures" in a big art sale. I posted the one below a few weeks ago, and above is the second one in my small group of four miniatures on display. La Bahia is the subject. Below is the bell at the presidio, and above is the tower with the usual buzzards circling overhead, riding the thermals above the San Antonio River. My paintings are all framed similarly, with the canvas being mounted on a backing that is framed. I like the look! You'll have to go to the show to see them all together, but I will post them individually over the next couple of days.
Whistle Pik's Christmas Miniatures Show is about 10 years old now and a real treat for art lovers! First, just being in Fredericksburg during the holidays gets you in the Christmas spirit! Seeing HUNDREDS of small works by the best artists in the country is fun, too, and a good place to start or add to your art collection without spending a whole lot of money!

Tonito Dulce____for the Whistle Pik Galleries Christmas Miniatures Show___December

Junior

Junior___a sketch of our new "baby"___see real guy below
A lot has happened since my high school senior son's first football game at the end of August! On that night my daughter's dog had puppies....6....Here is what has happened since then, which explains why I have not posted much!...Wedding showers for older son, company came, football game, puppies eyes opened, booster club meetings every Monday, plan rehearsal dinner, newspaper announcements, invitations to various, two out of town football games in a row, then a wedding the next day, start ebay auction of sketchbook, return wedding stuff, homecoming parade, puppies are almost paper trained, but need to go outside and play a lot, ...so fun!!...feed football player great volumes of food, gather videos for football recruiting highlight film, ship art to Nebraska for Plains Artist show (I won 3rd!), deliver art to Parade of homes, drive to Dallas area for art show, I back out when I got there because of tornado threat, spent day at the art museum, football injury!...is it broken?, deliver big box of art to Taos,... no, just sprained...whew!...reply to all those recruiting e-mails, to college in New York ? no thank you!, California?, no thank you...got anything in Texas, please? Shots for 6 puppies, then homes for 5...how did we end up with the runt?, he was the cutest! Decided that daughter is a better salesman than I thought, as she steered the interested parties to the other puppies...now we are "stuck" with the runt....which brings me to today's sketch. Meet JUNIOR! I sketched him while on the phone to Amanda in Nebraska, today....usually he has one ear up! ...I am teaching him to fetch...between football games....Thank you to those who have asked "where are you???"...I will be back to the easel regularly THIS WEEK...after the football game!