Puertas

Puertas___10 x 10 watercolor pencil sketch

 at Mission San Jose, San Antonio

Springtime is headed our way in Central Texas...my favorite time of year!

 Texas Independence Day is March 2...REMEMBER THE ALAMO!, Goliad is remembered at the end of March...and EASTER...Bluebonnets will be here any minute now! San Jacinto Day is

April 21, then Cinco de Mayo...Who can tell me the date for THAT?....ah, it's GREAT to be Texan!



Dusky Day

Dusky Day

6x8 study on Copano Bay

A few months ago I was down on the Texas coast and painted this little study early in the morning after some big storms rolled through...It's not great, but helped me solve a few color questions ...a true "study"

 

35 - Great in White

Great in __10 x 10 watercolor pencil__framed $450
#35 in the Birdseed Project
I am home after a week in South Carolina, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, and a few days at ACE Basin....Saw no Whooping Cranes this year, but plenty of these great white egret. They are so big and elegant and in HUGE numbers at ACE Basin.
I spent most of my time there shooting pictures and trying out a new camera set-up...We saw  these egrets, some little snowy egrets, blue herons, tricolors, little blue herons. Also my favorite, the Kingfisher, bald eagles, otters, a few alligators and the endangered American Wood Stork...I can't wait to paint these for the birdseed project!
 

34-Heron Knife Demo

Heron Knife Demo
12x9 oil on canvas
#34 in the Birdseed Project

ACE Liftoff

ACE Liftoff- Tricolor Heron__SOLD at the SEWE Quick Draw

Today was the Quick Draw event at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. A few artists created works in one hour, and then these were auctioned off in a live auction....My little Tricolor Heron fetched $700...

I painted it from a photo I took out here last year at the ACE Basin Wildlife Refuge. ACE stands for Ashapoo, Cumbahee, and Edisto Rivrs that merge south of Charleston, making a terrific area for birds, alligators and all kinds of wildlife. After this year's show, I will again spend a few days there, HOPING to capture some more birds with my camera...new subjects for my Birdseed Project. I'm very excited to have better camera gear this year.

Dusky Docks

Dusky Docks__12x9__SOLD at SEWE

My first sale tonight at the Sotheastern Wildlife Exposition.

I just finished it a few days ago and decided to do a larger one real soon!

Wine Labels

If You Can Make A Gull Laugh...

#33.5 in the Birdseed Project

5.5 x 4 oil on canvas for

"99 Bottles of Wine on the Wall", a SEWE event

I am posting two small works today....Fun little paintings that come with a BONUS!!! Buy these and get a great bottle of wine!!! Actually, a number of artists at the Southeastern Wildlife Exhibition have been asked to create a small canvas that is being attached to their signature bottles of wine...I do not know what kind of wine...I think there are several kinds and one is a Merlot. But over the weekend, these will be on display and will be sold to attendees for $100 if they purchase a random selection, or $200 if they want to CHOOSE which one! If you are interested in choosing either of mine, LET ME KNOW ASAP, and I will connect you with the right person to make a purchase! This is to benefit the show and their good works in South Carolina...Bottles will be on display through Sunday.

Feel free to call my cell if you want to purchase....first one to call WINS!

512-917-0814

The title of the one above is from a quote by Marilyn Monroe...with my added "bird" reference :)

Wine at the Moon

5.5 x 4 wine label for SEWE

33 - Skimmer

 

Skimmer___10 x 10 watercolor__framed for SEWE
#33 in the Birdseed Project
Skimmers spend winter in Rockport Texas. They nest in big groups on the beachy area near the Rockport Center for the Arts...I guess I will find out if anyone in Charleston, SC is familiar with these wonderful birds! I will be there at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition over the weekend!! See you there!

32-Soft in White

Soft in White___10x10 watercolor, framed__$350
#32 in the Birdseed Project
Here is another part of my Birdseed Project. It constitutes about 1 pound of the 241 pounds of art I shipped to Charleston, SC for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition!
Hope to see you there!!!

31 - LOL

LOL__6x6 oil on canvas panel for SEWE
#31 in the Birdseed Project
Another little laughing gull painting that I shipped to the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. The show opens Thursday night in Charleston, SC...These three gulls are laughing out loud...LOL...kind of silly, but it is a small little canvas I wanted to have some fun with...see you at SEWE!

30- A Good Laugh

A Good Laugh

#30 in the Birdseed Project

 It feels great to have shipped all my artwork off to Charleston for next weekend's Southeastern Wildlife Exposition.

WHEW!

I extremely do not like framing, packing, cataloging, and shipping artwork...I only like DOING artwork. But, yesterday I had to ship 241 pounds of paintings...not fun.

I titled the one above A Good Laugh, because I NEED a good laugh, and this breed of seagull is called a "laughing gull"...PLEASE tell all your friends near Charleston to COME MEET ME at the art show! If they (or you!) buy a little bird work from me, I will apply over 10% to the Birdseed Project

...and I will tell how to make a tax deductible donation!

Have a great laugh this weekend! See you at SEWE!



29- Mom's Heron

Mom's Heron

#29 in the Birdseed Project

Here is one that is NOT available...

A few days ago, I visited my mom at the nursing home and it was a GORGEOUS day, so we sat out by the bird feeders in the gazebo...her favorite place. I brought along my new favorite toys, watercolor pencils, and a photo of a heron I took in South Carolina last year...Well I was actually showing off for mom, and scribbled this out in my lap UPSIDE DOWN, so she could see it happen...she was so entertained that she couldn't stop "gushing" about it, so I let her keep it on her wall...I actually think I overworked it, but it was so fun watching her enjoy the cheap entertainment...brought back a lot of memories! I used to draw at the kitchen table a lot, and she enjoyed watching me way back then...Have you ever wondered where the phrase came from:

"As exciting as watching paint dry!" ??



28 - Little Gulls

Little Gulls___6x6 oil study for SEWE

#28 in the Birdseed Project

SEWE is the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, held this time every year in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a great venue for all kinds of wildlife art. This year my theme is, of course, BIRDS! I have all my bird paintings packed up for the show!

The one above was so fun to paint, I followed up this little study with a larger 12 x 12 work...I will post that one tomorrow!

27 - Pelican Place

Pelican Place__8x6 oil on linen panel__for SEWE

#27 in the Birdseed Project: More Than Many Sparrows

 

I dedicate this one to my Father-in-law, RV.

He lovingly pointed out to me that even though these little bird works have been created to benefit a birdseed fund for a nursing home, MOST of the birds I have painted lately do not eat seed! I told RV that I would like this project to inspire volunteers to ALSO feed birds at other nursing homes. NOW I also hope that JUST MAYBE some smart person might create a bird feeder that dispenses little fish instead of seed!

That would be PERFECT!

 __________________
Tonight is the opening of "Twilight" at Act I Gallery in Taos, NM
I wish I could be there and enjoy the great gallery artists and patrons. Below is "my wall" there for this show! Please go by and see the show if you are nearby...it will be up for a while!
Read about it in Southwest Art Magazine...and see some of my paintings here