To Sea

To Sea                       16x12 oil for SEWE

Do you follow me on Instagram? @vvaughan8

If you do, then you saw this already....I wish Instagram did not make EVERYTHING square!

I posted the "start" of mr. seagull the other day...went home and finished the background but hated it, so I "knifed it off" and slashed in...THIS....

I kinda like!

*****

A story today: I got a call from "Rex". A fine older gentleman who I befriended at my mom's nursing home. It has been MANY MONTHS since I went back. I have WANTED to go see old friends there, but was fearing the sadness, so kept avoiding it. Then REX called. He wanted me to come see some new artwork in his room....It was a GREAT excuse to FINALLY go back. So I bought a big bag of birdseed and drove over!

We had a very nice visit, and Rex had collected a coffee can full of Padre Island beach sand that he had saved for me all this time! He wanted me to put it at the bird feeders for the birds! That made this a PERFECT DAY to post this new Birdseed Project Painting!!! 
Also, Rex wants to sell some of his prized western art collection. Has anyone heard of Don Bowlin and David A. Carver?

Starting to Whoop

Starting to Whoop___one in the works for SEWE

I am in "wildlife mode" for the next month, as I prepare new works for the 

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE). Charleston, SC hosts this great event each year. Come see me there on Valentine's Weekend next month! 

Whooping cranes are a thrill to see in the wild out there. But, I have gotten some of my best reference here in Texas. Namely, ROCKPORT, where I am headed for a weekend workshop NEXT Saturday, Jan. 17

Sorry for the late notice, but JOIN ME for a plein air day on the Texas Coast!

vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Friend Me, Makenzie-My Favorite Social Media

Friend Me, Makenzie        12 x 12 oil             SOLD

I have at LEAST 1500 friends.

At least that's what my social Media Accounts tell me!

One of my friends told me she heard a buzz out there that "blogging is dead". I think Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter started those rumors!

I have done BOTH blogging AND social media extensively....here's what I think... I LOVE the "friendships" I have built with Blogging, and my Google Group....Though sometimes I feel like I am "rambling"... I sense that Instagram and Twitter are like that big high school gathering where everyone has a clever comment, but no one listens, and CERTAINLY 

nobody "goes deep".... Have you ever traded quips with someone (usually an argument) and they walk into the room, snap a comment, and then run away before you can reply?....Twitter feels LIKE THAT! I DO like being able to post a picture on Instagram (though EVERY pic is cropped to a "square"...NOT good for some artwork...I like saying just a few words, posting the pic, and clicking a button that will send it SIMULTANEOUSLY to facebook AND Twitter (though, with no pic on Twitter, there is a link to the pic, if someone will click it, but I doubt they do :) So there! I will be doing it ALL while I make up my mind! :) WHAT SAY Y'ALL???

Start SOMETHING

Willie Study in watercolor and colored pencil...I posted this on facebook  
 a few days ago. A scribbled study for my student "A....", who took a good photo of Willie at a concert. I was showing her how to see color in her "tonal" photo......and have you heard
Willie's new song "What'll I Do"?.... CLASSIC WILLIE!!
Below, I mention a DIFFERENT painting of him...

One good thing I learned in my art was to just START something!..I might only have 30 minutes till the kids needed me. So I would START.... and when I had to leave, that little "start" would call to me..."HEY! Here I am...come baaaaaack"....Whereas, when I stayed up all night to finish something, then there would be such a feeling of "DONE", that it was hard to start something new, later! I once stayed up for 72 hours STRAIGHT, to finish a job for Willie Nelson...(a promo poster for one of his albums)

 My best efforts have been projects that had lots of little pieces. An idea written on a napkin. A doodle in a doctor's office scribbled on a magazine subscription card...these were taken home and tossed into an "idea box"...the 1980's version of Evernote was a shoe box :)  Eventually, the little ideas would repeat themselves and I would take the little notes out of the box to put together! SO! My advice is to "doodle" at it...START something...it will be calling to you!!! ..."come baaaaack"!

On Facebook, I am "Virginia Pedro Vaughan"

St. Francis

St. Francis Study             8x10 oil study                 SOLD

I sat in the car with a friend and we chatted and sketched this pretty little church in Waco, Texas...Something about the PINK cast on the walls appeals to me, so I might do another version!...When you paint outside, you need to trust what you see, COLOR-WISE...did I really see pink???

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!