Romeo's Last Thunder

Romeo's Last Thunder_____Pastel pencils on archival paper_____Family Collection
Our beloved "Good Dane", Romeo died on Thursday....He has been in our family since he was a baby, given to my oldest son as a Christmas gift. Of course, when the son went away to college, I claimed Romeo....He truly was a gentle giant who made a great impact on all who net him...I have spent the past few days moping and missing him....terribly.
I got to hold him in my arms when he went "away", but I made sure not to cry till he was gone. He was brave, and gentle and a lot of fun, even just a few days ago!...I sketched this today, from one of his last photos. He was looking out the window, a little bit nervous that there was distant thunder in the area...he never liked thunder....

***My Workshop next week in Fredericksburg is FULL...THANK YOU to all who signed up...For those of you on the waiting list, we will do it again in the fall! More details to come!
***There might be a spot or two in the Saturday workshop in Smithville... vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Romeo__Decision

Romeo__Decision__9x12 pastel pencil on archival paper__from my sketchbook
I mentioned a while ago that when Romeo sees me looking at him (or aiming a camera) he jumps up and gets in my face. So it's hard to sketch him from life sometimes. If I have the right angle and he doesn't SEE me studying him, I can get away with it. In this sketch, he obviously knows I am looking at him, so his "decision" is whether to jump up "now" or after I am finished sketching him....Guess what he decided?
Below is an invitation I have been meaning to send....I wish I had mentioned it sooner for my Texas friends...It's the last big exhibit of my Last Year on the Farm paintings. About 100 selected paintings will be on display for a month in Marble Falls, TX....the reception is THIS SATURDAY, but the show hangs till April 18. I will speak a little bit on Saturday and on April 18, too and tell a little bit about the farm...PLEASE COME! I would love for you to see all these plein air paintings, and hear what you think of my farm....

Romeo_Upward

Romeo__Upward__9x12 pastel pencil on archival paper__from my sketchbook

I do not remember what he was looking at, but Romeo let me shoot the photo which I used for this sketch.

I tweaked my blog today. On the right side I added some things, including a picture of my book about the farm. And at the bottom of the page is a neat gadget to click and preview the first 15 pages of the book. If you have not seen the book, please go to the blog, scroll to the bottom, and turn the pages! It's really cool...and if you want to, you can order from there, too! If you get this post in an e-mail, click this link to go to the blog. If you want to get my postings in an e-mail, let me know, and I will add you to the group that gets the pictures FIRST...let me know vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Romeo__Sigh

Romeo_Sigh__9x12 pastel pencil on archival paper__from my sketchbook
I am not sure if all Great Danes are like this, but Romeo is so alert to whatever I am doing, that if I look at him for any length of time, he gets up to come see me...making sure I am OK, I guess. So for the next few days I will post sketches from photos of him. Right after I snapped the photo for this one, he jumped up and got in my face.....sigh
Below is a little "blog award" that I just received from Stephanie Berry in Maine. I think I have actually won one of these before, but was not sure what it was! Stephanie explained it to me well, and NOW I get it!...so I am posting my OWN award winners' links below! Please take a look at the blogs I look at the most...not all are artists, but all have great "sunshine" when they post!
http://stephanieberryart.blogspot.com/
http://lorraineklotzart.blogspot.com/
http://adeleearnshaw.blogspot.com/
http://fullerfotography.blogspot.com/
http://architectpainterjoshi.blogspot.com/
http://joyjoyinthejourney.blogspot.com/
http://cecelia-throughmyeyes.blogspot.com/
http://robincheers.blogspot.com/
http://joannehanson.blogspot.com/

According to someone's blog, "The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging world." Pass it on....
1. Post the flower logo on your blog.

2. Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers.

3. Link your nominees

4. Let nominees know they have won this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Be sure to link to the person you received this award from.

Drowse

"Drowse"____9x12 from my sketchbook
Romeo has his "own" couch, downstairs. When the storms roll in, he hears the thunder miles before we do, and he gets upset and demands to be wherever we are. Giving us his famous, deep "Woo, woo" before the storm the other night, he really really wanted to be on "our" couch. Since everyone else had gone to bed, I was alone on the couch, and relented...just this once...here he is straddling the couch and the ottoman, taking a drowse...

Listener

Listener___12 x 9 pastel pencil on archival paper
Ah Romeo, my "good Dane", not "great"...
...he is EVER PRESENT, at my feet while I work, at my side while I move around the house, waiting outside the bathroom with his paws crossed while I shower...the Great Dane breed is definitely a "lap dog" breed - extremely loyal. Never hyper in trying to get attention (he's so big he just walks up and looks you in the eye...he knows I know what that means. If I do not respond, he speaks his famous, deep "woo, woo" and then a deeper big "WOO" for emphasis. He also does this if he wants to get close to me but something blocks his way...like books on the floor, or Velcro the cat. He is bothered when he can't get close to me. In fact, he is looking at me now, blocked by the chair and a pile of bills on the floor....oh Romeo, Romeo...

Romeo's Profile

Romeo's Profile___detail____from my sketchbook
I am still working on big paintings for Cowgirl Up!, a big western art show in Arizona at the end of this month. ...SO, for the log I have a few things from my sketch book this week.
My favorite model, Romeo offered this little pose in the snow the other day. I have some new pencils and have been trying to figure out if I like them...the only way to do that is to USE THEM...often
Sketching and drawing are such an important part of being an artist and developing a COMFORT level with your eye and hand...I teach a lot of drawing in my workshop in June...JOIN US! vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Romeo's Long Shadows

"Romeo's Long Shadows"___from my sketchbook
Long legs plus low sun equals long shadows. I did this one looking down at my "good Dane", Romeo.
I want to do a color sketch of this , but ran out of time today. If you view this one on my BLOG, you can click the image and see it bigger to examine the details. ...As a young artist, I was PHOTO-REALISTIC with a pencil. As I have become an impressionist with paint, I find that my pencil technique has followed along. As a former high school art teacher, I believe that EVERY young artist ought to work hard at realism, and technical l. After the eye is polished, then the technique and "personality" of the artist can emerge. oh, and Impressionism should NOT be an excuse for sloppiness :)

That Couch Look__sketch, dog, Great Dane

"That Couch Look__from my sketchbook _5.5 x 8.5 ebony on paper... $90 if you are first to ask for it!
Our "Good Dane" Romeo is not allowed on the couch...I just made life more difficult for myself for the next month or so by allowing him there, just now. Ah well, it's Christmas time...and my daughter's little dogs were on the couch in my lap and Romeo was just aching to join us..."well, OK, just this ONCE!"
I scanned it after my first 5 minute "scribble-in" (below). I think it's a good look at another way to sketch! Most of the time we start with LINES...but WHY? I will teach this "scribble-in" method at my workshops in 2010. It is a great intro to impressionism! Get out of the cold! Join me at the next workshop in Fredericksburg, TX, Feb. 5 - 7. email for info vvaughan8@yahoo.com
"That Couch Look_State 1, the 'scribble-in'"

Full Howl_Romeo, Great Dane, Dog, sketch, howling

Full Howl__from my sketchbook, ebony on paper__$90
After a couple of days of Romeo sketches, I found a great photo of him at the farm. Here is my sketch from that photo. He is in "full Howl", but I forgot what he was howling at. It was either a far away ambulance or some coyotes...A great feature of Great Danes is their big jowls...they blow in the wind and flap around when they shake their heads. In the past few days I have sketched what I call "woo"...when the dog "talks" to you by making a growly "woo, woo" sound. When a Great Dane does it, his "lips" pucker up, sort of and it's the only time they don't flap around. The "full howl" is an extreme version of this. ...I know...This is more info than you wanted on our "good Dane". If you are reading this on my blog, please scroll down to see yesterday's post. I forgot to hit "publish" yesterday. If you get my daily mail, then you saw it! If you would LIKE to get the daily mail please EMAIL ME at vvaughan8@yahoo.com and I will sign you up.
IF YOU LOVE DOGS, you will LOVE this sweet video<>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY

Woo 2_Romeo, Great Dane, Dog, sketch

"Woo 2"__our Good Dane Romeo in pencil__$90

Romeo understands when someone is looking at him. He is "self conscious". He still feels privileged to be an "inside dog", since his early years were spent on the farm, outside, where he had an entire shed to himself! He is so big and used to get in trouble for knocking things down while wagging his tail...things like small children. So, even though he knows his place better, he still has that great guilty conscience. That's probably why, as I draw him and look at him a lot, he wonders why. So he comes to get in my face, to make sure he's not in trouble. I had the camera handy and snapped him looking over my shoulder with the sketchbook today....

remember, if you want to reply,you can leave a comment below or click here to e-mail me vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Woo__Romeo, Great Dane, Dog, Sketch

"Woo"___ Good Dane, Romeo__from my sketch book__$90
If you look him in the eyes (at eye level , by the way), and say in a deep voice, "w o o o o", then our "good Dane", Romeo, will "woo" back at you. He is a real lover boy and loves it best when you look him in the eye and say "woo"...

E-mail: vvaughan8@yahoo.com
web site: http://www.v-vaughan.com
USA blog: http://www.vvaughanUSA.blogspot.com
I have a new shipment of my book Last Year on the Farm: A Story of Change
Great for Christmas gifts! Be sure to ask me to sign it $34 soft cover $39 hardbound...INCLUDES shipping

Big Nap_sketch, Dog, pen drawing, Great Dane

Big Nap__a sketch of Romeo, my Good Dane___5.5 x 8.5__$90
Romeo, my "good" Dane does not leave my side. He just had a birthday last week, making him 6, which is real OLD in Great Dane years. As I sketched him, he fell deeper and deeper to sleep and by the time I was done, that right ear was on the floor, along with his drooly jowels...
Well, I was wrong about the football game being on national TV....but son Samuel did get his opportunity and played all but a couple of plays in a great game against Texas' 10th ranked team. They held them off for most of the game, and except for a couple of missed big plays, the Round Rock Dragons did well in a 14 - 31 loss! Sam threw a couple of touchdown passes and had one good run! ...He is sad that his football season is over, so guess what he did today???...went to the batting cages for some baseball action...Happy Sunday!

Wherefore Art

"Wherefore Art Thou, Linda"___12 x 9 pencil on archival paper for Linda
While on our recent ski trip, our Good Dane, ROMEO stayed with our friends Linda and Matt. Linda called with updates...Romeo was attached, and never let her out of his sight....I drew this for Linda to remember "her" Romeo....And, yes, I know that "wherefore" means "WHY" and not "where"....but I am not sure Linda knows that and it's her drawing! heeheeheee
NEWS >>>>
TEXAS STATE ARTIST FINALIST...That's my official status, now! Our state legislators will now choose! Guess I need to get serious and find a LOBBYIST! hahaha
PASSING AMERICA: The Great Plains A solo exhibit at the Great Plains Art Museum will open in October, 2011. I will be painting on the plains for a few years..."drive-by" paintings to depict the "Passing" of ...things :) More info to come! Should I remind you as the date draws near??? This will be a BIG PROJECT for me
Rodeo Art Grand Champion...My student, Jerrod, is the champ this year! see blog post of 1-12
THANK YOU to Shannon and Becky K. for visiting me today in my VERY LAST teaching day at RRCA. You made NEW memories for me to go with our old ones!!! I hope you love your Farm Painting from my LAST YEAR.

In the Grass___9x12 pencil___V....Vaughan

"In the Grass" ____9x12 pencil on archival paper_____$75 if you are first to ask!
vvaughan8@yahoo.com
This "good dane" Romeo of ours! He really is a big pal, sitting here next to me in the grass. I marvel at how he needs to stretch out for balance, no matter how he is sitting or lying down. I got a new sketch pad and am enjoying the pencil work for a change!
I have a couple of very good things to announce next week! Please make sure to look in for the news :)
http://www.vvaughan.blogspot.com

Observer__12x9___V....Vaughan

"Observer"---12 x 9 pencil on archival paper__$75 if you ask first!
Romeo , our "good dane" strikes another pose. I have to be careful when drawing him, because if he sees me looking at him, he thinks I need a hug from him and gets up to come over and "lean" on me. I have to be discreet and look away when he looks my way.
Today it has been exactly a year since I left the farm. So, it was a special treat to get to go paint the sunrise again on my favorite land. I was joined by a few members and friends of Plein Air Austin. The sunrise was MAGNIFICENT and awe inspiring...I will post the paintings next week.

Romeo, Our Guy_9x12 by V....Vaughan

"Romeo - Our Guy"____9 x 12 ebony on archival sketch paper___$75_L.W. has first right...!

e-mail vvaughan8@yahoo.com

I have sketched Romeo before...he is our "Good Dane"...Lately he has been really "clingy", and I think it's because he got hurt a few weeks ago. I was out of town, and returned to find dear Romeo with huge blisters on his head! Romeo had sneaked into the kitchen while my husband was taking hot oil off the stove and they collided and it sloshed on the big guy's head (dog, not husband)...so now he is scabby....and clingy....