Morning Memory___9x12 oil on canvas panel__$450

Morning Memory___9x12 oil on canvas panel__$450 unframed  

This was the last morning I spent in Gadsden, Alabama last week...a beautiful morning with the smell of pines in the air.

I love painting early in the morning, and have some workshops that teach that! My June 11-14

Workshop focus is the “extremes” of the day:, . .emerging mornings, sunsets, and day fading quickly into night.  These extremes must be observed and captured quickly in oils. I  teach principles of gathering information and describing it QUICKLY as a painter. We will work outdoors and inside.  to register, e-mail bush@fbgartschool.com or click http://www.fbgartschool.com

_______________V....Vaughan Spring Schedule________________

Works hang till May, Southeastern Plein Air Festival, Gadsden, AL

Memorial Dy Weekend-May, Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ

Fredericksburg Artists School Workshop___

Summer Workshops in Texas, Colorado and more!

...see my schedule for more dates and events

Drought Breaker_16 x 20

"Drought Breaker" 16 x 20 oil on linen panel, a BIG demo...FINISHED...
I posted this on Saturday, after creating it as a demo for the Brownwood (TX) Art Association. I hope some of you who were there see a little bit of difference from the "almost finished" demo I left you with! Plus, when I first posted this, I misspelled "drought", and I had to use a bad photo. It was so dark and rainy that day, I could not get a decent shot. Lesson: ALWAYS use spell check and ONLY great photos of your work (ahem..)
Brownwood is over 100 miles from my home in Round Rock. You have probably heard about our rains here the past few days, and it poured on me all the way there. The landscape looks like this there in that part of Texas, and the sky brewed all weekend with refreshment for our farmers....ahhh!

Painting From Studies_a demo, 16 x 20

"Draught Breaker"__16 x 20, state one demo, oil on linen panel___available after a little refinement

I drove 150 miles through driving rain to do this demo for the Brownwood Art Association. What a great group showed up! I was VERY honored, because it was a PERFECT DAY for these artists to stay home in a dry, cozy studio ...these are my favorite days to paint!!! It is still raining, the Round Rock (literally) on the Chisholm Trail through my town is 2 feet under the RAGING waters of Brushy Creek...and Texans are giddy! All the tanks (ponds) are FULL!!!

Now, about this painting:...I used to feel like I was cheating, because the painting happens so fast when I work up a small study to a larger canvas. But nowI figure that it's no different than the graphic designer who must wrangle several versions of "mock-ups" or rough art as they design, before settling on the final version. (I did this for years, in my "old job"and have file cabinets and computer files FULL of layouts with rough art...because whatever elements weren't used in THIS design could be used in THAT design...so I kept ALL the studies!)....BUt, as a "plein air - daily painter - instructor" I find that my "rough art" is the little paintings....sometimes a little one HAPPENS to be well composed and "worthy" of a large canvas, so those are the ones I work up in the studio, using the small one as reference....the good thing is, I can sell the little studies at little prices!...Kevin MacPherson compares painters to musicians saying "Painters are the only ones who can sell their rehearsals!"

Upcoming Workshop: February 5-7, 2010 Fredericksburg Artists School

New Rain, New Moon_12 x 12 oil on gallery wrap

New Rain, New Moon___12 x 12 oil on gallery wrap canvas__AVAILABLE at Bienvenidos! a multimedia art exhibit next week. Please scroll to bottom to see your invitation!

You might remember my study for this one, painted a few weeks ago. click the link to see it and compare the study to the new painting. The new one is much bigger at 12 x 12. The gallery wrap canvas is one with thick sides which are painted. It can be hung on the wall without a frame, for a more conemporary look. I prepared the new one for the show mentioned above. Please come if you can...there is some fabulous work by great artists in ALL MEDIA. See the art used on the invitation for a sampling of some typical art at this show. http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/search?q=bienvenido+rain
Tomorrow I will be painting a demo in Brownwood, TX for their art league. It has been a few weeks since I did a demo or taught, so I am REALLY EXCITED! My plan has been to paint a larger work of a great Texas sky...but if I feel inspired differently tomorrow, I could paint ANYTHING!...See you there!

Bienvenido Rain_study_6x8 oil

"Bienvenido Rain"_study_6x8 oil on linen____$150 after I'm done with it, next week!
I am preparing a couple of paintings for a show coming up here in Austin. The theme of this show is "Bienvenidos", which means WELCOME in spanish. Here is a study...a painting from the other night when some rain came REAL close to us at sunset. I was on my way to the little drugstore for some Advil and Icy Hot for Mr. Football Player and this BRILLIANT sky loomed over the nearby ranch....The poor, sore football player had to wait a few extra moments, because lucky mama had her camera....I used the pics as reference and painted this welcome sight as soon as I got home....I will post the final painting next week...
*NOTE to artists...photos are fine, really, but use them RIGHT AWAY, before the impression of the REAL light fades from memory. As I occasionally judge art shows, I can TEL when someone only works from photos...it is a very obvious distinction..use your God-given appreciation for REAL LIFE LIGHT in your paintings. If you struggle with this, do more little studies outside....I DO!

Down From Espanola

"Down From Espanola"....6 x 8 oil on fine linen...$150 to the first one who asks!
This was a great New Mexican sky outside of Espanola, NM last week. I paianted as my husband drove and then we drove right into this rain storm!
We had the big billows like this in central Texas today, as I hauled a car-load of high schoolers to the nearby water park called "Schlitterbahn". After a couple hours the skies let loose and we ended up getting WETTER at the water park! ha! Happy birthday to my youngest son, Samuel!

Rockport Stop_Click to bid

"Rockport Stop"....6 x 8 oil on fine linen panel....Click to bid

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140247630817
Just as we wrapped up our workshop a few weeks ago, this thunderhead built up, being illuminated by the sun late in the day.
Rockport , TX is wonderfully HOT this time of year. The July 4 Rockport Art Festival is one of Texas' great events. Next Rockport Workshop will be in September.

Egret Thunder

"Egret Thunder" 15 x 30 oil on linen, CLICK HERE to see frame and hi-res image

Salon International is a yearly national juried art show, and one of the finest exhibits of representational art. My painting, "Egret Thunder" was awarded Honorable Mention at the awards ceremony last night at the Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, TX.

This is a big honor, but I can't help remembering a recent art show at the small school where I have taught art for 18 years. The young elementary students had an exhibit and awards were given. Of course everyone got a ribbon. I had to laugh when I overheard one of the students telling another how rude it was that her ribbon said "HORRIBLE"...I went to see what she saw, and found a nice "Honorable Mention" ribbon on her art!

Click below to see the Greenhouse web site and a high resolution image of my painting with the frame and all! THe painting has not sold , yet, but I have gotten a call or two.

http://greenhousegallery.com/cgi-bin/mp/lookup1.pl?titleid=SI200800269