More Rodeo - original oil figurative painting

Rodeo - dusty but wonderful - I love it!  This painting is on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Red Skirt - original oil figurative painting

I've been seeing lots more variety in the attire of flamenco dancers, lately, and really like this trend. Seeing really good, emotional flamenco is such a wonderful experience - not to be missed!  Thanks for stopping by! 

Jivin' Blues - original mixed media figurative drawing

Just totally fooling around - well I guess that's obvious.  Sharpie and watercolor on Yupo - 9 x 12".  Thanks for having the nerve to look!

Bronc Rider II - original watercolor pencil figurative drawing

Here's another drawing from the rodeo here in Junction a few weeks ago.  These guys really earn their points - and for those who think the horses aren't well treated - they are beautifully cared for and truly valued by their owners.  I also did a painting from this drawing, which I'll probably post at some point.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Two-Step Sweet Talk - original oil figurative painting

Tonight they're two-stepping at Barney's and loving every minute.  I never tire of my little dancers, whether western, tango, or jive - I LOVE them all!  This was fun to do on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for looking!

Ink Nude - original ink drawing of a nude

The model was actually texting as I drew.  After doing an outline on Yupo using an Itoya pen, I put lots of blues and reds on the drawing, using watercolor sticks, then rubbing it off.  The green is plain watercolor.  It's about 8 1/2 x 6 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

WIP - Lexie's Reflection - original oil pastel figurative painting

I have some changes to make to this painting.  It's on 12 x 9" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper in aubergine.  Not sure about the mirror frame - may just do away with it since it's so close to the edge of the painting.  I seldom paint reflections, but couldn't resist giving it a try.  Thanks for looking!

Nude on Blues - original oil pastel nude painting

Today's offering is a nude that I did with creamy Sennelier oil pastels on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Love doing these quick exercises!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - Jive Happy - original oil pastel figurative In Progress original oil pastel figurative painting

This drawing is on tan 12 x 16" Pastelbord.  I'm trying to keep the "drawingness" of this piece - pretty happy with the couple on the right - now to work on the other dancers.  Thanks for looking!

Livy Reading - original oil pastel figurative painting

There's nothing like a good book - right now, I'm reading (or listening through audible.com, I should say) The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark, about the events that led
to WWI.  Have read many books on this subject and am also reading the Maisie Dobbs mystery series which is set in the years immediately after the war.  Good to mix mystery and history - my two favorite subjects.  I'm wondering if other artists out there listen to books while painting.  Anyway, I'm not sure what Livy's reading, but she does seem engrossed in her book.  I painted Livy on 10 x 8" Ampersand Pastelbord, using mostly Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by!

Polka Dot Bow - ACEO original oil pastel portrait painting

I could spend every minute doing ACEOs.  They're so much fun and it's easy to just let go and be expressive. This one makes me happy because of her expression.  It's painted on illustration board and for some reason, the oil pastel seems to dry - as dry as oil pastel ever gets - very quickly on this surface.  It's 3.5 x 2.5", of course (being sort of obsessive, I just had to go and say it!) - thanks so much for stopping by!

Bronc Rider - original figurative water soluble pencil drawing

I drew this piece from a photo that I took at the rodeo here in Junction.  I learned my lesson about attempting to draw rodeo participants from life.  The ride was practically over before I was really even  started.  This year I didn't attempt to draw while the event was going on and instead, just took photos.  Seems to have worked out well - my only complaint is that my great photo talent (not) has given the photo kind of a grayish look, when it's actually black and white.  I used General's soluble pencil and loved it.  The drawing is about 10 x 8" or so.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Texas Heat - original oil pastel figurative painting in progress

It is SO hot here - and BTW where is El Nino?!  It's triple digits day after day, although tomorrow it might be in the high 90s.  I was actually sitting here, thinking 'wow it's going to be cooler' - that's what happens to the mind under these searing circumstances.  But maybe, just maybe, it will finally cool down a little bit, anyway.  This oil pastel is done on 14 x 11" Pastelbord.  Not through with it, but really fun to work with creamy Senneliers on the slightly gritty surface.  Art heaven.  Thanks for looking!

Two Step Lovers - original oil pastel figurative painting

There's nothing like the Texas Two Step - lots of that going on around here.  This little - 7 x 5" on Pastelbord - is one that I did yesterday while listening to some of my country music CDs.  Can't beat the two step!  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Original Soft Pastel Portrait Painting in Progress

I was fooling around with soft pastel and although this portrait does look like the model, I'm not totally thrilled at this point.   It's about 18 x 15" or so, on Canson paper.  Sometimes if I just set something aside for several days, I'll suddenly realize what I need to do - hope that happens with this piece!  Thanks for looking.

Lady in a Hat - original oil pastel Artist Trading Card

I love doing these tiny "just a taste" cards.  This one is done on Art Spectrum Colourfix - my favorite surface for these little 3.5 x 2.5" pieces.  I used unsharpened Sennelier oil pastels - makes it looser and no way can I get it too tight.  Thanks for looking!

Jive Happy - original acrylic figurative painting

More crazy jivers doing their thing on a 12 x 16" panel.  Usually I paint in oil, but sometimes acrylic is such fun and I find it really liberating.  Another great thing about acrylic is that it dries so fast - gotta love that!  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Charcoal Two Step - original charcoal figurative drawing

Maybe they're dancing to Ray Price or Hank Thompson - some of the best country music ever for the two step.  I just gave the tinted paper another try in a different way - usually I would just use it for nude drawings, but I did really enjoy it in this case, too.  The pencils were General charcoal pencils soft and extra soft, plus General Primo white charcoal.  The size is about 12 x 9".  Thank you for stopping by!

Dreamer - original oil pastel/watercolor pencil portrait

I had drawn this watercolor pencil piece and let it hang around for a few days, not paying much attention.  Then I got the idea to use a little oil pastel, wondering how it would work over the watercolor pencil on the Yupo surface.  I am happy to report that it worked great - I love the finish and may try this again.  Thanks for looking!

Sketch of Luci - original chalk drawing of a nude

I did this one on Strathmore toned tan paper - and I enjoyed working on this warm colored surface.  Not real toothy, but it was perfect with the compressed pastel sticks from General Pencil Co - in this case, black, white, sanguine and sepia.  I am always so happy to find art media made in this country.  General Pencil is not just an American company, but I really enjoy working with their products - and I LOVE their Primo Euro Blend charcoal pencils and sticks - they remind me of the Ritmo pencils of years ago.  Thanks for stopping by!

A Little More Tango Romance - original oil figurative painting

My tango dancers are still with me - maybe not for long, since they like to take breaks and brush up on their technique - and I'm enjoying them while they're here.  I love the way he holds her - I wonder if she does, too.  Hard to tell.  Anyway, fun for me - thanks for stopping by!

Tango Love - original oil figurative painting

This painting is 10 x 8" and because my little dancers have their own lives (over which I have little control), the pose just sort of happened.  Very emotional, I think, and such a pleasure when they take over and do what they like.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tango Step - original figurative oil painting

This painting is on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  A little bigger than my usual pieces, but I love working on a square panel.  As I was painting this, I happened to think of that test about shape preferences showing your personality.  Here's a link - see what your personality is - don't know if I believe this stuff, but fun to check out, anyway.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Fourth of July Rodeo - original watercolor stick figurative drawing

I was trying out my new set of Derwent Inktense sticks, along with a Caran d'Ache and a Daniel Smith watercolor stick on 12 x 9" Yupo.  More than any other medium that I use, watercolor sticks on Yupo seem to be the most unpredictable and they're such fun to fool around with.  Thanks for looking!

Sketch of Kerri Looking Down - original charcoal drawing of a nude

This drawing's on Strathmore

drawing paper, 11 x 14".  Thanks for stopping by!

Jive Drawing - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a just for fun thing I did with Sennelier oil pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper - just perfectly gritty - 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Happy Jive - original figurative oil painting

It was gloomy all day, so the perfect thing to do was immerse myself in the film noir offered on Fridays in June on TCM.  Can never get enough of this genre.  My posting is sort of opposite the way I spent my day, though - happier and more colorful, for sure - this piece is on archival canvas board, 11 x 14".  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Tango in Blues and Greys - original watercolor pencil figurative drawing

More of my latest obsession - the lines and softness of watercolor pencil - this stuff doesn't behave, which is part of the fun.  My fixation will pass - but in the meantime, I'm loving it!  This one is also on Yupo, about 11 x 8".  Next time I use the pencils, I may use gessoed paper just to see how that works.  So many choices, so little time.  Thanks for looking! 

Dorie - original watercolor pencil portrait drawing

This model had the sweetest face - well, she still has it, but alas, I probably won't see her again.  I used an Inktense pencil from Derwent in black, along with pale blue Caran d'Ache and Daniel Smith watercolor sticks.  This was done on Yupo, about 9 x 7".  The casualness, or maybe I should say the accidental result, is what attracts me to the combination of watercolor pencils and Yupo paper.  Even though the drips from the watery colors don't generally go where I want them to, there's no stress because I don't feel the outcome has to be just so-so.  Maybe I should have done some work to make it more realistic - but I just didn't want to - that's the fun of it! Thanks for stopping by!

Close Dancing - original oil pastel figurative painting

Every bit as much fun as close dancing was drawing this 7 x 5" on Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!