The Flapper's Hat - original oil pastel portrait by Connie Chadwell

I've been wanting to draw this hat for a long time. It's just like some of the caps that flappers wore back in the '20's, and maybe it could even be that old, although I doubt it. I used oil pastels on 14 x 11" Pastelbord for this portrait. Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! NFS

The Couple at the Bar - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

This is from one of my bar drawings. It was a Friday evening and this couple was engaged in deep conversation, oblivious to everything going on around them. They were still there when I left.

Although it was a little darker in the bar area, I kept it lighter so my figures could be seen. The painting is 8 x 10" on Gessobord.

Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

On My Easel - original oil paintings of nudes by Connie Chadwell

"Morning" (oil) has SOLD

Here are a couple of paintings - one is the finished oil version of the oil pastel "Morning" and I am very happy with the way it turned out. The other is the beginning of one of my "Ana" drawings translated to oil. Tomorrow I will probably post a bar scene - lots going on at Hackberry Street Studio. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tango Sizzle - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

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I just love working with oil pastels on Stonehenge black paper! This painting is about 11 x 8".

I'm off to mow the backyard before it gets really hot.

Talk about sizzle!

Thanks for stopping by - have a great weekend!

The Ranch Hand - original oil pastel portrait by Connie Chadwell

This was a very interesting guy and great model - hope we see him again at another portrait session.

I drew this on 20 x 16" Canson Mi-Teintes mat board - not the paper, but the board - and I love the patterned surface. It seems to help keep my drawing loose - not that that's really a problem for me (maybe just the opposite), but it does give a casual, less studied look.

Thank you for visiting my blog!

A Little Tango Fancy - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

This 7 x 5" is one of the last from my current tango painting collection. The lady was adding a little flourish to a crossover step, which is her prerogative.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - stay cool!

A Little Tango Dip - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

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Here's another one of the tango paintings that I finished a week or so ago.

This is a really, really difficult step to paint. As in all dance paintings, the "poses" aren't held for long, so memory is crucial when doing gestures. The gestures are only half or maybe even a third finished when the dancers move on to another step. Actually, I think the gestures themselves are pretty interesting. Maybe I'll post some of those - my gestures are mostly squiggly lines, but they are a road map or framework for the eventual finished drawing or painting.

Gesture drawings are like fingerprints, I think, because no artist does them exactly the same as another artist.

Today I spent time getting submissions ready for the annual Oil Pastel Society show.

Tomorrow I plan to begin fairly early (for me, anyway) to work on a small restaurant scene, and a nude painting - both of which just need to be finished.

The weather is horrible here in Texas. The heat just steals ambition right out of the body, so maybe getting to work while it's still cool will be the key.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I hope you're staying cool!

Ooops! I forgot to say that this painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord.

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A Little Tango Kick - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I'm back to my blog after a few days' absence, with lots of drawings that I will be turning into paintings - nudes, and bar and restaurant scenes.

Here is one of the tango paintings that I did several days ago. I loved the way the woman of this couple seemed so languid in this pose, but offered the little kick - or patada - I think it's called. The painting is 7 x 5" on Gessobord.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Backstep - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

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I painted a few tango scenes in a couple of afternoons, and here is one of them. It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord. Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Ana, Standing - original charcoal nude drawing by Connie Chadwell

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I love, love, love standing poses! They're always a little mysterious to me. Add a profile to the standing pose - a little more mystery, a little more emotion - ahhhh!

Today was spent waiting for the cable guy, so I didn't get to my studio until late afternoon and then worked on some tango paintings and a larger painting, but only for awhile. My sweet dog, Roger, has a bad infection resulting from a face full of porcupine quills - such a dreadful experience - so I had to get home to give him another dose of his medicine. He's really sick, poor little thing, so I didn't do much art today.

This drawing is one that I did the same day I did the previous drawings of "Ana" - it's 14 x 11" on Strathmore drawing paper. I thought there were more of the 'Ana' drawings, but maybe this is the last one - at least until she models for the drawing group again.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - I'm always delighted to have you stop by!