Backward Bend - original oil figurative painting

I hadn't posted this 6 x 6" on Gessobord that recently sold at Artworks in Austin, Texas, but here's an example of a difficult pose, both for the dancers (I imagine) and the painter.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Sold

More Tiny Jive - original oil figurative painting

It's been awhile, but I'm back and am hoping all of you are having a wonderful start to the New Year!   This painting is on 5 x 5" Gessobord.  I could say that I've found a fabulous cosmic satisfaction in painting even smaller, but the truth of the matter is that I found some great sale prices on 4 x 4" and 5 x 5" Gessobord at Herweck's in San Antonio, Texas, not long ago, and I'm loving these very small supports.  They're fun!  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Sold

Bailora - original oil figurative painting of Flamenco dancer

Merry Christmas y'all!  No matter the weather outside, may you be cozy and warm and surrounded by family and friends on this special day.  Thank you for dropping by my blog.  PS.  this painting is oil on 18 x 12" stretched canvas.

A Bit of Holly - original oil pastel portrait drawing/painting

Here's a little Christmasy piece - the hat is boiled wool, I think, and the model pinned the little holly sprig to it.  This is another quick drawing - not fussed over at all.  It's done on Sennelier 12 x 9" oil pastel paper and the actual drawing is about 9 x 7".  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Waiting - original oil pastel portrait painting

This painting is oil pastel on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tiny Jive - original figurative small format oil painting

Here's a little 4 x 4" painting on Gessobord.  Much fun to paint.  Thanks for looking! Sold

Three Evening Nudes - original ink drawings of nudes

Three more nudes, from two different sessions, on 9 x 12" Bristol board paper.  Thanks for looking! Sold

Evening Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

This nude, which I drew in a 20 minute pose over a failed drawing and which I chose not to really "finish" was done in an evening life drawing group.  Those groups are getting harder to find, so I'm thrilled when I can drop in at one of them.  As for working over a drawing that didn't make the cut, I think that it sometimes lends a certain charm to an artwork.  I had a painting teacher once who said that you should leave a little of your previous stroke when you make a change to your work - just to show what you had been thinking earlier.  Maybe this isn't exactly what she had in mind (a new drawing over the erasure of an old one) but close, I think.  It's done on 14 x 11" Strathmore 400 drawing paper, using vine charcoal and General's charcoal pencils.  If you would like to contact me about this drawing, please click the "Contact Me" button to the right of this post.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Nude Model - original oil pastel painting of a nude

This nude painting is done on 7 x 5" on Pastelbord - that marvelous surface for oil pastel - and was done quickly without lots of attention to detail.  That's my favorite thing, you know.

I love this time of year, sitting here listening to Christmas music - right now, Andrea Bocelli's Christmas album is playing.  Beautiful!  

I hope all is well with you and thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Another Barrel Racer - original oil pastel figurative painting

Here's another rodeo drawing/painting done from one of my squiggly drawings.  It's on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  I love rodeos where the women get a chance to show their skill at barrel racing.  Those cowgirls and their horses are really something. Thanks for stopping by!

Almost There - original oil figurative rodeo painting of barrel racer

This 7 x 5" painting on Gessobord was done from a sketch that I did at a rodeo.  The drawing is mostly squiggles that only I can understand - my own little shorthand - and is so much easier for me to work from than a photo.  Every time I've tried to take an "action" shot, it's the second after the main event.  Not much of a photographer am I.  Hence, my drawings are my favorites to provide the basis for my paintings.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Reading the Menu - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel painting is 5 x 7" on Pastelbord.  I went a little crazy with the orange.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sketch of the Model with a Fan - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a quick sketch of the model on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  I love these little Pastelbords for sketching with my oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by - have a great week!

More Hot Tango - original figurative painting of dancers

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
This painting is on 7 x 5" Gessobord. 
Have you ever seen the movie Shall We Dance  - I mean the Japanese version, which is so charming!   It's on Netflix, too.  If you haven't seen it, yet, I hope you will.  You'll love it, I'll bet, and I'd love to hear your impression of the movie.
Please check out my latest artwork on my oil pastel blog. 
Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Scootin' - original oil figurative painting of country dancers

This cowboy is taking a really long step, but he aims to get himself and his little lady across the floor pronto. 
Many of my youthful hours were spent in this kind of entertainment.  Back then, it was not very mainstream, but now country dancing has become quite popular. 
I loved going to the dance hall on Saturday nights - not only because I wasn't supposed to, which made it so tempting - but because I could soak up the surroundings, the people, the atmosphere, and the music.  It's all burned into my brain and I often paint these experiences. There are a couple of larger country dancers paintings that need to be finished and I hope to get that done in December.
Scootin' is painted on 7 x 5" Ampersand Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Little Tango Kick - original oil figurative painting

This is a quick little 6 x 6" on Gessobord.  I just applied the paint thick and fast and didn't spend any time getting everything just so-so.  Maybe it's a choice between loose and inexact vs. perfect and killed.  This time, I chose the former.  Thanks so much for dropping by!

Sketch for Tango Fantasy - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is one I did to work out a tango position for a painting.  Although I will make some adjustments to it, I am mostly pleased.   The painting won't be exactly the same as the drawing, though.  No matter how I try, these characters have minds of their own and won't let me do just anything I want.  I did learn how to transfer a drawing to canvas or board for painting years ago in art class, but I never use it because I like the unpredictability of doing it my way.   
I went to the art store on Saturday to get only one thing and walked out with much, much more.  One of my new acquisitions was a General's pencil set #15, which is what I used on this drawing.  I drew this piece on Strathmore Bristol board, also new.  Don't you just love new art supplies?  They're so fresh and untouched - and then the madness begins and they're never the same. 

On a totally different topic, I've included some photos of a couple of my blooming Cenizo bushes.  They're reputed to predict rain, and I'm hoping that's true.  It worked the last time they bloomed - we got over three inches!  The bees are just going crazy with so many blooms - I can hear the low hum of their buzzing as soon as I walk out onto the porch.  Cenizos have lots of names - purple sage, Texas rain sage, and Texas silverleaf are a few.   Whatever the name, here's hoping they're accurate in their weather forecasting this time around!
Thanks for stopping by! Sold

More Tango Passion - original oil figurative painting

How is this possible?  I have actually seen this and I think it's the position - not to mention strength - of the man's leg, mainly the one that is bearing most of their weight, that allows this pose to work.  Fortunately for them, it only lasts a beautiful, dramatic second or two.   I LOVE this hold and enjoyed making every stroke.  For this one, I set my timer.  The timer has a magnetic back on it, so it stays on the little refrigerator in my studio and I don't have to go hunting all over for it.  Such an improvement over the one I'm still looking for.  Anyway, this was a quickly done painting, which is the best approach for me and I must say I'm pretty happy with it - 6 x 6" on Gessobord. 
Goodnight from my pretty little town on the banks of the beautiful Llano River and thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Salsa Night - original oil figurative painting

Here, for a little change, is a salsa.  It's painted on 10 x 10" stretched canvas.  I'm late posting, but was watching the game and -Yippee!  the Rangers won!  It was pretty unnerving to watch after last night's total disaster, but it turned out great!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jive Lovers - original oil figurative painting

This painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio.  Have a great weekend!