Dance Hall Night - original oil figurative painting

Just working on so many things this afternoon and came across this 12 x 18" painting from a few months ago that I never got around to posting.  Re the other things I'm drawing/painting, I spent the day trying to get the paint to do its own thing while at the same time minding me at least a little.  Quite an interesting struggle.  At one point, I started a painting with very little drawing, just an indication of where the model would be and using mostly luscious R&F pigment sticks with some Sennelier and Winsor & Newton, as well.  It'll be interesting to see how that turns out - but will be slow drying with our weather - we'll be in the triple digits much of the week.  And probably much of July/August!  Oh well, it's definitely summer.  Thanks for stopping by! Sold

Lindyhop Lovers - original oil figurative painting

I was pretty happy with this one - of course, there are always things to fool with and I might do that here and there, but overall, I'll mostly leave it alone.  I do love visiting with my little dancers - we're never apart for long.  It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Little Flourish - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel is done on Pastelbord, 12 x 9", and I put layers and layers of oil pastel on it.  That's one of the best things - among many, many great things - about Pastelbord.  It can take whatever I dish out.  Another thing about oil pastel - it's hot here, I mean really, really hot and I somehow left a newish oil pastel painting in the back seat of the car and it didn't melt or get "slick" or even get soft.  I would think that in this crazily hot place, something bad would have happened, but the painting was fine. 
Re the weather here, everything's relative - it's going to be in the 90s for a few days and I am deliriously happy.   So much better than 107 degrees.
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Another Little Tango - original oil figurative painting

This little painting was done on 5 x 5" Gessobord, while I was listening to a Victorian mystery.  There's nothing Victorian about tango - for sure!  For this post, I unearthed a sketch that I did years ago at a tango demonstration and did a really, really quick rendition of the drawing with oil paint.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  And please check out my oil pastel blog.  Sold

Tango Hug - original oil figurative painting

For this 7 x 5" painting on Gessobord, I used oil sticks, which are oil paint in stick form.  They are soft - at least the R&F, which I love - and not sharpened at all, so the result is a sort of "messy" painting.  It's much more relaxed than most of my work and I just decided to leave it that way - gotta let go sometime, right?  R&F is famous for its encaustics, but their pigment sticks are luscious and are fun to use with a palette knife, too.  Give them a try!
This time of year, my attention has to be shared with my yard and the seemingly hundreds of plants that need to be planted.  And then there are the dandelions - well no ranting, I promise, but I could, for sure!  So, because of my garden, I'm posting during the wee hours of Wednesday.  So, off to bed, now - thanks so much for stopping by!

Boogie Woogie Sketch - original charcoal drawing of dancers

This one - even though it's only about 8 x 8" - took me so much time to get to the point of hearing their feet as they drummed on the floor.  I played boogie woogie music 'til I could get his left leg the way I wanted.  Drawing dancers is something I could do all day long.  And, heck, some days that's just what I do.  Love it!  This sketch is on Strathmore Bristol board paper.  Thanks so much for looking!

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

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!

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!

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!

More Tango Sizzle - original oil figurative painting

This couple was so passionate and I loved watching them. I saw them dance in San Antonio; I made a tiny little sketch that would probably look crazy to anyone else, but it's my own personal art shorthand. From that sketch, I did this painting. It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord - I had such a good time painting this one! Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!  Sold

Tango Moment Once More - original oil figurative painting of dancers

Well, I just have to get the weather thing over with - it's 88 at 11:43 p.m. and there is no sign of the heat letting up.   
Now on to painting.  This is one of the little moments when the woman brings her leg up against her partner's leg for but a moment - then they continue on with the dance - just a little embellishment.  She's turned her head away from the man and I always think this is to show a little independence of movement.  I just adore painting dancers and while I enjoy other subjects, this is my all-time favorite thing to do.  It's the energy and the passion that dancers exhibit that I love so much.  Hmmm.  Maybe I'm a teensy bit envious.
This painting is on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  And please send us some rain.  Sold

Tango Smooch - original oil figurative dancer painting

There were probably some things I could have changed about this painting and when I'm being kind of uptight, I do make some changes.  But this time I just let it go and let it be loose and I'm happy.  Looseness is probably more accurate for portrayals of dancers, anyway.  They can sometimes be a blur because they're moving and viewers often just get an impression of movement, energy and grace.  This painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold
 

Jive Sketch - original charcoal figurative sketch

This sketch is one that I did to include in a painting of jive dancers.  At first, I had his left leg straight, then kind of bent, as it is here.  I was looking for a more dominant position for the guy and either leg position will do.  I was pleased with his presence here and you may have noticed that he is now sporting a jacket. 
The drawing is on 6 x 6" Bristol board paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

More Tango Joy - original oil figurative painting

More of my tango painting - I do get on these kicks.  This one is looser and I didn't worry too much with it.  It does have foreshortening with her left leg, which I love to do.  Always fun and challenging.  Painting these small dancers has been so instructive for me.  I can be more loose - now to try and translate that to larger paintings.  Thanks so much for stopping by - and I hope you'll check out my oil pastel blog.  Oh, and it's 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Sold

Tango Joy - original oil figurative painting

Here they are again - these happy tango dancers - and although it seems a less emotional, more fun swingy step, I notice that they're looking into each other's eyes.  I think I may actually convince my husband to sign up for tango lessons in the fall.  Or maybe he's just feigning interest - we'll see how this turns out.  In my earlier life, when I took dancing lessons, tango didn't have the meaning for me that it has today.  It was just another dance.  But now, I realize its beauty and it has captured me totally.  This painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I hope you'll drop in on my oil pastel blog, too! Sold

More Tango Sweethearts - original oil figurative painting

Here's my favorite reason for putting paint on board - my tango dancing couple who never tire of this wonderful dance.  Check out this site for dancing info and how-to.  The painting is 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for visiting - I'm signing off now from the hot, dry inferno that is Texas these days.  Stay cool!  Sold

Lindy Lines - original watermedia figurative drawing

This evening, I drew many pages of dancers in my Borden and Riley pad of paper for pens.  I used Caran d'Ache watercolor crayons, but didn't add water.  The crayons have such a soft, almost gooey feel when they meet the paper and I love them.  I've been painting lots of oil pastel pieces and a few oils - will probably post them soon.  But I love to draw my dancers - they're my absolute favorites.  I love their energy!  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - stay cool!