A Nude Drawing - original pastel pencil drawing

Pastel pencils are so versatile and such fun to work with.  I tried to keep this drawing free of too many details.  It's on 12 x 9" Colourfix paper.  Thanks for looking!

Warm-Up - original oil pastel figurative drawing

These young girls - the three at the barre anyway - are warming up for their lesson.  I think the older girl was rehearsing in the adjacent studio.  This oil pastel is on Colourfix paper, 12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by!

On The Platform - original mixed media figurative drawing

This was a scene on the subway platform - don't know what it means - just something I saw.  I used oil paint, charcoal and oil pastel on 8 x 10" panel.  Thanks for looking!

Piano Practice - acrylic figurative sketch

Okay, not perfect, but a fun drawing of an earnest piano student mastering Bach - I think it was.  I used a stick with acrylic on cold press watercolor paper and in some places, I used my finger and more water to smudge.  This drawing is about 9 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Ballerina - original oil pastel drawing

This drawing is on Colourfix paper - the new smoother kind.  I thought I wouldn't like it, just bought it by accident, but I ended up loving it!  This drawing is about 9 x 9" - thanks for stopping by!

The Folksinger - original charcoal figurative drawing

Nothing like a musician to get the charcoal working.  Really good performance by this guy and I feel I really captured him.  This drawing is on mixed media paper, about 10 x 7".  Thanks for looking!

Rockabilly - original figurative water-soluble pencil drawing

Looking out the window of the restaurant, I saw this fellow as he listened to a friend.  I was ready with my sketchbook, water-soluble pencil and a brush with the water reservoir.  It's so quickly done, but I loved the gesture and his concentration.  This one is about 11 x 5".  Thanks for visiting!

Nudes Over Nudes - original mixed media drawings of nudes

As I was taking the photo for this post, I laid the oil pastel drawing on top of the ink drawing and realized - hey I like this! - and since I'm always looking for a way to have my line drawings along with paintings, I think I've found it!  One of life's little happy accidents.  The bottom drawing is brown Sharpie ultra fine on 9 x 12" watercolor paper and the top is oil pastel on 8 x 6" mixed media paper.  Can't wait to combine this technique on one canvas.  Do y'all love making discoveries in your art unintentionally like this?  I'll bet it's a pretty usual art experience for artists.  Thanks for looking!

Woman at a Restaurant - original ink figurative drawing

Another line drawing - just fooling around with ink, 12 x 9" on Borden and Riley Paris paper for pens.  Today I participated in a photogravure printmaking class sponsored by the McNay Art Museum in conjunction with their photogravure exhibit.  We went to Hare and Hound Press for instruction - I will never master the intricacies of printmaking, but today was interesting and fun. 

Here's my print - maybe a little over wiped, but not too bad, I think.

Thanks for stopping by!

Matisse Attempt - original ink drawing after Matisse

Today I went to the Matisse exhibit at the San Antonio Museum of Art and it was just so interesting.  Here is a (pathetic, I know) attempt at that kind of art.  Now that I look at it, I realize how far from Matisse it is.  His work is more difficult than one would think - MUCH more - but it's kind of fun to try.  I bought an exhibition catalogue (of course) and a print of Embroidered Dark Blouse, plus a few tiny prints, two French song CDs, and I was waiting to look at some other prints being unpacked, but I thought 'I have to get out of here before I spend any more money!' - I love shopping at museums - so many delicious things.  My husband would probably say that I love shopping anywhere.  I drew this on 140lb cold press watercolor paper - thanks for stopping by!

Summer Reader - original oil pastel figurative sketch

Here's a little sketch I did of a girl engrossed in her book - not the required reading during school terms.  The joy of summer - I remember it well!  This is oil pastel on 9 x 12" Strathmore 403 paper.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Lexie's Summer - original charcoal portrait drawing

This was drawn about midsummer, when the boredom sets in.  Remember when summer went on forever?  I loved it - even if I didn't have anything to do sometimes.  Now time flies by, but Lexie hasn't gotten to the age where it just zooms along. 
I began drawing this from life - she is a wonderful model and can hold a pose amazingly well for a young girl - then finished from some quick sketches, plus a photo.  I kept it kind of loose and sketchy, but I'm pleased with the likeness.  This drawing is about 20 x 16" on Stonehenge paper.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  See what's new on my oil pastel blog!

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

Ginny's Just Waiting - original charcoal figurative drawing

This sketch is going to evolve into a painting, probably, but I really love a drawing for its own sake.  For me, a drawing, especially from life, always captures that moment in time that the model was really right there in front of me.  Done with pastels and charcoal, the sketch is on Borden & Riley sketch vellum, 12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by.  Sold

Sketch of Helen - original oil pastel portrait sketch by Connie Chadwell

This portrait sketch was done on Colourfix paper with oil pastels and is 12 x 9".  I loved doing the line work along with the bits of color - much fun!  Thank you for visiting my blog! 

Cafe Sketch - original oil pastel drawing

This drawing is one of several cafe scenes that I will probably use in a painting. People watching is such fun! On black Stonehenge, this one is about 7 x 6". Thanks for looking.

Black and White Tango - original figurative charcoal drawing

This drawing is charcoal on 5 x 5" bristol board. I love the way vine charcoal just sits on top of bristol board. The drawing was done quickly and I will probably use it as a model for a tango painting. Thanks for looking.

Nude Impression - original oil pastel figurative painting

There's nothing I love to do more - artwise - than oil pastel nudes - just completely lose myself in them. It's done quickly and 'recklessly', so that I don't lose the flavor of the model, whether it's done from one of my drawings or directly from the model. As I painted this one that I did from a life drawing, I decided that no matter what other painting or drawing I do each day, I'm going to do one of these, too. (Maybe I'll actually stick with this resolution.)

On Stonehenge black paper, this painting is 10 1/2 x 11". SOLD

Thanks for stopping by.