On My Easel - Sketch for The Cellist - original oil pastel portrait

Cellos are such beautiful instruments - both in appearance and sound.  So many people think they're just for accompaniment, but they are gorgeous for solos.  This sketch will definitely become an oil painting - not because I don't value oil pastel, because if you read my blog, you know how much I adore oil pastel, but oil is requested for this one.  I have many cello drawings and some will make appearances here.  This piece is drawn with Sennelier oil pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper, 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Rock Star - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is one that I found while throwing away some old drawings and paintings.  I was so happy to rediscover this one - I did a painting from it back in 2008 and just stuck this poor thing in back of lots of other drawings and forgot all about it.  Thankfully, every now and then I get on a cleaning kick and find all kinds of oldies but goodies.  It's charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper and is about 21 x 15".  Thank you for stopping by!

Playing Bach - original oil figurative painting

I painted this 8 x 8" on Gessobord while listening to the Audible.com presentation of Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan; just finished listening to Europe's Last Summer by David Fromkin.  Kind of on a World War I kick here.  Both are really good and I recommend them.  Plus, as I listened, I ate Luden's cherry cough drops, a carryover from childhood that is as wonderful as I remembered.  It's almost worth it to have a cough.
What do y'all listen to when you're painting?  Or maybe you find it distracting.  I do occasionally have to run it back if I lose track, but for the the most part, I can now hardly paint without listening to music or a book.
The photo is shiny, as the painting is still soaking wet, but I wanted to get something ready to post.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Recital - original oil pastel figurative painting

This is painted on Stonehenge black printmaking/drawing paper and is about 7 1/2 x 5 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

Another Torch Singer - original oil pastel figurative painting

I have a thing for torch singers and am trying out poses for them.  This drawing/painting is done with mostly Senneliers on 15 x 16" Canson Mi-Teintes board, which seems to keep the drawing loose.
My wonderful assistant, Roger, was sprayed by a skunk an hour or so ago.  Ugh!  I've been outside trying to get the peroxide/baking soda/dish detergent to work a miracle.  But time always seems to work the best, unfortunately.  So, even though he's locked up on the porch, the whole house smells like skunk - not the sort of far-off skunk smell, but the in-your-face skunk smell, which is pretty nasty. 
I guess Roger won't be assisting me for awhile.  Thanks for stopping by!

The Mandolin Player - original figurative oil painting

 

Although I'm not really finished with this painting, I just decided to go ahead and post it tonight.  It's on a 12 x 16" archival canvas board.   I'm going to make some changes, but I just don't know what they'll be, yet.  Sometimes, if I just forget about a painting, then weeks later, I'll pass by it and think 'oh yeah, I know just what it needs'.  The back burner is the place to put things when I need to figure out what should be done.  We'll see if it works this time.  Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Duet - original oil pastel figurative painting

These little girls are attempting to play a duet on the piano - sweet to watch and listen to and even more enjoyable to paint.  It's on 8 x 10" Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Cello Practice - original figurative oil painting

This quick painting is on 10 x 8" archival canvas board.  I've been wanting to do a painting of a cello player and this is an oil sketch toward that goal.  I'll do a few more to better understand the position of the player and the instrument before I do a larger painting.  This was fun - thanks so much for stopping by!

Lost in the Rhythm - original oil pastel figurative drawing

This is a quick study of the drummer in a band that I saw recently. Musicians can't possibly "hold the pose", which is what makes drawing people in motion so exciting to me and, since they are constantly moving, a lot of what I do in these cases is done from memory. This drawing is on 12 x 9" Pastelbord. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Drummer Boy - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

No, not the sweet little fellow of one of my favorite Christmas carols, but the kind of punk guy in the back of the band.   This painting is 9 x 12" on Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Flute Practice - original oil pastel portrait painting by Connie Chadwell

This oil pastel is on Pastelbord and is 8 x 10".  I did this one today at the Thursday Painters, using combinations of my drawings.  Fun to do - hope you enjoy it.  Thanks for looking!

The Young Violinist - original oil pastel portrait by Connie Chadwell

It is SO cold here - we'll have a miserable 19 degrees in the Texas Hill Country tonight!

Today I drove from the Austin area to my home in Junction and it actually snowed. It was lovely, but more of a dusting of white than a real snowstorm.

I love to paint people playing their musical instruments and the violin is one of my all-time favorites. I took piano lessons for years, but never attempted the violin. Maybe my mother had had enough of trying to get me to practice the piano, so I wasn't encouraged to pursue yet another instrument. Now, though, I'm working on the harmonica. Fun! I have lots of drawings of bass violinists, guitarists and other musicians that I'll paint and post one of these days.

This piece has lots of oil pastel on Pastelbord, 5 x 7" - I really piled it on (as usual) because this board can take it.

So nice of you to drop by my studio - it's great to see you here! SOLD

The Tuba - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I saw this young fellow marching in a band this past summer. He seemed so small to carry this big tuba, plus, play it as he marched, but he succeeded. I just had a good time with the colors. Okay, maybe I overdid the size a little, but it was fun and, really, tubas are huge!

I actually have a CD of tuba music and it is beautiful! They are truly an underappreciated instrument.

This painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord. Thanks for stopping by!

The Soloist - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

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I did this painting today at the Thursday Painters group, of which I'm a member. Even though I have a studio where I can listen to absolutely any music I want, on Thursdays, I usually drive to Ingram, Texas, to draw or paint with other artists in an art studio at The Point. We meet at the Hill Country Arts Foundation (a regional visual and performing arts center). Thursday Painters is such a congenial and talented group and I'm happy to be part of it.

Believe it or not, there's very little chatter. We work hard and only break for lunch. While I do love my studio and plan to post pictures as I begin getting it in better shape, it's inspiring to work with other artists occasionally!

This painting is on Pastelbord and the oil pastel is really thick, especially on her face, blouse and arms. I used mainly Holbein oil pastels and plan to use them more. Their square shape enables me to use them on their sides for a variety of strokes and the shape is also great for detail work. Then I finished off with some Caran d'Ache and Sennelier.

These three brands are the ones I use the most - as well as Craypas Specialist neon colors - but I would really like to know if anyone has used any of the other brands and what you thought about them.

The painting is 10 x 8". Thanks so much for dropping by!

A Little Melody - original oil figurative painting

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Today's painting was done on a new support that I've found to be so delicious - single primed linen on panel. I love the way the brush drags across the surface, much like charcoal on toothy paper. Anything that feels like drawing appeals to me.

I did 'A Little Melody' from my drawing, although I also tried to take a photo of the model. It was too dark - couldn't make out anything. (I must be the worst photographer ever!) That's my piano, where I learned to play as a child, or tried, anyway.

The painting is 10 x 8". Thank you for visiting my blog.

Sad Songs - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel on Pastelbord, is 12 x 9". Thanks for looking!