On My Easel - Country Evening - original oil figurative painting in progress

I did this painting in a more colorful palette, but decided that a limited one might be better for an evening dance and I'm pretty happy with this choice for a change.   It's just black white, terra rosa and yellow ochre, plus a blue, which normally isn't part of my limited palette, but I just had to have it this time.  I asked a friend for a critique - this one or the full palette one?  "Oh, I like both of them".  Sigh.  Please don't be afraid to hurt my feelings - artists really, really want the truth!  So, if you have an opinion, don't be shy!  Will finish this one on the weekend and post it on my website, http://conniechadwell.com.  Thanks so much for looking!

On My Easel - Livy - original oil portrait painting from life in progress

This painting is one that I'm doing from life - much fun to work in oil paint right from the model.  So often I use a drawing that I did earlier, so this is a real treat.  It's on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

The Rapper - original oil portrait painting

This commissioned portrait is painted on 10 x 10" deep cradled canvas.  I loved painting this  - thanks for visiting my blog!

Jivin' on Seventh - original oil figurative painting

Listening to my jive music while painting this one - boogied at the easel, I did.  It's 8 x 10" on archival canvas board.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Tea - original oil portrait painting

Ahhh - sweet tea - the elixir of the South.  Has to be just right - no harshness - never ever boiled even for a second.  But it does have to have a real "tea" taste and be sweet - but not too sweet.  Sounds crazy, I know, but it has to taste just right and you know when it does.  Reminds me of that Jackie Mason routine.  This piece is part life and part photo - sometimes you gotta use photos - 10 x 10" on gessoed panel.  Thanks for looking!

Country Evening - original oil figurative painting

Here's a group of western dancers two-stepping their way through a Saturday night - on canvas, 11 x 14".  Not a bad way to spend the evening, either.  Speaking of evenings, I was lucky to see Huey Lewis and the News on Sunday night - they're still just wonderful and their a cappella singing is lovely (if one can use the word "lovely" when referring to a rock band) - it was a great evening!  Thanks so much for stopping by - I'm always delighted to see you here!

And More Country Lovers - original figurative oil painting

More brushwork, much fun - 6 x 6"on  Gessobord.   Thanks so much for visiting!

The Model's Tea - original oil figurative painting

Where have I been?  Experimenting.  Thinking of new ways of doing things - this is definitely not one of them, but maybe I'll share a few of my experiments next week or so.  They're not earthshaking or anything like that, and also not new techniques, but not the usual for me.  They're more me, though, than what I'm doing now. 
I painted this one while listening on audible.com to An Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson.   Powerful!  And I especially love it because he reads the book himself on audible.  That doesn't always work, but it does here. 
Back to the painting it's 11 x 14" on archival canvas panel.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - A Good Book and a Glass of Wine - original oil figurative painting

Many changes need to be made, but I'm going to just let it sit for awhile.  Of course, the model's gone, so this will be an interesting project.  Maybe I can corral someone to pose with a book and a glass of wine.  There are worse things.  It's 14 x 11" on stretched canvas.  Thank you for stopping by!

Woman with a Fan III - original oil figurative painting

I've been working on several things today - especially since I've decided to spend 5 to 6 hours a day on art.  Without getting distracted!!!  Such a noble ambition, I hope I can accomplish it!  Always the good intentions, then - a phone call, something in the garden, nice weather - a million excuses.  This painting is 20 x 16".  Thanks for stopping by!

Three Palm Trees - original landscape oil painting

This painting is SO out of my comfort zone - not a human in sight!  These are some trees I saw in California and I painted them on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Whew!  Tomorrow - people painting!  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Two Step Lovers - original oil figurative painting

I love the skirts with a little lace peeking out underneath.  This painting, 7 x 5" on Gessobord, has lots more brushwork than I usually do and I am pretty happy with it.  It was just a delight to do - I've seen this "hold" that they have on each other a few times and I think it's, well, "sweet". 
Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Another Tango Fever - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

In the painting posted today, I started out with a notion of what it would be, but then she laid her head on his shoulder and I took it from there. It's 7 x 5" on gessoed panel.

Today's other challenge was working on a scene from a sports bar, which I will probably post in a few days. Love those bars! Thanks for visiting Hackberry Street Studio.

Leslie - original oil nude painting by Connie Chadwell

It's been awhile since I posted because I've been working on my new blog to promote oil pastel, The Oil Pastel Review. And now it's done, so I can concentrate on work here at Hackberry Street Studio. I hope you will visit the new blog - the guest artist is David Berridge and I know you will enjoy his work and his story.

The model in today's posting, Leslie, is so elegant and so leggy. I kept measuring and the proportions were accurate. Well okay, maybe I did make the legs a little long, but it just looks like her, so I went with it. It's 18 x 22" on canvas.

Just looking at the posted picture I thought I needed to put up a close-up of her, because the photo of the whole painting doesn't show her pretty face very well. So here's another view.

Thank you for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Another Girl at the Bar - original oil portrait by Connie Chadwell

This is a quick portrait where I actually set my stop watch, so that with any luck, I wouldn't kill the painting. I used a single primed linen board. There's just something about that surface that I love - it absolutely screams for looseness.

The painting is 10 x 8" - thanks so much for stopping by my blog!

Treasure Hunt

Little children can find the tiniest of treasures. Maybe this little girl's delight was a pretty pebble to give to her mom. This oil painting is 6x6" on gessoed board. Thanks for visiting my blog!