Making Her Move - original oil pastel figurative painting

 

I love attempting skin tones with oil pastels - a little of this, a little of that.  Blues and greens are so beautiful in skin - I often catch myself staring when I find them. For instance, I probably look a little weird looking intently at another shopper while I'm standing in the grocery checkout line, but how else will I learn?  I'm going to get a reputation! 

This painting is on Colourfix paper, 9 x 12".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Summer Fiction - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

Hot sun, a chaise by the pool and a good book.  Great way to get through the blazing summer we're already having here in the Texas Hill Country.  This 5x7" oil pastel is painted on Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Dance with Me? - original oil pastel figurative by Connie Chadwell

I have noticed that in real tango situations - not tango shows, which are wonderful, too - there is sometimes a kind of drama in the approach of the male dancer to the woman he wants to be his partner for the next tango.  It appears to be a sort of casual disinterest, but I really think this is just playing a part. Anyway, in this case, the woman did dance with him and they were beautiful together!

 

News in the Real Life Department:  I've just discovered mornings!  Or at least, painting in the morning.  Today, I actually did more in a cool, breezy morning hour than I usually do when I work in the afternoons, only.  Very odd, I think, for such a confirmed night owl.  But I do have two or three things in the works from my morning session that I like.  Maybe tomorrow, I will follow the same pattern - get up really early, get going, accomplish things.  Or maybe not.  Mustn't rush into new habits.

This oil pastel is on Pastelbord and is 7 x 5".  Check out my monologue on The Oil Pastel Review.

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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 Flapper's Hat - original oil pastel portrait by Connie Chadwell

I've been wanting to draw this hat for a long time. It's just like some of the caps that flappers wore back in the '20's, and maybe it could even be that old, although I doubt it. I used oil pastels on 14 x 11" Pastelbord for this portrait. Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! NFS

Rita's Letter - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I spent the afternoon working on oil paintings that aren't quite finished, so here's a 7 x 5" oil pastel on Pastelbord for today's posting. Maybe it's a little heavy on the green, but I love green and like to have it in all my pieces - even just a touch, but there, nevertheless.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

The Hotel Bar - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

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One of my favorite places - a bar; people, atmosphere, people, atmosphere - I could go on and on, but I'll let the artwork do the talking. The evening's fleeting dramas played out against the backdrop of a large landscape painting hanging behind the bar. As I sketched, I wondered about my 'people' - the ones in my sketchbook, that is. Were they happy or sad, hopeful or without much to look forward to? I don't know, but I wish the best for them.

This oil pastel on Pastelbord is 8 x 10". Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hopeful - original oil pastel portrait by Connie Chadwell

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I loved doing this on Pastelbord. By now, you may have realized that I have lots of "favorites". I guess I just love the one I'm with.

The great thing about oil pastel on Pastelbord is that in most cases, it can be framed like an oil painting. Really, the oil pastel gets dry on this surface and then can be fixed and varnished. Wonderful!

Today I learned what I guess just about everybody else knows - how to link to individual pages in my blog (is that deep linking? -guess I'd better go back and study the lesson). I'm taking the blog improvement class from Alyson Stanfield and Cynthia Morris and having a great time!

This piece is on 10 x 8" Pastelbord. Thanks so much for stopping by!