Rita's Black Dress - original oil pastel portrait

Sennelier oil pastels are so wonderfully gooey and rewarding to work with - plus the model was a pleasure to draw.  Can't ask for more than that!  I feel, though, that I worked it over more than usual and maybe should have left it alone.  The drawing really looks like her, though, so I can be pleased with that - and I am really delighted with the dress.  This piece is 7 x 5" - thanks for stopping by!

Portrait of Sheila - watercolor portrait

It's always fun and unpredictable to paint on Yupo and this little portrait (about 10 x 8") was no exception!  Not really my thing, but watercolor is exciting to do every now and then.  My brush was actually a 'round' for oil or acrylic - kind of a no-no, I guess, but I had a good time.  I worked from an old drawing - one of my collection of thousands (okay, maybe just hundreds) - I spent a lot of time in my life attending drawing groups - hence my collection of drawings, which often have another life as a painting many years later.  I finally had to get rid of most of these drawings and just keep the photos of them on my computer.  How modern is that?!  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - acrylic portrait of Fran - work in progress

A good bit of work to do, yet, but I should finish it this weekend.  I won't have such a spotty background, for one thing, and will do more work on her face.  It's on 12 x 12" board.  She is really lovely - hope I can do her justice.  It's always so great to at least begin a painting or drawing with the actual person sitting in front of you, but if they're not models, no way can I expect them to stay as long as it takes.  There are exceptions, of course, and I am very grateful for those who are able to actually stick around.  Fran is so sweet and spent as much time as she could, but was on a tight schedule, so I was happy to have her sit for even a short while.  I love going to drawing groups, but since I'm not a regular attendee,  I often have to take whatever position in the room nobody else wants, which is probably why I have a lot of paintings of the model with her/his back to me.  I generally love back poses, but usually just of nudes, Come to think of it, I may need to seriously consider those paintings with clothed back view models that are languishing in the back of my studio - some of them are pretty good with good shapes, etc.  Hmmm - a fresh approach, maybe.    Thanks for visiting my blog!  Just talking to you helped me rethink things.

On My Easel - original pastel pencil figurative in progress

Here it is in the wee hours and I'm just now getting to posting.  This drawing is being done from a black and white sketch from some time ago.  At this point, I don't know if it will be "finished" - well, probably not at this point.  Don't know if other artists leave things for awhile the way I do.  This is on Colourfix board, but my usual problem is cropping up - pastel dust.  Thought it wouldn't be bad with the pencils and while it's not as bad as with the sticks, it's still a problem.  Maybe I'll start working with them outside.  Anyway, thanks for stopping by!  PS.  That's a book on her lap (will definitely make that more finished)!

On My Easel Sketch of Gemma - original charcoal portrait sketch in progress

Here's a little 12 x 9" sketch of Gemma - not finished, but one that I'm enjoying working on.  It's on Strathmore toned paper, which is fun to draw on, especially when using a little white in addition to the charcoal.  As I progress, I'll use some white - just not there, yet.  Thanks for looking!

Blue Cape - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I'm not sure I will "finish" this 5 x 7" piece on panel since it feels as if I've accomplished what I've set out to do.  I like the openness on the left side and maybe if I completely cover it, I might regret it.  Isn't it fun to read my rant?  Sorry.  Although I could actually go on and on.
So sad and worried at the moment - my wonderful and beloved Able Assistant, Roger, seems to be ill.   It's terrible to watch - will probably stay downstairs with him tonight and we'll sleep in my recliner, all bundled up together.  Only hope he can recover - he's such a part of my life.

Carrie - original oil portrait painting

This 7 x 5" on panel was done when I was sort of cleaning my palette.  That's always the most fun for me.  The model is almost through and just waiting for her time to be up - I'm not concentrating, just goofing off and thinking of nothing much.  Best time of the session, I think.  Thanks for dropping by!

Sketch of Shelley - original charcoal portrait drawing

I did this little sketch on 10 x 8" Strathmore 403 paper.  I'll consider it finished, especially since the model loved it and will probably buy it.  Although this was mostly vine charcoal, I had forgotten how nice it is to have nice sharp charcoal pencils - in this case General's Primo and the Ritmo brand pencil I used many years ago.  I wasn't able to find Ritmo for such a long time, but it's back and as good as ever.  But I think my favorite now is the Primo - really deep blacks and a smooth application - very nice charcoal pencil.  Thanks so much for visiting!

Special Moment - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I used Sennelier oil pastels on 10 x 8" Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by! SOLD

I Think Her Name is Janice - original acrylic portrait painting

 I've been using acrylic paint (again) and found it to be so great to use.  Best of all is the drying time - and for me, a looseness that doesn't happen when I use oil.  As for the model, I didn't write her name on the back of the panel as I usually do, but it was Janice, I'm pretty sure.  And warm colors - I almost never paint anything with such warm colors - don't really know what came over me - I don't think the background was particularly warm, but such a departure from my usual work.  It's painted on 8 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for looking!

Clara's Pnk Sweater - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I love horizontal portrait paintings - in this one, the model was sitting with her arm along the back of the sofa with an oscillating fan blowing on her (hence the hair flying out behind her) - just got started working and it was so satisfying to scribble madly with the lipsticky Sennelier oil pastels on Pastelbord, seldom stopping to add a lot of detail.  Thanks for stopping by!

Woman in Purple - original oil portrait painting

Another one of those I wish I'd had more time on.  The model had such a classic, old-fashioned - maybe even a medieval sort of look - I think it would have been great to have her dress up in period clothing.  Oh well.  This painting is 10 x 10" on gessoed panel.  This afternoon, I was spending time drawing while listening to a dark mystery where the main character was trapped in a locked room - it was chilling - and at that moment, a friend knocked on the door of my studio - nearly scared me senseless!  Took a little time to get over it, too.
That'll teach me - music while I paint tomorrow!  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch of Moira - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I've drawn and painted this model before and it was great to have her as the model again. She holds the pose so well - I'm not at all sure I could do that.  This drawing was done on 14 x 11" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper,  using gloriously gooey Senneliers.  Colourfix is thought of and advertised as a surface for soft pastel, but it is absolutely perfect for oil pastel - its surface allows the application of multiple layers.  If you like working with oil pastel, do give this paper a try.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - The Flapper - original oil figurative painting in progress

Here's what I was working on today while listening to a book that deals with the 1920s, Only Yesterday, which I had to read in college, but which I get much more out of now, plus The Sleepwalkers, by Christopher Clark, about the events leading up to WWI.  So, it follows, I guess, that I want to paint a flapper.  This is only the very beginning of this piece as you can tell, and I hope it will turn out well, but, sigh, hoping is no guarantee.  It's on 10 x 10" stretched canvas.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Texas Heat - original oil pastel figurative painting in progress

It is SO hot here - and BTW where is El Nino?!  It's triple digits day after day, although tomorrow it might be in the high 90s.  I was actually sitting here, thinking 'wow it's going to be cooler' - that's what happens to the mind under these searing circumstances.  But maybe, just maybe, it will finally cool down a little bit, anyway.  This oil pastel is done on 14 x 11" Pastelbord.  Not through with it, but really fun to work with creamy Senneliers on the slightly gritty surface.  Art heaven.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Original Soft Pastel Portrait Painting in Progress

I was fooling around with soft pastel and although this portrait does look like the model, I'm not totally thrilled at this point.   It's about 18 x 15" or so, on Canson paper.  Sometimes if I just set something aside for several days, I'll suddenly realize what I need to do - hope that happens with this piece!  Thanks for looking.

On My Easel - original oil figurative painting in progress

I am currently working on this painting - along with a couple of drawings and one other painting.  Hope to get this one finished tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Janie - original charcoal portrait drawing of a young woman

This little portrait - on 12 x 9" Canson illustration paper - is one of my all time favorites, because I feel I captured the slight smile (which at times verged on a bit of a smirk) and her reserve.  And also because it's not what one would call finished.  Works for me.  The paper is 150 pound - nice and hefty and great for the side of a little piece of vine charcoal, which is what I used, except for a few lines here and there.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

A Little Portrait of Lena - original water-soluble pencil drawing

This little drawing - done with water-soluble pencil - has been around awhile, but I've always liked it and just decided to show it at Hackberry Street Studio.  The support is Yupo, which can be tricky, but it's become a real favorite of mine!  The unpredictability of paint on Yupo is what I love about using it - with Yupo the paint can be lifted and you can fiddle with it, which is usually death to watercolor paintings. This drawing is about 5 1/4" x 5 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by! Sold

A Little Glitz - original oil pastel portait painting

It was the hair.  And the earrings.  She was ready for the Christmas party.  I used dark green 5 x 7" Pastelbord and then my usual palette of mostly cool colors in Caran d'Ache oil pastels.  I apologize for the fuzziness of the photo - the painting is sharper in person. 
Roger and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas - and thank you for stopping by!