"More Country Music" - original oil pastel portrait

This 5 x 7" oil pastel is one of two of this "pose".  The other is an oil on stretched canvas that's still in progress.  I really do love country music and am painting some of the views I've had while at rodeo dances.  Matter of fact, I also love rodeos and this past summer got some good sketches while at the rodeo in Junction, Texas.  Most of the work I did was of barrel racers, but also got some bronc rider sketches, as well.

This drawing is really kind of left "raw" and not as finished as it could be.  This approach is what I love about oil pastels.  It's such an immediate type of media and I love capturing "moments" with it and just going with my reaction to the model (whether posed or not). And when I'm through drawing, I have a piece that's loose and not overworked.  Overworking is something I tend to do.

"Country Music 2" was done on Ampersand Pastelbord with mostly Sennelier oil pastels, plus a few Neopastels and CrayPas Specialists providing assistance here and there. 

 I'm experimenting with framing these small oil pastels painted on Pastelbord using Econospace plastic spacers and deep rabbet frames.  (That's "rabbet" not "rabbit", 😄which refers to the depth of the frame.)  Finding a deep enough rabbet is difficult unless resorting to frames for canvas works, so that's what I'm doing

If you've never used Econospace, it's easy to use and I really like it, especially for smaller paintings and drawings.  Click here  to visit FrameTek to see Econospace.  The company also produces Framespace, which I think is good for larger pieces.

And thanks for stopping by!

 

"Tie Down Roper" - ink and watercolor figurative sketch

 I did this one rather quickly on 6 x 8" Bristol board - not allowing myself to "finish" it.  My favorite way of working! The calf ropers keep the rope they use to tie the calf's legs - I think it might be called a hooey (but don't hold me to it) in their teeth.  It was sheer luck to get this view!  I'm such a rodeo fan but was never much of a horsewoman - I just admire the athleticism of the participants and the horses.  The rodeo in Kimble County, Texas, will be coming up next month - an event not to be missed!  Thanks for looking!

Barrel Racer #11 - figurative oil rodeo painting

Here's a small and very quick (5 x 5") rendition of a barrel racer from the Junction rodeo this past summer.  It's done very loosely as preparation for a larger one?  Maybe.  I don't know.  Am currently working on other drawings and paintings, but like my little dancers, rodeos always show up again.  I think it's really instructional to set a timer and get busy - one of my books suggests 45 minutes, which I like, and it makes you work really really hard to get finished, so while you leave out stuff, you still end up with something lively - and fun.  Whew!  Sorry for that long sentence.  Thanks so much for dropping by!

 

I Love Barrel Racing! - western figurative oil painting of horse and rider barrel racing

Here's a finished - and I hope - an improved version of the earlier post.   (Thank you Hilda!)  Barrel racing is a cross between grace and athleticism and - wow - the relationship between horse and rider is beautiful to behold!  There aren't ever enough participants at the rodeo, but I probably feel that way  because I could watch endlessly!  There will be more western paintings because I have sketches and photos from the rodeo and dances here (Junction, Texas) in August.  I painted this piece on 12 x 9" panel.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - figurative rodeo barrel racer painting in progress

Here's what I worked on this evening.  I love rodeos and barrel racing is right up there with my favorite events.  Could watch for hours!  A good bit of work to finish this one, but just posting to share my efforts and if I finish tomorrow, I will post it - any suggestions would be welcome - thanks for looking!

Bullrider - figurative oil rodeo painting

This is the painted version of my earlier Bullrider Sketch - maybe not exactly the same, but close.  Can you imagine actually doing this - riding a bull, I mean.  Those huge, ferocious animals - it's frightening enough even to watch!  There are so many exciting events at rodeos and there are also ranch rodeos, which demonstrate the skills of the American cowboy - click here to learn more.  This painting was done with a fairly wide bright bristle brush on 8 x 8" panel - thanks for stopping by!

Bullrider Sketch - ink and water-soluble pencil rodeo drawing

This drawing is one that I did at a rodeo(albeit a total shorthand version that only I could decipher) and then worked over it loosely with ink and water-soluble pencil.  I thought this bull rider was about to bite the dust, but then he righted himself and lasted for eight.  I love this "pose" and am definitely going to do a larger painting in color and am hoping to maintain the looseness.  It's so easy for me to lose the casual look of an action painting and totally kill it.  Alas.  This is on 6 x 6" Bristol paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

More Looking for Eight - oil pastel figurative rodeo

On this piece, I used Multimedia Art Board, which is a new discovery for me.  I received a gift certificate from the company as part of my prize at an art show and I absolutely love this new to me support!  I drew this one from one of my many rodeo drawings - 6 x 8".  Thanks for looking!

Black and White Rodeo - original charcoal figurative drawing

I am sometimes astonished by the power and emotion of charcoal drawings.  It's my all-time favorite medium.  This drawing is on Canson drawing paper.  Although the tear line runs through the top of the cowboy's hat, I was so happy with the way it was going, that I just went with it and will simply bond it to museum board.  It's about 7 x 10".  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch for Barrel Racer - original charcoal figurative drawing

I do love barrel racing - here's another sketch from the past summer's rodeo.  It was ready last night, but my internet connection was almost nonexistent, probably because of the storm we had here with all the welcome rain.  This drawing is on 12 x 9" Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  Thanks for stopping by! SOLD

More Rodeo - original oil figurative painting

Rodeo - dusty but wonderful - I love it!  This painting is on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Bronc Rider II - original watercolor pencil figurative drawing

Here's another drawing from the rodeo here in Junction a few weeks ago.  These guys really earn their points - and for those who think the horses aren't well treated - they are beautifully cared for and truly valued by their owners.  I also did a painting from this drawing, which I'll probably post at some point.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Bronc Rider - original figurative water soluble pencil drawing

I drew this piece from a photo that I took at the rodeo here in Junction.  I learned my lesson about attempting to draw rodeo participants from life.  The ride was practically over before I was really even  started.  This year I didn't attempt to draw while the event was going on and instead, just took photos.  Seems to have worked out well - my only complaint is that my great photo talent (not) has given the photo kind of a grayish look, when it's actually black and white.  I used General's soluble pencil and loved it.  The drawing is about 10 x 8" or so.  Thanks for stopping by!

Fourth of July Rodeo - original watercolor stick figurative drawing

I was trying out my new set of Derwent Inktense sticks, along with a Caran d'Ache and a Daniel Smith watercolor stick on 12 x 9" Yupo.  More than any other medium that I use, watercolor sticks on Yupo seem to be the most unpredictable and they're such fun to fool around with.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Barrel Racer - original figurative oil painting in progress

Much more to do on this one, but I love trying to capture the power and speed of these beautiful animals as they race around the barrels.  At the moment, I'm working on several paintings - dancers, women, western, but haven't posted because I kept leaving the laptop that I can actually use for posting on my blog at the studio and didn't realize it 'til too late, so I have a few things to post in the coming days.  Am painting this on 8 x 10" archival canvas board.  Thanks for looking!

Bareback Rider - original charcoal figurative drawing

This little charcoal drawing is one that I did in front of the TV last night while I was watching a rodeo. Working really fast is artistically invigorating for me and it's such good practice.  Also very challenging is that the format is only 6 x 6".  On Bristol board.  Thanks for stopping by!

Bullrider Sketch - original charcoal figurative rodeo sketch

You're whispering "what's wrong with her - posting something like that".  No need to whisper - it's okay.  This is a sketch that I did from life at the local rodeo this past summer.  The back end of the bull doesn't really show well, but it's there.  Just thought I'd show one of the things that I work from.  Probably only I can understand this shorthand scribble, but it will become a painting one of these days.  I always think I can 'feel' the subject better if I draw it, than if I take a photo, even though I did take a bunch of photos that night.  Thanks for looking and do check out my oil pastel blog.

The Barrel Racer - original oil figurative painting

It's been awhile since I've posted anything because I've been felled by cedar fever, which is a common and sometimes debilitating complaint here in central Texas.  It's an allergy to cedar, which is what we call juniper in this area.  Today has been better, though, so I'm back to my blog.  This painting was done from a drawing I did at a rodeo some years back - really just one of my scribbles - but I let it alone after I finished - huge though the temptation is to fool with it.  On Utrectht archival canvas board, it's 8 x 10".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lookin' for Eight - original oil figurative rodeo painting

We had a rodeo here in Junction last weekend.   It was a ranch rodeo - my favorite - but I must not have gotten there early enough to see bronc riders.  So, I dug through old drawings from other rodeos and came up with the drawing from which I did this painting.  I changed his hat from black to white and in the drawing, the horse was darker, but essentially, it's the same.  This painting is 9 x 12" on gessoed panel.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Rough Ride - original oil rodeo painting of a bullrider

This 10 x 8" oil painting - available at Artworks in Austin, Texas - is done on Fredrix archival canvas board.  I love this surface for rodeo/western work!  It has the canvas texture, but no "give" when my brush touches it - the way stretched canvas does.  I suppose I like a solid feel to my painting surface because of my many years of drawing on paper attached to a drawing board. 
It's a beautiful day here in the Texas Hill Country - hope it's nice, too, where you are.  Thanks so much for stopping by!