On My Easel - A Modern Tango - original oil figurative painting

I probably should say 'original oil figurative experiment' - but that seems to be my approach to my artwork.    One of my painting teachers told me not to fiddle with the work - just start another painting.  Must remember that, must remember that.
This tango position is one that I see a lot now, but I don't think it has much in common with the original Argentine tango - a lovelier dance there never was - but it is definitely dramatic!  Sorry it's so shiny, but I wanted to get it posted and in a couple of days, I will post a bit drier version.  This one is on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  If you get a chance, please check out my oil pastel blog.

Tango Moment Again - original oil figurative painting

 

The second of my series of three 14 x 11"  tango paintings that I've done recently.  They will be available at Artworks in Austin, Texas.   No matter what else I may paint, I always come back to tango - just the beautiful way the dancers move in unison.  The steps are gorgeous in themselves:  He knows his part and she knows hers and they work beautifully together.  

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Tango Drama Again - original oil figurative painting

 

 

It's actually raining here - I was beginning to think it would never happen again!  As if it had forgotten how or something.  So, I'm going to go to bed and just listen to the beautiful sound of rain and feel so happy that I got all my pinks planted today!  This painting is on 14 x 11" Fredrix paintboard.  Thanks for looking!

Tango Kisses - original oil figurative painting

Here's a quick - my favorite thing, you know - painting of tango dancers.  I love this pose and so do they!  It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord.   And stop by my oil pastel blog to see the painting below. 

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

A Little Flourish - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel is done on Pastelbord, 12 x 9", and I put layers and layers of oil pastel on it.  That's one of the best things - among many, many great things - about Pastelbord.  It can take whatever I dish out.  Another thing about oil pastel - it's hot here, I mean really, really hot and I somehow left a newish oil pastel painting in the back seat of the car and it didn't melt or get "slick" or even get soft.  I would think that in this crazily hot place, something bad would have happened, but the painting was fine. 
Re the weather here, everything's relative - it's going to be in the 90s for a few days and I am deliriously happy.   So much better than 107 degrees.
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Another Tango in Black and White - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here's another in my collection of black and white drawings.  I think what attracted me to this pose was the sort of sinuous quality of his legs, as well as her right hip as it drops down while she's reaching back with her foot.  It's not dramatic in the usual way that tango is dramatic, but I think it's a drama, nevertheless.  It's done on 14 x 11" Strathmore 400 drawing paper, using vine charcoal.  Thanks for stopping by!  Sold

Another Little Tango - original oil figurative painting

This little painting was done on 5 x 5" Gessobord, while I was listening to a Victorian mystery.  There's nothing Victorian about tango - for sure!  For this post, I unearthed a sketch that I did years ago at a tango demonstration and did a really, really quick rendition of the drawing with oil paint.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  And please check out my oil pastel blog.  Sold

Tango Hug - original oil figurative painting

For this 7 x 5" painting on Gessobord, I used oil sticks, which are oil paint in stick form.  They are soft - at least the R&F, which I love - and not sharpened at all, so the result is a sort of "messy" painting.  It's much more relaxed than most of my work and I just decided to leave it that way - gotta let go sometime, right?  R&F is famous for its encaustics, but their pigment sticks are luscious and are fun to use with a palette knife, too.  Give them a try!
This time of year, my attention has to be shared with my yard and the seemingly hundreds of plants that need to be planted.  And then there are the dandelions - well no ranting, I promise, but I could, for sure!  So, because of my garden, I'm posting during the wee hours of Wednesday.  So, off to bed, now - thanks so much for stopping by!

Tango in Charcoal - original charcoal figurative drawing

It seems like years since I've posted - much has been going on, such as trying to get a new website up and running.  It's really, really hard when you have absolutely no talent for that kind of thing.  Even the drag and drop is a challenge for me.  Don't laugh.  It's true. 
This drawing is vine charcoal on Strathmore 400 drawing paper and is about 10 x 6 1/2".  I've drawn several somewhat similar to this, but trying to "explain" the woman's leg position is tricky and I'm really pleased with this one.   My love affair with charcoal continues - so sensitive, so responsive.  Truly a dream medium.  Thanks so much for dropping by!  Now, it's back to the website.  Or maybe not.
To contact me about a drawing or painting, just click on the contact button to the right. Sold

Backward Bend - original oil figurative painting

I hadn't posted this 6 x 6" on Gessobord that recently sold at Artworks in Austin, Texas, but here's an example of a difficult pose, both for the dancers (I imagine) and the painter.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Sold

More Hot Tango - original figurative painting of dancers

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
This painting is on 7 x 5" Gessobord. 
Have you ever seen the movie Shall We Dance  - I mean the Japanese version, which is so charming!   It's on Netflix, too.  If you haven't seen it, yet, I hope you will.  You'll love it, I'll bet, and I'd love to hear your impression of the movie.
Please check out my latest artwork on my oil pastel blog. 
Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

A Little Tango Kick - original oil figurative painting

This is a quick little 6 x 6" on Gessobord.  I just applied the paint thick and fast and didn't spend any time getting everything just so-so.  Maybe it's a choice between loose and inexact vs. perfect and killed.  This time, I chose the former.  Thanks so much for dropping by!

More Tango Passion - original oil figurative painting

How is this possible?  I have actually seen this and I think it's the position - not to mention strength - of the man's leg, mainly the one that is bearing most of their weight, that allows this pose to work.  Fortunately for them, it only lasts a beautiful, dramatic second or two.   I LOVE this hold and enjoyed making every stroke.  For this one, I set my timer.  The timer has a magnetic back on it, so it stays on the little refrigerator in my studio and I don't have to go hunting all over for it.  Such an improvement over the one I'm still looking for.  Anyway, this was a quickly done painting, which is the best approach for me and I must say I'm pretty happy with it - 6 x 6" on Gessobord. 
Goodnight from my pretty little town on the banks of the beautiful Llano River and thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Tango Moment Once More - original oil figurative painting of dancers

Well, I just have to get the weather thing over with - it's 88 at 11:43 p.m. and there is no sign of the heat letting up.   
Now on to painting.  This is one of the little moments when the woman brings her leg up against her partner's leg for but a moment - then they continue on with the dance - just a little embellishment.  She's turned her head away from the man and I always think this is to show a little independence of movement.  I just adore painting dancers and while I enjoy other subjects, this is my all-time favorite thing to do.  It's the energy and the passion that dancers exhibit that I love so much.  Hmmm.  Maybe I'm a teensy bit envious.
This painting is on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  And please send us some rain.  Sold

More Tango Joy - original oil figurative painting

More of my tango painting - I do get on these kicks.  This one is looser and I didn't worry too much with it.  It does have foreshortening with her left leg, which I love to do.  Always fun and challenging.  Painting these small dancers has been so instructive for me.  I can be more loose - now to try and translate that to larger paintings.  Thanks so much for stopping by - and I hope you'll check out my oil pastel blog.  Oh, and it's 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Sold

More Tango Swing - original oil figurative painting

I spent so much time outside in the gorgeous day today that I didn't do any painting, but here's one from yesterday. It's on 6 x 6" Gessobord. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tango Doodle - original oil pastel figurative drawing

I just wanted to do a drawing - lots of black lines and scribbled color and done quickly without a lot of thought. It's just so satisfying! This oil pastel is on 12 x 9" Pastelbord sand (color) which is a dark taupey shade. Really beautiful and a delight to work on. Thanks so much for stopping by - have a great weekend!

Another Tango Passion - original oil figurative painting

Here is the painted version of the drawing from a few posts ago - "Another Black and White Tango". This painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord. Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Another Black and White Tango - original charcoal figurative dancer sketch

Here's a little loose gestural sketch of a painting to do tomorrow.  It's charcoal on 6 x 6" Bristol board paper.  Thanks so much for stopping by! SOLD

"Tango Luv" - original oil figurative painting

This oil painting is on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  To send me a private message, just click the "contact me" button to the right of my posts. SOLD