"Two Things I'm Working on Now" - One of these pieces is oil pastel and the other is in oil.

                                     Oil Pastel                                                          Oil

 Here are two TOTALLY unfinished 7 x 5" dancer paintings on panel thatI've been working on the last couple of days.  It's just amazing to me how much work it takes to do anything this small!  In relation to the one on the right, which is being painted in oil, here's a column from the Wall Street Journal on country style dancing - https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/american-honky-tonk-line-dance-bars-new-york-city-nashville-chicago-54758256 - So much to think about and do in finishing these pieces, but I'm having a good time.  I'm hoping everyone is off to a good start on 2026 and I really appreciate y'all stopping by!

More Two Steppin' - original acrylic figurative painting

My two-steppers are back.  I suspect they never really go away, but just wait their turn to show up again at Hackberry Street Studio.  This painting, like most I've done lately, is acrylic.  Great stuff!  This one is on 8 x 8" cradled panel.  Thanks for looking!

Two-Step Sweethearts - original acrylic figurative painting

I almost never use acrylic for a painting.  To me, it's mainly great to use in brush drawings, but using it today for this piece just reminds me of the good qualities of acrylic.  It dries really fast, which is enough to make me love it.  And I don't feel so constrained when I work with it - for instance, the fat over lean that's so crucial in oil painting.  I vow here and now to continue doing some of my stuff in acrylic.  (Fingers making "X" over heart.)  This painting is 7 x 5" - thanks for stopping by!

Her Blue Boots - original oil figurative painting

I just finished watching the Olympic ice dancing - SO gorgeous and they make it look so easy, which, as someone who can barely get around the rink, I know it can't possibly be!  Now back to art - this 5 x 5" painting is done on Gessobord.  I've seen some really beautiful turquoise blue boots lately - luscious, really - and just couldn't resist putting them in my painting.  Thanks for stopping by!

Country Lovers Again - original oil figurative painting

Went a little crazy with the brushstrokes, which makes it so much fun for me to paint!  While painting, I was listening to the soundtrack from Honeymoon in Vegas from 1992 - love those Elvis impersonators!  But, impersonators aside, just a wonderful, sweet soundtrack.  Then, on to A Bronx Tale, another fave from 1993 - one great song after another. 
This painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by! SOLD

Dance Hall Night - original oil figurative painting

Just working on so many things this afternoon and came across this 12 x 18" painting from a few months ago that I never got around to posting.  Re the other things I'm drawing/painting, I spent the day trying to get the paint to do its own thing while at the same time minding me at least a little.  Quite an interesting struggle.  At one point, I started a painting with very little drawing, just an indication of where the model would be and using mostly luscious R&F pigment sticks with some Sennelier and Winsor & Newton, as well.  It'll be interesting to see how that turns out - but will be slow drying with our weather - we'll be in the triple digits much of the week.  And probably much of July/August!  Oh well, it's definitely summer.  Thanks for stopping by! Sold

Two-Step Night - original acrylic figurative painting

I loved fooling around with acrylics on this painting.  Every now and then, I experiment with acrylics and usually I'm not happy with them, but this time they really clicked with me.  They really have everything going for them, I think, and I'm hoping this will be the start of a beautiful love affair.  This painting is on 8 x 10" stretched canvas.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Country Lovin' - original oil figurative painting

Here are my characters dancing that famous Texas Two-Step - seen every Saturday night at dance halls across the state.  We're having some really chilly weather here in the Texas Hill Country, which is maybe a little early, but who's complaining, after our summer!  And the East Coast, where I lived for many years, is facing some horrid weather news, so I hope all my friends and collectors in that area stay safe and warm! 
This painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Two-Step Lovers Again - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here is one of my favorite couples again - all cuddled up and dancing the two-step.  This drawing is vine charcoal on 17 x 14" Strathmore drawing paper.  Thank you so much for visiting my blog!

Two Steppin' at Tom's Place - original oil figurative painting

I thought this fun painting appropriate for a Saturday evening, in honor of all the two steppers out on the town tonight.  Using a 10 x 8" Fredrix archival canvas board, I loved painting on the canvas with the added attraction of not even the tiniest bit of "give" when my brush touched it.  It's more like drawing - you know, when you use the hardboard backing for the paper and there's no flexibility at all.  Being basically a drawer, I love that "secure" feeling, so I really appreciate the canvas or linen covered board.

In case you didn't notice my "News" in the column to the right, my drawing,"Lexie's Summer" was chosen by Albert Handell for the 2012 Marilyn Chandler Award for Artistic Excellence in the 27th annual Texas and Neighbors juried exhibition at the Irving Arts Center in Irving, Texas.  The opening reception was April 22nd and was such a lovely event - beautiful music, fabulous food and stunning floral interpretations by The Chocolate Rose of some of the artworks - of which mine was one.  The photo above - thanks to friends who took this shot - shows the floral interpretation of my piece.  I hope you can see the "chartreusey" beads on the right as they hang from the vase.  I love this - I've always loved black combined with that shade of green.  My hat is off to the Irving Art Association president, Angie Vangalis, the volunteers and the show's sponsors who pulled off this beautiful afternoon of the arts!
Well, I see it's pretty late, even for two steppers, so I'll sign off, now.  Thanks so much for stopping - or should I say, stepping, by my blog!

The Dance Hall - original oil figurative painting

This painting is on 11 x 14" Fredrix archival canvas board.   I was going to describe

my summer self-education in drawing and my new adventures in oil sticks (not oil pastels), but

trying to post on Blogger tonight is difficult and is driving me so crazy, I just want to get out of here - maybe

tomorrow's posting will be easier!  Hope all is going well for all of you - thanks for stopping by!

Honky Tonk Lovers - original oil figurative painting

This painting is 8 x 10" on linen panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Country Lovers - original oil figurative painting

Here's another view of that sweet western dance, the Texas Two Step. This oil painting is 12 x 9" on canvas. Thanks for stopping by! SOLD