Sidewalk Art - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

Here's a small 6 x 6" painting from a photo and drawing from summer. Had to have the snapshot because kids are always on the move. Ah, for their energy! This is on Gessobord. Thanks for stopping by!

More Little Jivedoodles - original ink figurative drawing by Connie Chadwell

Here's another of the little jitterbug drawings that I love to do. This was done on a Strathmore sketch pad, 5 x 12" and it's done in ink! Very daring, since it can't be erased and so what you see is what you get. I think drawing with ink is one of the best drawing improvers ever, because if you make a mistake, you're stuck with it, so you're motivated to improve. Also, I used a calligraphy pen on this one, which is fun!
Thanks so much for stopping by! SOLD

Girl at the Bar II - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

This painting is on 12 x 12" Gessobord. Thanks so much for visiting my blog! SOLD

The Tuba - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I saw this young fellow marching in a band this past summer. He seemed so small to carry this big tuba, plus, play it as he marched, but he succeeded. I just had a good time with the colors. Okay, maybe I overdid the size a little, but it was fun and, really, tubas are huge!

I actually have a CD of tuba music and it is beautiful! They are truly an underappreciated instrument.

This painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord. Thanks for stopping by!

Western Swing - original oil western dancer figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

This is another painting done on 8 x 10" single primed linen board and I'm amazed at how little paint is required. It's really a thin application with a soft appearance - a very different experience for me. No worrying about softening edges here. Loved doing this one. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - I really appreciate it!

More Thai Food - original oil figurative/interior painting by Connie Chadwell

Yum! Vietnamese and Thai food is just about my favorite cuisine! There was a little Vietnamese restaurant in our neighborhood in Washington, D.C. and later, a Thai place, as well. When I first put the sauce (I didn't know then it was called fish sauce) on the first spring roll I ever tasted, I was hooked. I went home and experimented endlessly trying to figure out what the missing ingredient was. Lemon juice? No. Vinegar? No. I marched myself over to the Vietnamese grocery store and they told me it was fish sauce. Mostly fermented anchovies, to be exact. That gave me pause, I can tell you, but not for long. Fish sauce, or nuoc mam, is addictive!

As a sixth-generation Texan, I'm not likely to ever give up cornbread or tortillas, but I'm really glad Central Market in San Antonio carries all the ingredients I need to make Vietnamese and Thai food!

As for the painting I'm posting, I never miss an opportunity to sample the offerings at Asian restaurants wherever we go and this scene is from a drawing I did in a Vietnamese restaurant in San Antonio. Actually, this painting is pretty wet, so maybe I'll post it again when it's dried a little.

Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Evening at the Cafe - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I just got back into town and thought I should get busy posting something, so here is a restaurant painting - 11 x 14" on Gessobord. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Another Girl at the Bar - original oil portrait by Connie Chadwell

This is a quick portrait where I actually set my stop watch, so that with any luck, I wouldn't kill the painting. I used a single primed linen board. There's just something about that surface that I love - it absolutely screams for looseness.

The painting is 10 x 8" - thanks so much for stopping by my blog!

More Tango Fever - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

More tango - this one is oil on Gessobord, 12 x 9", which like the last post, is a little bigger than I usually do for tango dancers. I was especially happy with the foreshortening of the leg. I did this painting from the recent charcoal drawing, "Tango Sketch". They're not exactly alike, because I decided to add a little flourish, but definitely similar.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tango Sweethearts - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I didn't really intend for this couple to look as if they were going to kiss - I just wanted them to dance. They paid no attention to me, however, so here they are on canvas, 12 x 9". Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Runaway - original oil western painting by Connie Chadwell

Here's the final (I think) version one of the paintings I posted on the 13th. It's 11 x 14" on Gessobord. Thanks for stopping by!

More Jive - original charcoal figurative drawing by Connie Chadwell

This doodle was so much fun for me. I did it in one of Strathmore's 400 series sketch pads size 5.5 x 12". I love these pads in the new sizes!

Benny Goodman music kept running through my head as I drew, especially one of the tunes that featured a lot of Gene Krupa, the fabulous drummer. I even have a Gene Krupa t-shirt. I have a lot of CDs of music from that era and may buy a DVD so I can actually see them at work.

I posted this drawing for fun - it may not be on the Daily Painters Gallery tomorrow. It all depends on what I accomplish today at the Thursday Painters group - I'm working on interiors with figures, cowboys, and of course, tango dancers. Maybe I'll be able to post one tonight.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - works in progress by Connie Chadwell

Here are some things I'm working on - and these are just a few paintings in progress at my studio. Thanks for looking!

Sorry subscribers - I removed the nude since it probably doesn't belong in this group - hope you didn't get an extra email.

Lizza with a Fan - original oil portrait painting by Connie Chadwell

I like these settings for the model and what a wonderful model Lizza is! She can hold a pose - which is so tough - and look relaxed through the whole thing. This painting is 8 x 10" on Gessobord.

We're having rain - Yipee - and some fairly cool temps. But Texas is famous for wild weather, so we lurch from one extreme situation to another. Tomorrow we may have some flooding. Ah, well. My flower beds finally look as if someone loves them.

Thank you so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Jodi's Back - original oil nude painting by Connie Chadwell

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day holiday!

This painting was done from a drawing that I did from life. Jodi has beautiful curves and I'm all for painting different types of models - from thin and angular to curvy and full-figured. Let's hear it for real women! On Gessobord, the painting is 7 x 5".

Do take a look at the Oil Pastel Society show where one of my paintings won Second Prize! The society is currently an online group (although there are several regional affiliates around the country) to further the awareness of oil pastel as a fine art medium. It's a young and growing organization with a bright future and I'm delighted to be part of it!

Thanks for stopping by! SOLD

Carrie - original oil portrait painting by Connie Chadwell

This young ballerina was so nice to pose for me so I could do a quick sketch and make lots of color notes. The painting is 10 x 8" on linen. Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Tango Sketch - original charcoal figurative drawing by Connie Chadwell

Here's a quick charcoal dancer sketch that didn't stray too far from its gestural beginnings. It's about 12 x 9" on plate bristol. Thanks so much for stopping by! SOLD

By the Window - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I am delighted to have some of my work included in the Tango Show at Evergreen Fine Art in Evergreen, Colorado. This beautiful show runs through September 20th.

This painting is on 11 x 14" Gessobord. Thanks for stopping by. SOLD

Delia - original oil nude painting by Connie Chadwell

This is an oil painting that I did in oil pastel a couple of years ago. Although I sold the oil pastel version, I still have the life drawing and since I love the pose, I redid it in oil.

This model took great poses. She did have a little attitude, which I always find interesting, and I tried very hard to capture it.

I hope the painting has plenty of life - I always start out with loose strokes, but sometimes overwork the painting. There is such a delicate balance between loose and lively and tight and overworked. I find it hard not to step over the line.

It's 10 x 8" on board. Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

Hula Hoop - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I can't believe I haven't posted in such a long time! I'm bad - but back with lots of sketches and a couple of photos to work from - here's an example of summertime fun. The hula hoop was so easy for me back when - now I have to really work to keep it going.

It looks a little wobbly here, but this girl got it back on track.

The painting is 6 x 6" on board. Thanks for dropping by!

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

The Couple at the Bar - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

This is from one of my bar drawings. It was a Friday evening and this couple was engaged in deep conversation, oblivious to everything going on around them. They were still there when I left.

Although it was a little darker in the bar area, I kept it lighter so my figures could be seen. The painting is 8 x 10" on Gessobord.

Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

On My Easel - original oil paintings of nudes by Connie Chadwell

"Morning" (oil) has SOLD

Here are a couple of paintings - one is the finished oil version of the oil pastel "Morning" and I am very happy with the way it turned out. The other is the beginning of one of my "Ana" drawings translated to oil. Tomorrow I will probably post a bar scene - lots going on at Hackberry Street Studio. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tango Sizzle - original oil pastel figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

SOLD

I just love working with oil pastels on Stonehenge black paper! This painting is about 11 x 8".

I'm off to mow the backyard before it gets really hot.

Talk about sizzle!

Thanks for stopping by - have a great weekend!

The Ranch Hand - original oil pastel portrait by Connie Chadwell

This was a very interesting guy and great model - hope we see him again at another portrait session.

I drew this on 20 x 16" Canson Mi-Teintes mat board - not the paper, but the board - and I love the patterned surface. It seems to help keep my drawing loose - not that that's really a problem for me (maybe just the opposite), but it does give a casual, less studied look.

Thank you for visiting my blog!

A Little Tango Fancy - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

This 7 x 5" is one of the last from my current tango painting collection. The lady was adding a little flourish to a crossover step, which is her prerogative.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - stay cool!

A Little Tango Dip - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

SOLD

Here's another one of the tango paintings that I finished a week or so ago.

This is a really, really difficult step to paint. As in all dance paintings, the "poses" aren't held for long, so memory is crucial when doing gestures. The gestures are only half or maybe even a third finished when the dancers move on to another step. Actually, I think the gestures themselves are pretty interesting. Maybe I'll post some of those - my gestures are mostly squiggly lines, but they are a road map or framework for the eventual finished drawing or painting.

Gesture drawings are like fingerprints, I think, because no artist does them exactly the same as another artist.

Today I spent time getting submissions ready for the annual Oil Pastel Society show.

Tomorrow I plan to begin fairly early (for me, anyway) to work on a small restaurant scene, and a nude painting - both of which just need to be finished.

The weather is horrible here in Texas. The heat just steals ambition right out of the body, so maybe getting to work while it's still cool will be the key.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I hope you're staying cool!

Ooops! I forgot to say that this painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord.

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A Little Tango Kick - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

I'm back to my blog after a few days' absence, with lots of drawings that I will be turning into paintings - nudes, and bar and restaurant scenes.

Here is one of the tango paintings that I did several days ago. I loved the way the woman of this couple seemed so languid in this pose, but offered the little kick - or patada - I think it's called. The painting is 7 x 5" on Gessobord.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Backstep - original oil figurative painting by Connie Chadwell

SOLD

I painted a few tango scenes in a couple of afternoons, and here is one of them. It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord. Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Ana, Standing - original charcoal nude drawing by Connie Chadwell

SOLD

I love, love, love standing poses! They're always a little mysterious to me. Add a profile to the standing pose - a little more mystery, a little more emotion - ahhhh!

Today was spent waiting for the cable guy, so I didn't get to my studio until late afternoon and then worked on some tango paintings and a larger painting, but only for awhile. My sweet dog, Roger, has a bad infection resulting from a face full of porcupine quills - such a dreadful experience - so I had to get home to give him another dose of his medicine. He's really sick, poor little thing, so I didn't do much art today.

This drawing is one that I did the same day I did the previous drawings of "Ana" - it's 14 x 11" on Strathmore drawing paper. I thought there were more of the 'Ana' drawings, but maybe this is the last one - at least until she models for the drawing group again.

Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - I'm always delighted to have you stop by!