Nude Facing Away II - original charcoal life drawing of a nude

If the model didn't take a break, I could just fiddle with the drawing forever, but, thankfully, she does, and I can't wear out the paper.  Here's a short pose - I think it was fifteen minutes - that I did with vine charcoal and a kneaded eraser.  The darkish blob in the upper left corner is what's left of an earlier drawing of the model that I erased, mostly, anyway.  I had originally planned to have three or four figures, but changed my mind.  This one is about 8 x 8" or a little less, on Strathmore 400 drawing paper.  Do you ever have the feeling - when the model leaves the stand - that you could or should have done more?  I always do!  Oh well, that's why I/we keep coming back, I guess - looking for that perfect moment.
Thanks so much for stopping by - I really appreciate your visits! Sold

Tiny Little Portrait - original oil pastel portrait painting

This little portrait is done on 3.5 x 2.5" heavy paper (pastel-colored illustration board) and was a real challenge to do with unsharpened oil pastels.  Although it's a little more difficult to do, I like the looseness that the dull point gives.
As a dog lover (see my Able Assistant at right), I've been listening to a Chet and Bernie mystery
Dog On It and loving it.  Chet (the dog) makes so many funny comments about humans that I look at Roger and think to myself  'is that what he's thinking when he looks at me?' - such a fun book!  As soon as I finish this one, I'll begin another one in the series. 
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!

Sketch for Tango Fantasy - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is one I did to work out a tango position for a painting.  Although I will make some adjustments to it, I am mostly pleased.   The painting won't be exactly the same as the drawing, though.  No matter how I try, these characters have minds of their own and won't let me do just anything I want.  I did learn how to transfer a drawing to canvas or board for painting years ago in art class, but I never use it because I like the unpredictability of doing it my way.   
I went to the art store on Saturday to get only one thing and walked out with much, much more.  One of my new acquisitions was a General's pencil set #15, which is what I used on this drawing.  I drew this piece on Strathmore Bristol board, also new.  Don't you just love new art supplies?  They're so fresh and untouched - and then the madness begins and they're never the same. 

On a totally different topic, I've included some photos of a couple of my blooming Cenizo bushes.  They're reputed to predict rain, and I'm hoping that's true.  It worked the last time they bloomed - we got over three inches!  The bees are just going crazy with so many blooms - I can hear the low hum of their buzzing as soon as I walk out onto the porch.  Cenizos have lots of names - purple sage, Texas rain sage, and Texas silverleaf are a few.   Whatever the name, here's hoping they're accurate in their weather forecasting this time around!
Thanks for stopping by! Sold

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

Salsa Night - original oil figurative painting

Here, for a little change, is a salsa.  It's painted on 10 x 10" stretched canvas.  I'm late posting, but was watching the game and -Yippee!  the Rangers won!  It was pretty unnerving to watch after last night's total disaster, but it turned out great!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jive Lovers - original oil figurative painting

This painting is 6 x 6" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio.  Have a great weekend!

Dance With Me - WIP oil figurative sketch

I've been away for several days and am only now getting back to painting.  However, when I got to my studio today, I realized that I had left my oil paints behind so I resorted to using oil sticks - not oil pastels - but oil paint in a stick.  I didn't finish this sketch, and I don't know that I will do anything more to it.  It's just a painting of the moment and it's okay with me to leave it this way - really I do like things sort of unfinished.  Tomorrow, back to tube paints and brushes.  I drew/painted this on 10 x 8" archival canvas board.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Geisha with Her Mirror - original figurative oil painting

IT RAINED in Junction today!!!  As I painted, I listened to one of my audible.com books - Barbara Tuchman's The Proud Tower -  and although it's a great book, when the rain began, I just had to turn it off so I could listen!  It was such a thrill - even the thunder was beautiful!
Thank you so much for stopping by - I'm always a delighted to see you here!  Oh, and the painting is 14 x 11".  Sold

The Model Looking Up - original oil portrait painting

For this one, I perched on a stool, looked down at the model as she sat on floor pillows, and painted fairly quickly, which is why - from the chin down - it's pretty sketchy.  It was a difficult pose for the model to hold and I was trying to make it as easy as possible for her.  This painting is on 10 x 8" linen on board.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

More Tango Sizzle - original oil figurative painting

This couple was so passionate and I loved watching them. I saw them dance in San Antonio; I made a tiny little sketch that would probably look crazy to anyone else, but it's my own personal art shorthand. From that sketch, I did this painting. It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord - I had such a good time painting this one! Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!  Sold

Nude with a Flowered Screen - original oil painting of a nude

In one of my painting classes from many years ago, I was kidded about loving and paying attention to backgrounds.  Well, I still love backgrounds, and screens and old wallpaper are among my favorites.  Backgrounds, plus a model - does life get any better?  At least, art life.  I initially drew the pose with vine charcoal and then came back to my studio to paint in oil, using the drawing as my guide. 

This one was done rather quickly (I timed myself to fight my overworking tendencies) on 10 x 8" stretched canvas.  I don't usually like to work on canvas when doing nudes, but this worked well, for some reason.  Maybe it's that I have more paint on the surface. 

While painting, I was listening to The Poisoner's Handbook.  It's not what you might think  when you hear the title, but about the development of forensic science in New York City by a few dedicated chemists.  This book carried me through a number of paintings and, today, I'll begin another juicy one. Thanks so much for stopping by! 

 

Orange Shawl - original oil pastel figurative painting

Since I've been extra busy and also traveling a lot, I've concentrated on oil pastels, since there's little clean-up and not a lot of supplies to tote around.  After this weekend, all that should change, at least for a little while. 
The end of summer - also the end of a time I was privileged to spend a bit more (but never enough) time with my grandchildren.  So, it's with a little sadness that I say goodbye to another summer.   
Now back to painting.  This one was done on 12 x 9" deep black Colourfix paper.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Dressing Table- original oil pastel figurative painting

Here's a 9 x 12" on Colourfix paper work in progress - one of my experiments based on a charcoal drawing from about three months ago.   Thanks for looking!

Lila With a Cap - original oil pastel portrait painting

I love Lila's attitude when she poses.  She's been one of my favorite models for years.  This was a fairly quick pose - no noodling time at all, so some things are left undone.  It's oil pastel on taupe Strathmore  403 paper, which was mentioned in Kenneth Leslie's book as a barrier paper, meaning that no oil would get through the paper.  There seems to be this fear that somehow the oil in oil pastels will destroy the support, but a different oil is used in oil pastels from that in oil paint.  In my experience, there's never been a problem with the oil seeping through, but I also don't use as much pressure on a lighter paper as I would on say, Sennelier's oil pastel paper, Colourfix, Mi-Teintes BOARD (not paper) or Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Emily - original oil pastel portrait sketch

I haven't posted in ages, because of internet problems - finally, though, it seems everything's cleared up (but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed!). 
This oil pastel is on deep black Art Spectrum Colourfix paper (12 x 9" - but the image is about 9 1/2 x 8" and because I was obsessed with her curly hair, I put it a little farther down on the page than usual to make sure I could draw all those curls.   
For some reason, I'm doing lots of oil pastels these days and trying different supports for them.   Love these experiments - you just never know when one of them is going to be successful and it does happen now and then.
It's a little bit cooler here in Texas, but just as dry and we're thinking a lot about the folks around Bastrop and all they're going through with the fires there.  We had some fires in the last week here in Kimble County, but because of all the hard work done by our dedicated firefighters, we seem to be doing okay at the moment.  Thanks guys!
Thanks so much for stopping by - great seeing you here!  PS - to see more of my oil pastels, please visit my oil pastel blog.

Mother and Child II - original oil portrait painting

This is a redo of an earlier Mother and Child and is 10 x 8" on gessoed board.  Thanks so much for looking! Sold

Bringing Tea - original oil figurative painting

 This painting is 14 x 11" on Fredrix archival canvas board.  An experiment, really, but aren't they all - at least for me!  I was in a restaurant where the servers were dressed in kimonos and the kimonos and the doors caught my eye.  I made some tiny sketches and am just doing some paintings from them.  This young woman was serving a huge gathering of people and at times, she seemed overwhelmed and a little unsure of herself.  A couple of times she paused for a second as she came through the door.  We were seated in a raised area, which provided a different perspective.

Thanks so much for dropping by Hackberry Street Studio! 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

Tango Smooch - original oil figurative dancer painting

There were probably some things I could have changed about this painting and when I'm being kind of uptight, I do make some changes.  But this time I just let it go and let it be loose and I'm happy.  Looseness is probably more accurate for portrayals of dancers, anyway.  They can sometimes be a blur because they're moving and viewers often just get an impression of movement, energy and grace.  This painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold
 

Rodeo - original oil pastel figurative painting

This weekend in Junction, Texas, there's going to be our annual summer rodeo!  It's a ranch rodeo - my favorite - and there's much excitement in the air here in our little town on the Llano River!  We have a parade on Saturday morning, and dances after the rodeo both nights.  Everyone has a wonderful time.  It's small town America at its best, so if you're anywhere near Junction on the 12th and 13th of August, come on and join us!
The painting is oil pastel on Colourfix paper, 12 x 9". 

Check out my oil pastel blog

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lexie's Embroidered Blouse - original oil pastel portrait painting

This is a repost from my oil pastel blog, The Oil Pastel Review.  It's 14 x 11" on Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by.

Beach Madonna - original oil figurative painting

Here's one of the ladies I observed at the beach in California a few weeks ago.  I debated changing the color of the umbrella - too much blue, maybe - but I love that turquoisey aqua that I use a lot, so I just had another excuse to use it.  This painting is on 10 x 8" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for looking! Sold

Beach Momma - original oil figurative painting

This young woman was busy tending to her children - sunblock, safety warnings, towels - and was in constant motion.  Maybe that's how she keeps in such good shape.  The painting is 10 x 8" on Fredrix archival panel.

As I write this, I'm sort of watching The Seven Year Itch and marveling at Tom Ewell's acting - he was such a great actor, but taken for granted, I fear, like most character actors.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  Above is a closeup of the painting.

Jive Sketch - original charcoal figurative sketch

This sketch is one that I did to include in a painting of jive dancers.  At first, I had his left leg straight, then kind of bent, as it is here.  I was looking for a more dominant position for the guy and either leg position will do.  I was pleased with his presence here and you may have noticed that he is now sporting a jacket. 
The drawing is on 6 x 6" Bristol board paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Gold Kimono - original oil pastel figurative painting

This post is coming to you from the inferno that Texas is at this moment.  At almost midnight, it's 88 degrees.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we have no more wildfires.
I saw this "pose" at a restaurant; one of those moments that stick with you.  Or me, in this case.  I love to see women in a kimono, which is such a graceful costume and I never tire of drawing them.  This oil pastel will probably turn into an oil painting, soon.  It's on Sennelier oil pastel paper and is about 8 x 5".  Thanks so much for stopping by!  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

Three Palm Trees - original landscape oil painting

This painting is SO out of my comfort zone - not a human in sight!  These are some trees I saw in California and I painted them on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Whew!  Tomorrow - people painting!  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Another Standing Pose - original charcoal nude drawing

Standing poses are my favorite, especially back poses.  There's a little mystery when her face isn't showing.  This drawing is one I did a few weeks ago, but it's posted today, because I'm working on lots of beach paintings.  This past week I was in La Jolla, CA, where I went to the beach and drew people.  It was heaven for a people-watcher like me!   This drawing is 15 x 8".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Tango Joy - original oil figurative painting

Here they are again - these happy tango dancers - and although it seems a less emotional, more fun swingy step, I notice that they're looking into each other's eyes.  I think I may actually convince my husband to sign up for tango lessons in the fall.  Or maybe he's just feigning interest - we'll see how this turns out.  In my earlier life, when I took dancing lessons, tango didn't have the meaning for me that it has today.  It was just another dance.  But now, I realize its beauty and it has captured me totally.  This painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I hope you'll drop in on my oil pastel blog, too! Sold