Jitterbugs All Over Again - original oil pastel figurative painting of dancers

Those crazy jitterbugs are at it again on 12 x 16" Pastelbord.   I danced with them while I drew and I'm worn out - it's off to bed for me.  Thanks for stopping by! Sold

Bullrider - original oil figurative rodeo painting

I drew this bullrider when he was close to falling off, but he rectified the situation by getting his feet in a better position - up closer to the bull's head - and staying on for the eight seconds that must seem like an eternity at the least.  This oil painting is available at Artworks in Austin, Texas.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lexie's Summer - original charcoal portrait drawing

This was drawn about midsummer, when the boredom sets in.  Remember when summer went on forever?  I loved it - even if I didn't have anything to do sometimes.  Now time flies by, but Lexie hasn't gotten to the age where it just zooms along. 
I began drawing this from life - she is a wonderful model and can hold a pose amazingly well for a young girl - then finished from some quick sketches, plus a photo.  I kept it kind of loose and sketchy, but I'm pleased with the likeness.  This drawing is about 20 x 16" on Stonehenge paper.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  See what's new on my oil pastel blog!

Another Nude on Green - original oil pastel nude painting

Another favorite art pastime - nudes drawn quickly and without much thinking and analyzing.  I LOVE painting this way - it just makes my heart sing!  A dab of color here, a line there - it probably sounds haphazard and, of course, not everything turns out the way I'd like - but

it's still a real joy.  This painting is on 5 x 7" grey Pastelbord.   Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

Bronc Rider - original figurative oil painting

Here's one of my rodeo paintings - 10 x 8" on archival canvas panel, which is a favorite surface of mine for country/western artworks.   This piece is available at Artworks in Austin, Texas.  Thanks so much for stopping by and please check out my oil pastel blog, The Oil Pastel Review.

Waiting Again - original oil figurative painting

You can probably tell that this is quickly done, and although I did it with brushes rather than paint sticks, it's pretty juicy.  Painted while listening to a mystery - love mysteries, love painting - an altogether great day - I hope your day was a good one, too!  It's 6 x 6" on Gessobord.  Check out my oil pastel blog.

Crazy Little Boogie Woogie - original oil figurative painting

 

Here's a version of last night's charcoal drawing, done with oil sticks  - not oil pastels.  They're  unavailable in oil pastel sizes, so it's really difficult to be exact unless you sharpen them.  R&F sticks are soft, so that would be difficult.  They're not only soft - they're luscious beyond belief and a real pleasure to use.  I also use Winsor & Newton and Sennelier, but my faves are the R&F; I've been meaning to try Shiva, too, but just haven't gotten around to it.  Oil sticks harden just like oil paint because they really are oil paint in stick form.
Since the sticks are pretty big (and these are the small sizes) I simply aimed for the general vicinity of the place I wanted to make a mark and let whatever happened, just happen.   If, like me, you love to draw, give the oil sticks a try.  I am such a drawing enthusiast that I try to use all kinds of different drawing media and right now, I'm big on oil sticks!
The painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Boogie Woogie Sketch - original charcoal drawing of dancers

This one - even though it's only about 8 x 8" - took me so much time to get to the point of hearing their feet as they drummed on the floor.  I played boogie woogie music 'til I could get his left leg the way I wanted.  Drawing dancers is something I could do all day long.  And, heck, some days that's just what I do.  Love it!  This sketch is on Strathmore Bristol board paper.  Thanks so much for looking!

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

Three Figures Dancing - original charcoal drawing of nudes

Here's a quickly drawn group of nudes with lots of restating.  I'm a big fan of that and when I teach figure drawing classes, I have students put away their erasers.  Kind of messy, but I find it instructive, although I do make a few passes with a kneaded eraser.  This is drawn with vine charcoal on Strathmore 400 Drawing paper, 11 x 14".  Thanks for stopping by!

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 Tiny Jive - original oil figurative painting

It's been awhile, but I'm back and am hoping all of you are having a wonderful start to the New Year!   This painting is on 5 x 5" Gessobord.  I could say that I've found a fabulous cosmic satisfaction in painting even smaller, but the truth of the matter is that I found some great sale prices on 4 x 4" and 5 x 5" Gessobord at Herweck's in San Antonio, Texas, not long ago, and I'm loving these very small supports.  They're fun!  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Sold

Bailora - original oil figurative painting of Flamenco dancer

Merry Christmas y'all!  No matter the weather outside, may you be cozy and warm and surrounded by family and friends on this special day.  Thank you for dropping by my blog.  PS.  this painting is oil on 18 x 12" stretched canvas.

A Bit of Holly - original oil pastel portrait drawing/painting

Here's a little Christmasy piece - the hat is boiled wool, I think, and the model pinned the little holly sprig to it.  This is another quick drawing - not fussed over at all.  It's done on Sennelier 12 x 9" oil pastel paper and the actual drawing is about 9 x 7".  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Waiting - original oil pastel portrait painting

This painting is oil pastel on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tiny Jive - original figurative small format oil painting

Here's a little 4 x 4" painting on Gessobord.  Much fun to paint.  Thanks for looking! Sold

Three Evening Nudes - original ink drawings of nudes

Three more nudes, from two different sessions, on 9 x 12" Bristol board paper.  Thanks for looking! Sold

Evening Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude model

This nude, which I drew in a 20 minute pose over a failed drawing and which I chose not to really "finish" was done in an evening life drawing group.  Those groups are getting harder to find, so I'm thrilled when I can drop in at one of them.  As for working over a drawing that didn't make the cut, I think that it sometimes lends a certain charm to an artwork.  I had a painting teacher once who said that you should leave a little of your previous stroke when you make a change to your work - just to show what you had been thinking earlier.  Maybe this isn't exactly what she had in mind (a new drawing over the erasure of an old one) but close, I think.  It's done on 14 x 11" Strathmore 400 drawing paper, using vine charcoal and General's charcoal pencils.  If you would like to contact me about this drawing, please click the "Contact Me" button to the right of this post.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Nude Model - original oil pastel painting of a nude

This nude painting is done on 7 x 5" on Pastelbord - that marvelous surface for oil pastel - and was done quickly without lots of attention to detail.  That's my favorite thing, you know.

I love this time of year, sitting here listening to Christmas music - right now, Andrea Bocelli's Christmas album is playing.  Beautiful!  

I hope all is well with you and thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Another Barrel Racer - original oil pastel figurative painting

Here's another rodeo drawing/painting done from one of my squiggly drawings.  It's on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  I love rodeos where the women get a chance to show their skill at barrel racing.  Those cowgirls and their horses are really something. Thanks for stopping by!

Almost There - original oil figurative rodeo painting of barrel racer

This 7 x 5" painting on Gessobord was done from a sketch that I did at a rodeo.  The drawing is mostly squiggles that only I can understand - my own little shorthand - and is so much easier for me to work from than a photo.  Every time I've tried to take an "action" shot, it's the second after the main event.  Not much of a photographer am I.  Hence, my drawings are my favorites to provide the basis for my paintings.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Reading the Menu - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel painting is 5 x 7" on Pastelbord.  I went a little crazy with the orange.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sketch of the Model with a Fan - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a quick sketch of the model on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  I love these little Pastelbords for sketching with my oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by - have a great week!

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!

Scootin' - original oil figurative painting of country dancers

This cowboy is taking a really long step, but he aims to get himself and his little lady across the floor pronto. 
Many of my youthful hours were spent in this kind of entertainment.  Back then, it was not very mainstream, but now country dancing has become quite popular. 
I loved going to the dance hall on Saturday nights - not only because I wasn't supposed to, which made it so tempting - but because I could soak up the surroundings, the people, the atmosphere, and the music.  It's all burned into my brain and I often paint these experiences. There are a couple of larger country dancers paintings that need to be finished and I hope to get that done in December.
Scootin' is painted on 7 x 5" Ampersand Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

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.