Bullrider Sketch - original charcoal figurative rodeo sketch

You're whispering "what's wrong with her - posting something like that".  No need to whisper - it's okay.  This is a sketch that I did from life at the local rodeo this past summer.  The back end of the bull doesn't really show well, but it's there.  Just thought I'd show one of the things that I work from.  Probably only I can understand this shorthand scribble, but it will become a painting one of these days.  I always think I can 'feel' the subject better if I draw it, than if I take a photo, even though I did take a bunch of photos that night.  Thanks for looking and do check out my oil pastel blog.

Watercolor Jivers - original watercolor and graphite figurative painting

Okay, it looks like I was just totally goofing off, but my jivers like to show up in any medium, so this time they danced on Yupo for the unbridled fun of it.  This little painting is about 4 1/2 x 10".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Bow in Her Hair - original graphite pencil portrait drawing

This drawing began from life, but, alas, what young person wants to sit for a portrait - not many.  And I tried letting her watch a movie while I drew, but the pose kept changing, so - thank goodness for cameras!  You know, of course, that I'm not much of a photographer, but I did the best I could, and here we are - 11 x 14" on Borden and Riley Paris paper for pens.  I love that slick surface for drawing.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Ballet Dancer - original oil figurative painting in progress

So much work to do here, and in the end, I may just toss it.  But even if it doesn't survive, I will have learned a lot.  This is from a drawing - really a gesture drawing, but maybe that'll be all I'll need.  The background in the sketch was just an indication of what was in the studio where we were drawing.  I may lose the pink in the background or really really tone it down.   On 12 x 9" panel.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Thursday's Model - original oil pastel drawing of a nude

 

Using carton board, I started this drawing with Crayolas, but decided I needed a little more 'oomph', so went for my wonderful Sennelier oil pastels.  They never disappoint.  It's on 12 x 9" carton, but I cropped it - in the photo only - to about 11 x 5".  Thanks for stopping by!

Over a Glass of Wine - original oil pastel figurative painting

For a teetotaler, I sure do like the bar scenes.  I just cannot resist the interaction between people, especially between men and women.  This was a quick sketch and there are things that could be changed (corrected?) but I just don't want to lose the "in the moment" feel that I think it has.  It's painted on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  Thank you so much for dropping by!  Also, if you have time, please check out my oil pastel blog.

Sweet Thing - original charcoal portrait drawing w/touches of sanguine

Just got some new drawing papers - I'm a paper fiend - I love all kinds of paper!  And this is one of the pieces - it's Stonehenge, one of my very favorite manufacturers.  This kraft color is new for me.  I also got light blue - drool - plus some of my usual colors.  This drawing is about 14 x 10".  Thanks so much for stopping by and please visit my oil pastel blog.

Geisha with a Fan II - original oil figurative painting

This painting is 10 x 8" on archival canvas panel and is much more abstract and softer than I usually like to do, but I didn't have anything else to post, so here's today's effort.  Since it was done quickly, I left the background, and, hey, some of the foreground, kind of unfinished.  I like 'unfinished', usually, but when I started this one - which I did from a drawing from life - I had a different intention.  It was supposed to be more detailed, but you know how it is, sometimes the painting sort of tells you it's time to stop.  Although, more often, it doesn't tell me anything and I end up killing the painting.  Sigh.  Will I ever get it just right?  I sure hope so!  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Lexie Sleeping - original oil figurative painting

Sleeping poses are some of my favorites.  The model often does go to sleep, which makes it perfect for both of us.  The model dreams sweet dreams while I paint happily.   This painting is 10 x 8" on Gessobord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Last Dance - original oil figurative painting

I hope this painting captures the last dance of the evening - made no corrections and just let the brush do its own thing.  It's on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks for looking!  Sold

Sweet Jive - original charcoal figurative drawing of dancers

This drawing is set to become a painting (oil on canvas or panel).  I don't always do this, but the painting usually goes a little quicker when I have a plan of sorts.  Plus, I just love using my vine charcoal - this time, it's Coates brand - to squiggle my dancers into being.  (They're always there, of course, but I give them a little nudge.)   Drawn on Strathmore Drawing paper, it's about 10 1/2 x 8 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

Woman in a Blue Dress - original watermedia figurative painting

This quick little painting is one of those fooling around things that often seem to go right.  So much nicer than working on something for hours, then having to throw it away, like I did the day before yesterday!  I listened to Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder while I did a bunch of these smallish watercolor sticks/watercolor on Yupo paintings.  So much fun to listen to music I love, while doing pieces that I totally enjoy. This one is 9 x 6".  Thanks for stopping by my blog! Sold

Jivin' Their Way - original oil figurative painting

I really loved doing this one - well, of course, I have fun with every single one of my jivers, but this one, especially.  Maybe it's because I sense their joy. The painting's not dry yet, so is a little fuzzy-looking in the photo.  "Jivin' Their Way" is on 8 x 8" archival canvas panel.  Thanks so much for stopping by! SOLD

Those Crazy Jivers - original oil figurative painting

Those crazy jivers are at it again - oh well, it's a holiday weekend.  Thanks for stopping by - have a good Labor Day!  Oh, almost forgot - it's on 7 x 5" Gessobord.

WIP Hearing the Rumors - original oil pastel portrait painting

I've been wanting to do a painting of a woman who hears the whispers of the people behind her (and the whispers are about her).  This is a little sketch for something larger.  At 12 x 9", there's not enough room to include the gossips in back of the model, so I was just forming an idea for a bigger work.  Maybe.  Sometimes when I do a small, sort of preparatory thing, that's the end of it - but the ideas of gossip and rumor are of interest to me - not in a good way, but because of the insecurity and worry they cause.  
I began this months ago and pretty much forgot about it.   It was just a mass of lines in greens and red and black and, being a line person, part of me wishes I had kept it, but it was my shorthand and meant nothing to anyone but me.  So I got busy and made it meatier.  On Colourfix Spectrum paper.  Thanks for looking!

Saturday Jive - original oil pastel figurative painting

A fun little thing that I loved doing - it's about 11 1/2 x 19" on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper - a delicious concoction and perfectly gritty for oil pastels.  Saturdays were always fun when I was young and this is a little tribute to Saturday nights.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Sold

Tango Practice - original charcoal figurative drawing

I've been away on a late summer visit and have missed blogging, but am back at Hackberry Street Studio and drawing and painting like mad!  Here's a 16 x 20" charcoal drawing with touches of white - kind of a doodle while exploring different tango poses and steps.  Although, owing to my great - not!!! - skills as a photographer, it looks like a gray background, it's really a light green - one of the Canson Mi-Teintes boards that are just wonderful.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Another Torch Singer - original oil pastel figurative painting

I have a thing for torch singers and am trying out poses for them.  This drawing/painting is done with mostly Senneliers on 15 x 16" Canson Mi-Teintes board, which seems to keep the drawing loose.
My wonderful assistant, Roger, was sprayed by a skunk an hour or so ago.  Ugh!  I've been outside trying to get the peroxide/baking soda/dish detergent to work a miracle.  But time always seems to work the best, unfortunately.  So, even though he's locked up on the porch, the whole house smells like skunk - not the sort of far-off skunk smell, but the in-your-face skunk smell, which is pretty nasty. 
I guess Roger won't be assisting me for awhile.  Thanks for stopping by!

Chatting at the Bar - original oil figurative painting

I was mainly obsessed with the woman's red hair and the way she was looking up at the man.  Snoopy me, watching and sketching.  I'm always wondering whether to abstract the bottles or make them more distinct - this time, I didn't abstract them so much, but may do it, yet.  This painting is on 12 x 9" panel - thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Tango in Shades of Gray - original charcoal figurative drawing

I was trying out the new toned gray paper from Strathmore and here's what I came up with.  I really like the paper, but for me, it takes some getting used to.  I keep trying to erase with my kneaded eraser and get the white back, but there's only gray.  But that's just fine, because I have my trusty white charcoal and it's beautiful to run the white charcoal across the black to make lovely grays. Any other ideas for using this paper?  I like to hear them!  This drawing is 12 x 9".   Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - original oil portrait painting in progress

Much to do - the corsage, temperature, light, etc. etc. - but will be working on it again in a day or two - 12 x 9" on gessoed board.  Thanks for looking!

And More Country Lovers - original figurative oil painting

More brushwork, much fun - 6 x 6"on  Gessobord.   Thanks so much for visiting!

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

Nita Sleeping - original charcoal figurative drawing

I love to do sleeping poses, especially when the model actually goes to sleep.  This pose didn't last nearly long enough to suit me, but I guess I accomplished the general idea.  It's done with vine charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper and is about 10 x 10".  Has anyone out there used carbon paper for drawing, lately - or ever?  Not long ago, I visited a drawing show where one of the pieces was done using carbon paper.  I guess it actually works like a monotype, but much less messy.  Anyway, I'm about to find out and am really excited.  I love to make monotypes by putting the paper over the inked plate and drawing.  Now that I think about it, I guess the carbon paper won't be exactly like that, but close enough and should be fun.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sassy Jive - original oil figurative painting

I enjoyed painting the arm position of the woman - hence the word "sassy" in the title.  It's oil on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

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 oil figurative painting

I know this 6 x 6" painting is similar to another of my two step paintings, (which is currently at Artworks) but I always love it when they're cuddled up like this couple.  Sweet to watch - and to paint.  While doing this painting, plus working on three others, I listened to the late, great Roy Orbison, the inimitable Jerry Lee Lewis and the fabulous young musician, Andy Leftwich.  What a great afternoon!  Thanks for stopping by!

The Model's Tea - original oil figurative painting

Where have I been?  Experimenting.  Thinking of new ways of doing things - this is definitely not one of them, but maybe I'll share a few of my experiments next week or so.  They're not earthshaking or anything like that, and also not new techniques, but not the usual for me.  They're more me, though, than what I'm doing now. 
I painted this one while listening on audible.com to An Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson.   Powerful!  And I especially love it because he reads the book himself on audible.  That doesn't always work, but it does here. 
Back to the painting it's 11 x 14" on archival canvas panel.  Thanks for looking!

Maggie - work in progress - original oil portrait painting

More to do, especially with some of the values.  Anyway, here's today's offering - 14 x 11 - thanks so much for stopping by!

Lila's Gaze - original oil pastel portrait painting

This painting began as a life drawing, but the model couldn't stay, so I took a photo, which isn't nearly as much fun as drawing from life, but you take what you can get when it comes to posing.  I did this one on a piece of Mi-Teintes board, which I love, and the drawing started out wild and crazy, with colors here and there, but then got a little more traditional - with more local color.  It's such a total pleasure to work - especially with the Senneliers - on Mi-Teintes board.  Love the texture!  And it comes in such beautiful colors, just like the Mi-Teintes paper.   This piece is about 16 x 12".  Thanks so much for stopping by!  And if you have a minute, please check out my oil pastel blog.