Two good days

I was able to spend an afternoon in the foothills of the Sierra last Thursday, which is always refreshing.  Being able to paint in such a place makes me remember just how blessed I am to live here.  This painting was about 90% complete in an hour and a half, when we lost our light (poor planning on my part).  I finished it at home.  This is an oil on an 8X10 linen panel.

This morning I again enjoyed a great painting day at the Portrait Society of Reno.  Our model this morning was Gene, a local professional photographer and jazz musician.  Gene posed for three hours with one of his horns.  One of the other artists commented on the difficulty of painting the hands.  I suggested that if one painted slower, one wouldn't have to attempt the hands...this is oil on a 16 X 20 sheet of linen.  

Portrait society of Reno

Today was another great day at the portrait society in Reno.  The society has been around for about 53 years and there is a wonderful group that paints each Wednesday.  We currently meet at Nevada Fine Arts on S. Virginia St.  Our model "acquisition" specialist has a real knack for arranging models.  Today we painted Elizabeth in a period costume (1880s dress complete with bustle and long train) with jewelry and feather fan.  This is a three-hour study in oil on a 16 X 20 piece of canvas, toned with a blue/gray.  I normally paint just a bust of the model but today I wanted to include some of the custome.  The model's hands are resting on a draped pedestal.

Cowboy Poetry Gathering

Now that the holidays are over and things are slowing down, I'm trying to focus on getting ready for the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko.  I will be at the High Desert Art Show the last weekend of January.  I've been showing there for a number of years and always enjoy visiting the other artists and meeting the guests that attend the many functions. 

I enjoy drawing, (my parents used to hear from school officials for the renderings in the margins of my books) but I often neglect that simple pleasure.  Despite needing to focus on Elko, yesterday I retrieved some snapshots of two Northern Nevada buckaroos that visit my booth each year at the Buckaroo Heritage Western Art Roundup in Winnemucca (you can tell that I'm well travelled) and completed these two quick pencil sketches.  The bearded buckaroo is Oakie Reeves who has been a Great Basin figure for many years.  His friend, Juan, is dressed in authenic vaquero clothing (so he tells me).  Happy New Year to all.