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.

Still learning...art and blogging!

If I don't try to use this site often I will forget everything in no time at all!  So, these images are an original plein air painting I completed in September and a larger painting started in mid-November as a demonstration for Citizens for Sensible Growth, an organization in Reno, using the plein air piece as my reference material.  Because of the questions from a group of observers (mostly artist friends who heckIed), I was unable to finish the larger painting and it was laid aside until this weekend. I retrieved it and put on the finishing touches.  

Oil on canvas panel, 6X8

The original plein air piece was painted on a hot September afternoon.

"Dog Days of Summer", oil on linen panel, 12 X16. 

This painting makes the water level in the Carson River appear abundant, but in fact this is a lower area that collects what little water there is.  If you were to walk across the river at this point you might get your ankles wet.

not sure of this!!!

My artist friend, Ida from Dutch Valley, has been trying to get me to do this for several months.  With her help, I have created this blog, and  I'm now ready to share my art with whomever.  I have enjoyed doing art since very early childhood.  My favorite subjects are the Nevada landscapes and it's people.  I paint each week with the Portrait Society of Reno and try to do at least one plein air painting each week.   Here are some of my recent works. 

Brunswick Gold is along Carson River East of Carson City, studio painting from a plein air. 12X24, oil on canvas.

Hobo Hotsprings (above) is south of Carson City and was painted later on the same day, and in the same area, as Misty Autumn Morning (right) both are plein air, oil on linen panel, 11X14.

  

Mikel's Horses, oil on canvas, 12 X 24, is a commissioned piece of mustanges near Virginia City.