Heeding Harley Brown's advice

I've been busy painting several pictures of mustangs (from photos of local heards) which I hope to enter in a show this July in Rock Springs, Wyoming.  I've also just reread three of Harley Brown's books and was inspired to do a pastel at the Reno Portrait Society yesterday.  Above is Kacey, completed using only the greens in my Nu-Pastel set, as a tribute to St. Patrick.  I enjoyed trying something different and stretched my brain at the same time.

Here are my most recent paintings.  On the right is an octagonal building, one of several buildings on the property, which were once  used for rearing chickens, but are now abandoned. My artist friend, Ida, was able to get us on the property, as she often does because of her many many contacts in the area (and I'm always greatful for her efforts). The colors are very much a typical winter day in the valley.  This is a plein aire painting (8 X 10 oil on linen panel), except for some of the tree limbs  and some of the lighter passages on the front of the building, which were finished in the studio.  The day was overcast with high thin clouds and an occasional spot of sun.  I attempted to capture to the sun each time it peek out.
The other is a small (9 X 12 oil on linen panel) completed in the studio, from a photograph taken in August, 2009.  We've had an unusual number of gray days this winter and I was longing for a bright Nevada sky to paint.  However, we have had several years of drought conditions and need the water (via the Sierra snow pack), so I'll gratefully accept God's blessing of the moisture and look forward to painting those bright blue skies in a few months.

Finally Back Painting

I've been back from the Elko show for a couple of weeks but have not been able to paint with any consistancy, except with the Portrait Society; below are my last two paintings.  Christa and Frank are both painted in oil on a sheet of linen 20 X 16.  Christa was our model two weeks ago and Frank modeled earlier today.  Each week I wish we could paint longer than the three hours, but I suspose the models are happy to see the session end since they are not professionals.  I do appreciate their willingness to pose!

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.

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.