Have a great New Year upcoming..

This is my last painting of this year. Have another one started. It is a portrait of a great kid, taking me time to figure out just how to get it right. That's what it's all about, practice and more practice. Think I still like portraits best but occasionally do a landscape to rest the old eyes and do a more relaxed painting.. altho, I love the challange of the portraits.. I hope you all have a wonderful and happy New Year.. This scene is West of Austin in the hill country area.. gorgeous scenery and good hiking.. watch out for creepy crawlers and striking ones too..:) I don't really think landscapes are my forte, if indeed there is a forte.. oh well, it is for relaxing and enjoying.. and that is after all, the main purpose..

I did complete another before the year is gone.. maybe one more???

This is an oil of a greatgrannie and her new sweetie.. such tender moments..:)

Maybe the last 2010 painting...?? maybe not..:)

I just finished this portrait of a sweet young man.. have another started, will see if I get it done this year.. all of you have a wonderful new year upcoming.. hope for lots more art, joy and peace and happiness for us all..

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving to you all..

I think I am trying to get back to painting more once again.. Had a wonderful email about a woman, Kaziah Hancock, that paints fallen soldiers... What a great, albiet tragic tribute.. I have a friend that just lost a loved one on the police force.. Kaziah's email inspired me to do a painting of him. You will see it below.. Can you believe another year is gone, happy painting and a fulfilling life to you all for the coming year..

Tribute to a Fallen Officer...

This man served his country by being a police officer. He was shot and killed several weeks ago, heart breaking for those that knew him. This painting is a small token of appreciation for his family.

Greetings, August is about gone.. did some traveling, gotta get back at it....

This is a painting I entered in the art league's 4th annual Fantasy Show.. theme of this show was figures of speech... can you guess my title??? try, STARVING ARTIST.....:) didn't win anything, but was fun coming up w/ ideas, had 52 entries and no duplications... pretty imaginative I think.

Hi, the month of June has been busy, busy.. not much painting done though.. will be scanty for a time:)

these are two oils I finished in June, trying to get some painting in.. trying new things. the camping pic I used a palate knife on some of it, trying to loosen up the effect. the baby I did on unprimed hardboard, found that the oil soaks in a lot.. like the effect of the look though.. think I will keep playing with different ideas with no specific goal in mind for now, just to play, enjoy and keep painting.. see what comes with July..:)

Where did the month of May go???

I can't believe this month is about over. We have been getting ready for the arrival of a greatgrand.. the summer may get by us before I get back to this site and get some painting done. Hope you all had a beautiful Memorial Weekend and remembered our men and women that fought for our freedom.. we are very blessed and thank them profusely. I will get back here when things settle down, until then have a great and happy, peaceful summer.

More paintings for April... has been such a pretty month...:)

Here is a bit of variety, the island sunset; pretty young lady by the lake shore and a little Ms Thang.... she so loved dressing up with all the goodies she could find..:)

This lady has a fun gallery to check out..

She paints also and has a little gallery in her home, very interesting to browse through....

One of Our Art Leaguers...

This man does beautiful torso casts.. and pottery....

Two more gals I volunteer with..

This is a mom-daughter team that help out others.. I like taking pictures of my paintings, it helps me see where I need to improve. These paintings show me to learn more about hair detail. Hopefully, we will see progress in this area in the future.. The spring weather is so delightful recently, only wish it could go on and on......:)

Cowpoke, Devon... he's a handsome one..

this is a young horseman, handsome one for sure...

here is a young swimmer in his wet suit..

This is Jess, he and his brother are handsome youngsters.... enjoyed painting them.

Greetings on a beautiful, sunny day...

this shows the steps I take in painting .. I use a thinned down mixture of generally umber or sienna w/ a medium brush, depending on the size canvas. I block in colors 2nd, then tweek details and let it dry somewhat, tweek somemore, fill in back ground complimentary to the painting or related to the photo .. like a sandy background behind this young man. when it is dry I spray varnish it for a low luster look. Lots of painters don't date their paintings, but I prefer to for myself..

Two wonderful young women, I volunteer where they work.. and two young sailors... they were fun to paint, thought of their mama when she was little.

what can I say? these are wonderful, young women working for a great cause..:) and the two little brothers look like they could be up to something..:) I think for my next painting, just to make it more interesting for us, I will take pictures in stages... from the messy underpainting forward.. then you can see the steps I take..

here's one I did last week, meant to get it in February's timeslot, oh well, she was fun to paint..

Here is a lady that still teaches art to groups.. us included..:) You can see by looking at her, she's a pleasant lady..:)

February is almost over... can't catch time...:) here are somemore gal friends we paint with.. plus one unusual snowy yard in Northeast TX..

Here is a 6" snowfall result in a friend's backyard in TX.. fun!!!

This is Terrie and her pretty red hair...:)

These gals are starting new watercolors at a class for fun... I took random pictures as stated before, and am having fun practicing on different positions... good exercises I think.. hope you enjoy them:)

Some of the SOAL gals, more to come...

Ok, I did sneak in a landscape... is a larger, more 'meadowy' version of an earlier, 'deserty' painting I did.

I am practicing on the art league gals, random shots to try different circumstances of face positioning... what do you think?? keep trying faces, which I love... or do occasional landscapes, which I like..? I guess variety is the spice of life, will try to do new things... may discover something new and always learn.. have a great day!

and here is the 3rd painting, just completed..

pretty little snow princess.... her name is Maggie...

3 just finished paintings.. oils...

these two young men are twins, so I took pictures from different angles and to me, they look alike.. so I must have captured them pretty well...

Here is a tired cowboy, actually, just a tired pal..:)

This is a special bud of mine... been married to him for 34 years, patient man..:)

Finally, am back to painting again.....:)

The 2 youngsters are great grands, how time flies.. hard to keep up with progress....:)

The rainbarrel is a Master Gardener project, thought the stylized windmill was appropriate..:)

Since it is dreary weather around the nation, how about some bright colors today.. I appreciate those who have commented, please continue to do so, I am new at this and if you can offer assistance to responding, please do so.. I thank you vert much.... here are 3 projects completed in January 2010, Happy New Year to you all...:)