Papalote, Stuffed .. Pastel Paintings

We accomplished quite a bit so far today.



Gene framed the pastel painting, Stuffed, in a narrow metal frame, black. It looks nice. A photo doesn't show well with the glass so you can imagine it. :)

He also cut some masonite and foamcore for me. I'm going to use the masonite for painting with acrylics and with pastels. I bought some Colourfix grit finish to put on the boards. I will post about that and how well I like it. I use the foam core to attach paper when I paint plein air. You can use two pieces taped on one side like a folder. Attach the paper. Open it back and paint, then just fold it closed and clip it shut and you can carry it without it slipping and smearing.

I painted with pastels.


The under painting. Do you recognize it? It was the Hot Feet painting. I needed to make more changes than the paper would support. It was getting muddy. So I removed it and brushed the paper with alcohol to take away the muddy pastel. I will do the Hot Feet painting again when I have more time to work on the preliminary sketch and drawing.



This is a windmill, Papalote, from last summer when there were wildflowers and plenty of rain in New Mexico. It is pastel on Colourfix paper, dark green. 9.5 x 13.5 inches. It will be in a black frame. Most of the paintings for my show in New Mexico will be in black frames.

Now it is paperwork time. There is never enough time, but you know that already.

The great horoscope continues....

Jo's Pots
5 x 7 inches, pastel

If you read my last blog, you already know I am on my way to great things. I know because it was in my horoscope yesterday. I could hardly wait to read it today. Thanks to Holiday Mathis, my good luck continues. Because the link connects only to today, I will post it here again. Mathis gets all the credit for this horoscope:

"VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You're pushing your energy to the edge. Find a competition and enter it. Spend time with accomplished friends who inspire you. You get a rush of self-esteem from living to the limit."

I took it to heart. I painted, washed the dishes and did some other art chores. I found a competition to enter. Then I went to the Austin Pastel Society meeting/dinner to be with my accomplished friends . And now I'm feeling good about myself!

I glanced at some of the other horoscopes for today. Interesting predictions. How did yours do for you?


I also checked the "Steppin' Out New Mexico" on-line art news and they put up my article for my show on July 7 - 8, in Magdalena, New Mexico. The magazine has most art events in New Mexico. It comes out in printed form and you can pick it up in restaurants, chamber of commerce offices, art galleries, etc., around New Mexico.

The Austin Pastel dinner was the last meeting for the year. We had a barbeque and an art stuff sale. Regina bought me a watercolor sketch kit. She spent ten cents on it! I may actually use it for the Scavenger Hunts on wetcanvas.com.

I put the pastel, Jo's Pots, on my blog tonight because I just love them. We bought these flower pots years ago in La Paz, Bolivia. They are cement and so heavy. We have three sizes from about 2 feet to 4 feet tall. When they are sitting in the yard and you catch a glimpse of them, they could be ladies sitting there with their babies on their backs, chatting and waiting for the bus. The women in Bolivia are so patient. Transportation is so limited that they walk many miles to take care of their children and homes. On boliviaweb.com you can look at photos, listen to music, send postcards and buy artifacts and food items. Fun! I have a Bolivia page on my website if you want to take a look.

Free pass to procrastinate....

Doubled Up
Pastel, 5 x 7 inches
for Show at Peppers

Well .... I am so far behind in getting ready to go to New Mexico. So many deadlines, painting, publicity stuff, packing, cleaning, trips to Austin, picking up art .... arghh.

But the solution arrived in the form of my horoscope today by Holiday Mathis. In case the link disappears, I'm posting it here. Thank you, Holiday Mathis! Maggie and Leslie, eat your hearts out. Or are you a Virgo, Maggie? Hmmmm.

"VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You can sustain a level of high production by doing absolutely nothing now. You nestle into your own silent power, readying yourself for a time in the near future when you'll fly from this situation."

I'm sitting back, putting up the feet, and waiting....... :) How about that for a plan?

Happy Blog Anniversary to Jeanne!

Jeanne Grant has been posting for a year now, nearly the same amount of time and close to the birthday of my blog. I chose to call it a birthday as it seems to have just taken on its own life. Anyway, I degress. Jeanne has been diligently working on her sketching and posting throughout the year. Her art and drawing skills are much improved. What an accomplishment! I "met" her on the wetcanvas.com Scavenger Hunts and have enjoyed her quirky lists when she is host of the Hunt. She was the host of Scavenger Hunt #43 , you can check her list there. Jeanne leads a very busy life and has to make time for art. I applaud her efforts. She inspires me when I get lazy about pushing on in my quest to do better. Thanks, Jeanne.

Golf with Larry, Shadow Glen

Larry, Gene and I went golfing for Father's Day to Shadow Glen in Manor, Texas. A nice surprise. I expected flat and uninteresting. From the highway you see #16 and it is pretty much a links looking hole, long, bumpy, flat and tall grass.


This is the Clubhouse, you drop off your clubs out front. No carts in the parking lot. It was inexpensive as golf goes so that was nice.


We should have known from the putting green that we were in for sloping greens and trouble. This is Larry putting with the ball coming back to him after almost going in the hole. Automatic ball return!!

Larry's swing as we get down the course a few holes.

Larry in the rough. Can you see him swinging or at least his head and club?

Gene in his cart ahead of us. Look at all the bunkers, slope, narrow fairway, etc. This course is not easy. I quit keeping score on about hole #3.

A very interesting course. We had a great day. Larry won of course. We will have to try it again sometime. We were talking yesterday about how hard the Oakmont Course in Pennsylvania was for the U.S. Open. Gene said we should try to play it sometime. It is said to be the hardest course in the U.S. Joanna laughed and said we would be putting back and forth across the greens four or five times if we ever got to the greens. I felt that way today. Sigh.

Father's Day

My father was born in 1900 and died in 1980. He was one of the last authentic cowboys, I think. He kept working and riding until early that year. He worked for someone else for minimum pay and board. He usually had his own horse and gear, but was a hired hand. His grandmother was Mexican and grandfather was German. He spoke Spanish, but no German. The family only spoke German and Spanish, but when World War I was in the makings, his father changed the spelling on the name from Knoblauch to Knoblock and said there would be no more German spoken in the family. His first paying job was a cook on a cattle drive at 18 years of age. He was always a good cook, oh the sourdough biscuits and steaks in a dutch oven! He was an electrician, mechanic, gardener, cook, gardener, fence builder, handy man, veterinarian, and horse shoer because as a cowboy, he had to do all those things and more. He had a great memory and could tell many stories. He drank too much and loved to party. He got rich and handsome when he drank. He would go to a dance and throw his hat in the door, said if it didn't come back, he was still welcome. He would go in and holler, "I didn't come to stay, I came to play." I'm not sure how my mother put up with him for 58 years or so. His paying jobs included cowboy, Justice of the Peace/Marshall, Water Commissioner, gas station owner and coal miner. Probably more that I didn't know about. He only spanked me once, for lying. He let us all do pretty much as we pleased as long as we respected everyone and did the right things. The five of us were pretty independent because of that. Both Dad and Mom were supportive of us. Everything we accomplished was great in their eyes. You can read more about them on my web page.


Here he is in 1976 at the Criswall ranch on OrpHan with Snip his cowdog. My mom put on the back of the photo, "Dutch, Orphan and Snip, Ready to go". Orphan was a very tall horse and he taught him to stretch out and lower his shoulders for mounting, a lazy mans way. :)


Here is a painting I did of them in 1978, still at the Criswall. One of my first oil paintings.


Another of my Dad and son, David, called Grandad's Boost. One of my first sales here in Bastrop. I still have to paint another for David!



This is Gene, my husband, doing his Father's Day thing a few years ago. He continues to cook and has a brisket going as we speak. The kids should be out in an hour and a half or so and we will eat and have a nice day. It is rainy, so no golf today, but tomorrow with Larry should work out! Joanna used to play with us, so we would go out on Father's Day. Jennie would put on her Walkman (pre iPod) and go with us, begrudgingly. :) Some good memories here.

Happy Father's Day to all of you dads!