Reception Austin Pastel Society, San Marcos, Texas

**Reposting November 15, 2007, to add the People's Choice award. I received this e-mail from Jan Weaver:

"I am pleased to announce the Mary Beth Martin won People's Choice with
her painting "Springbok #2". Congratulations Mary Beth!!"


The opening reception in San Marcos on November 9 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 pm was very nice. Linda Kelsey Jones and the staff at the Activity Center did a great job. The food was great and there was a welcoming atmosphere. (Note at the bottom added Nov. 11)

I took a few photos. None are great, using a flash at an angle to avoid glares. But, that is the story of pastel paintings. Joanna took some photos as well, so we shall see some of them later. She is a great photographer. Gene and I went from home and met Joanna at the reception. We went to dinner at a nice restaurant, Palmer's, afterwards. Dinner was very nice as well.
The poster from the show with the Best of Show painting on it, "Almost Morning" by Sherry Fields.



My "Tiendita de Chile" and "Full of Hot Air", which won an honorable mention. Hooray! More info about these paintings and better photos here.



The winners "Warm Morning Light" by Jeannette Cuevas and "Almost Morning" by Sherry Fields.



Rosanne "Rosie" Floyd and her painting, Out of the Rocks. Rosie is an artist I first met here in Bastrop. She lives in Austin now, so I don't see her very often.




Regina Calton Burchett's painting, "Texas Sunset #3". You can see a better photo on Regina's page.




Susan Carlin's, Flying Cowgirl and Bake me a Cake, on either end. S'zanne Reynolds', Storm Over Ghost Ranch in the middle.

Char Eppright's "Girl with Flower" on the left, Susan's "Water Garden" center and Carolyn Kilday's "Orange Poppies" and "Poppy Mix".



Then Rosie's "A Muscian's Road" and my "Stuffed" hanging over the door. I wouldn't have seen them there, but Joanna noticed the odd placement of these two paintings. I think they should have staggered them like the Poppies instead of hanging them there. Strange, right?

The show will be hanging in San Marcos until January 4, 2008, so if you get a chance go by and see it. Hours and more info here on my web page. There are 88 paintings on display so the hallway gallery looks very colorful. The artwork is varied in technique and subject matter. Very interesting to see and most of the artwork is for sale. Additional information about the Austin Pastel Society on the official website.

Note on November 11,
I received a list of the ribbon recipients this morning from Jan Weaver, show chairman. She did a great job with the organization and lugging others paintings to San Marcos. :)

She said:

Congratulations to everyone who entered the Fall Show.

Special recognition to the following:

Best of Show- Sherry Fields-"Almost Morning"

First in Show- Jeanette Cuevas-"Warm Morning Light"
Second in Show- Sue Wiley-"Yellow Beard"
Third in Show- Britta Herzog-"California Sunset"

First in Landscape- Mary Lopez- "Yucca Garden"
Second in Landscape- Rosie Floyd- "Out of the Rocks"
Third in Landscape- Sonja Kever- "River Steps"

First in Portrait- Susan Carlin- "Flying Cowgirl"
Second in Portrait- Kathy Gray- "Rhayven"
Third in Portrait- Janis Langley- "Barrel of Fun"

First in Still Life/Animal- Jan Weaver- "Theo"
Second in Still Life/Animal- Lisa Wright-"Happy Face-Bats"
Third in Still Life/Animal-Rita Kirkman-"Silver"

Honorable Mention:
Jo Castillo-"Full of Hot Air"
Char Eppright- "Santa Fe Adobe"
Johanne Morin- "Volente Marina"
La Verenne Willis- "Easter Sunday"
Virginia Raleigh- "Yard Kitty II"
Donna Gordon- "Morning on the River"
John Bittick- "Chef Blank/Hudson's"
Carolyn Kilday- "Poppy Mix#1"

Festival of Trees Donation

As I mentioned on November 7, I am donating a painting to the Family Crisis Center for the Festival of Trees. It is just about ready. I have my critique groups ... family, friends, Fine Art Friends, all looking. You are welcome to critique as well. We won't frame it until Monday. It will go in a gold frame with an off white linen liner. We did more in previous years, but have another commitment, the show at the Bunkhouse this year.

Last year, (photos on my website) Gene and I fixed up a rocking horse and I was in charge of the Guild's tree. It is such a beautiful event and helps so many people, go check it out! You can bid on the painting and a Christmas tree or two. You can come out to the Bunkhouse on Saturday before the Festival or on Sunday to seethe exhibit there.


I went down the road on Thursday afternoon and started the painting right there. I used the tailgate of the pickup for my table and my fold up metal easel. I did an under painting with pastel and water. I worked a couple of hours. The light changed so much in that time. This is as far as I got.

I took photos of the view as I went and decided on the latest one for the most colorful light. It was a little cloudy so the sky wasn't very blue. I couldn't finish such a large painting. I worked some more on it Friday at home from the photos I took and again today. I like it pretty well. Let me know what you think, I don't mind knowing if you see something awry.

After taking the photo I cleaned up the lower front and the hard edge on the front tree. I can't take another photo as the sun has gone away because we live in the woods. I take my photos in the full sun now, it works so much better, you need very little correction on the computer for color that way.

Crafts Prairie View

Soft Pastel on Pastelbord
16 x 20 inches

Sketch for Hunt 62

I have so much to blog about that it will take all afternoon to get ready. In the meantime I will post my sketch for the Scavenger Hunt 62.


#5, stovetop. As you can tell, I was not really in the mood for sketching. Ellipses and white, yuck. We have the smooth cooktop so I at least didn't have to draw individual burners. A lazy sketch in the NY sketchbook with a Micron 005.

Maybe I can do a couple during the UT football game. I'll be back later with lots of info and paintings to show.

More Sketches, Hunt 62

I got a couple more sketches done for the Hunt while watching an old Clint Eastwood movie, Firefox. I don't think I had seen it, now Heartbreak Ridge is on.



#3, bookshelf. One in the corner with the new Micron 005 in the NY sketchbook, about 30 minutes.



#4, computer case. The one I use when we travel.

Gene at the golf course under a great tree and a couple of trees near the Bastrop State Park.

We played golf today and both shot under 50 for nine holes. Good for Gene and great for me. I figure, my par is 54 for nine holes. I can't hit as far as I used to. The years and pounds subtract from the distance. :) The weather has been perfect since we arrived home. We scouted a place for me to paint. I told the Crisis Center I would paint a new painting for the auction at the Festival of Trees. We will not be as involved as in past years. I entered the art show at the Bunkhouse and it is the same weekend. I haven't posted about it yet, but the info is here on my website.

Drama? Don't have any.....

I wanted to make a big dramatic return with my workshop info and photos so I put off posting at all. I haven't had time to do it justice so will slip back in the habit of posting with a sketch for Scavenger Hunt 62, which I am hosting. I will do two in a row so that Jeanne Grant could have her knee surgery today. Hope it went well.


My #1 two veggies and #2 potato peeler together in a still life challenge. The sketch took about 20 minutes in my NY sketchbook. I used three colors as Joanna gave me a new set of Micron 005 pens in assorted colors. Nice.

I am listening to my new music, too. I received from Joanna, "One More Kiss" by Bluehouse. We saw them in La Grange, Texas. A very fun duo, Jaqui Walter and Bernadette Carroll. The new CD is great. Larry gave me "Magic" by Bruce Springsteen. It is also a good one. Jennie gave me some new semi hard pastels, a Gallery earthtone set by Mungyo. Great. I needed more earthtones I discovered at the workshop. Larry also gave Gene and I a hard drive to back up our computer stuff. I have all my files on three different computers so it is sort of backed up .. hither and yon! Oh, the gifts were for our belated birthday get together. Gene and I had birthdays while in New Mexico so Sunday was the day. Gene cooked a delicious brisket which was great as Jennie and I spent Saturday at the powwow in Austin. Gene sat with the granddogs. What great gifts. "I be happy." (Larry used to say that.)

I have two or more great posts coming you see, the workshop and the powwow. I am exhausted! I'm blaming it on the marathon plein air with Sue in New Mexico and this past week workshop plein air in Texas .... and the powwow. Speaking of Sue, I haven't posted much about our week either. JEEPERS!! I am behind. That is what happens when you don't have internet. Don't give up on me!!

Don't forget the show in San Marcos on Friday with the Austin Pastel Society. It is a membership show, no jury to worry about. It was judged, though, by Susan Kemmer Reed and there will be ribbons awarded. 31 artists and 88 paintings. See you there!

PS
I received an e-mail from Regina and she posted a painting I did of her on her web site, www.fallshadows.com. We were painting in 2004 in front of the gallery in Bastrop and I painted her, painting ... Fun!