Powwow Trip Photos and ideas for you

Our trip to New Mexico for the 25th Annual Gathering of Nations Powwow starts very early tomorrow, so I will be absent from posting. I'm not even taking my computer as we will be occupied for most of the time. I will check e-mail and do a little browsing with Gene's computer.


This photo is from a blanket dance at the Powwow in Austin, last October. Click the photo for a larger version. This may give you an idea of the wonderful sights we will be entertained by. Like watching fireworks, it is hard to describe. So colorful and meaningful. The Indians are so loving of the land and their country. It is inspiring to see their culture and togetherness in action.

While I am away, you might wander over to Susan Carlin's blog. She is experimenting with her video camera and giving us an insight into the art of portraiture. She makes it look sooooo easy.

Keep an eye on Joanna's wildflowers and more. Her photographs are so nice. Need professional photos in central Texas, check with Larry.

The Marine Corps artists Michael Fay and Kristopher Battles have been hard at work , too. They are doing a great job with portraying day to day military life.

Check out some of my other links over on the sidebar as well. They are all amazing artists or they wouldn't be on my list, right?

Have fun, I will see you down the road.

Baseball Win

Yes, you are reading that correctly! The Horns beat the Baylor Bears in a non conference game, 8-2. It was a good game for Texas. Things came together. Plenty of hits, fielding and fun with good results. Read all about it on Joanna's page and the official page! If you like cute photos of kids running the bases, take a look on Joanna's page under the miserable game post. :)

Hope the win streak continues tomorrow night. (Is one a streak?) Hook em Horns!

Prints for Sale

I took the plunge today. I put up four paintings in Jo's print shop with Fine Art America. Two paintings are there that I still have the originals, but my focus will be on paintings that have been sold. My paintings are not expensive and if you buy a print and pay to frame it nicely, the cost is very near the cost of an original. So, buy the original! You can buy through Paypal/Credit Card on my page or I will put it on layaway.

If you still want a print, they will be there.

I like the idea that you go to my shop and return to my web page. Do you have any ideas on size? I, of course, don't want to sell a print the same size as the original. All but one are odd sizes so they are expensive to frame. I will try to size future offerings in standard sizes so framing will not be as costly. I put this painting there, it is sized to fit standard frames. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Kelly Church, 8 x 10 inches
Original oil on canvas on board, Sold

Plein Air Day Paintings and Photos

Regina Burchett and I made it to McKinney Roughs for a plein air painting day. I highly recommend going out and painting plein air. It is good for your eye, like sketching. You have to work quickly as the light changes so rapidly. We painted a couple of hours on each painting. The paintings have a freshness that you can't get when you paint in the studio. When you work quickly, you put down fewer strokes and use color and value to separate and define objects. You improve with practice.

We were not prepared for hiking any distance so we decided to paint right near the entrance. It is a beautiful area, but not much of a view right at the main buildings. We chose a pond to paint. I did not get a photo of our paintings in progress or of Regina's paintings at all. We were too excited about being out painting I suppose. Other than the heat today we had a good time. By noon it was about 85 degrees and warm in the protected area with only a slight breeze. The photos of the paintings are not great, I took them with the flash at home, so the colors are not quite right.


I painted across the pond to the entrance road. (Regina painted the pond itself.) It was very overcast when we started so there are not many defined shadows. The painting in real life looks more like that. Later when the sun came out the scene was more dramatic with the path in and out of sunlight. It would be fun to do again earlier in the morning or late in the evening.



This view is very nice. It was pretty cloudy to start with and then it got hot and sunny.



For my second effort, I painted the flowers close up and Regina painted the distant trees and clouds.



The yellow bells and wine cups.






During our break time we noticed this butterfly and dragon fly.

More Baseball Blues...

The Horns lost on Saturday and again today. What can we say? I hope they get it together. They have been doing most things so well, just not all in a row. You can read about the sad times on Joanna's page and the official page. You may wonder , they lost to Oklahoma State (up in bag blog country). Score Saturday 8-7 and today 13-10. There are some great photos on the official page and soon to be some on Joanna's page.

Here are Preston, David and Jordan at the ready with the Green Monster looming in the background. Not many home runs over that high fence!

There were many great things in these losses. The longest pitchers have pitched (Chance 10 innings on Friday), steals, catches, double plays, Kyle's home runs including one over the Green Monster. Other home runs by Preston and Brandon. Amazing playing, scoring, etc. Jordan had 3 or 4 doubles today. Fun to watch.

They play in Waco on Tuesday against Baylor, then back in Austin on Wednesday to play UT San Antonio and then the weekend away in Manhattan Kansas against Kansas State.

We are going to Albuquerque to the Powwow that weekend. Yes!

Scavenger Hunt Sketches

Scavenger Hunt 82 is up and running. I finally got a few items sketched. They were done with a Micron 005 in my regular sketchbook.


#1, Something while waiting in line. I drew the cars in front of us while we sat through the light 3 or 4 times. My sizes are off, but not too bad considering it was about 8 minutes or so.



#2, Road sign. I chose this fire truck sign. It took just a few minutes while waiting for Gene. #3 Something to show what I did today. The parking lot at the place where Gene had his back therapy. I chose that car as they just parked and I hoped it would be there long enough. :) I didn't get it all on the paper. Oh well.





#4, People in public. The folks a couple of rows in front of us at the ballgame. The sunglasses and hoop earrings were white. Nifty.

Tomorrow is painting plein air with Regina. Should be fun and I will have photos for the blog. Art photos!!