Main Street Paint Out in Pastels

I had a "paint out" on Main Street today in front of my gallery.  Just me.  It was such a gorgeous day that I could not paint inside in the gallery/studio.

 I took my easel and a small amount of pastels out and spent a couple of hours enjoying painting and watching the goings on down the street.  I had a few people stop to see what I was doing and a couple of people asked directions.  I forgot to take a photo down the street for you to check my accuracy.

My set up for the day and the almost finished painting.

You can see my sign and a peek inside.

Down Main Street, Pastel on Colourfix, 5 x 7 inches

This was a lot of information to try to fit on such a small canvas.  It does automatically cut down on the amount of detail I can include.  I did not want to get out pastel pencils to add the small touches.  I liked the looseness and that the painting gives the general idea and feel of the street today.

This is a Jo's Notions painting, fixed against the glass, and available for purchase at $50, free shipping.

Remember that First Friday is tomorrow, Friday, January 7.  My Austin Highlights show is continuing.  Stop by and see the great art in my gallery.  Always better in person.


Also, the workshop next week in Marble Falls is canceled.  We did not get enough participants.  Check back, though, I will reschedule with a new location and dates, hopefully here in Bastrop.

Kelly is a Ten

Kelly Borsheim is celebrating TEN years as a full time artist.  She is a fabulous sculptor, painter and artist.  Check out her website and anniversary offers.  She works with stone, bronze and more.  A quote from her website:  " While Kelly's paintings of the human body are often described as abstract, her 3-dimensional work is somewhat classically representational, detailed, and fluid."  Her pastels are great, too.

Happy Big Ten, Kelly!

Sketch for Hunt 206

I'm starting off the year OK with a sketch or two.  It is very important for my painting to keep up with sketching.  The Scavenger Hunts have been an excellent way for me to keep at it.  I have made on line wetcanvas friends and have gentle encouragement to try new media and styles.  I'm not great at change.  I like to use what I know works for me. 

I always say that I'm not sure if I like talking or painting more so I think that is why I keep Hunting.  I enjoy the chit chat (comments) with artists around the globe.  Ai is in Thailand, Cairo in Egypt, EP is in BC, Meisie also in Canada and Kivrin is around the corner near Houston as I recall.  Joan and Mindy in New York with Michelle in nearby New Jersey.  Julie in Caifornia and Jeanne in Bakersfield, California. ( I always think of Buck Owens of country music when I hear Bakersfield.)  Pine Cone is out west, I think in Utah.  Robin is off in North Carolina.  Libellule is new to the Hunts and in France.  And way south is Viv in New Zealand and Jacqui in Australia.    Rainy is somewhere in the U.S., I've probably heard, but it fails me at the moment.  These are the regulars in the Hunts at the moment.

Jeanne has been in the group since Hunt #1 and I started in #2 or #3.  I don't think Jeanne has missed any.  I have missed just a few.  In fact I  started my blog about the same time that I started Hunting. I started my blog on June 15, 2006 and the Hunts on July 22.   I never imagined I would keep up with it.  I never kept a journal for over a week I think.  This is post #1311.  Wow.

Even though we sketch 26 items from life that is around our house or neighborhood, it is so much fun to see what comes up from each list.  We can make substitutes for any item and some of those can be very interesting, too.  An example might be "fur".  We might get cats, dogs, fur coats, etc.  The mail boxes and sky lines bring a big variety of scenes.  Some paint, sketch with pencil, iPhone or other media.  I remember  one Hunt where the challenge was sketching outside in the snow or sand with a stick or footprints.  Ah, it has been fun.  My sketching style doesn't change, guess it is like handwriting.  I do sketch faster and more accurately when I try.  (Evil grin!)

Some of these fine artists and friends have blogs that I link to on the sidebar and others have a blog or website listed on their comments on wetcanvas.com.  Sign up on wetcanvas.com is free and you put as much info as you care to in your profile.  Join us for sketching and fun.

wetcanvas has forums for any type art you might want to do there.  Painting (broken down by media or subject), pastels, photography, digital, debating and so much more.  They have a huge reference library of photos to sketch and "how to" threads of posts.  I take part in Soft Pastels, Plein Air, Southwest and Western Art, Scavenger Hunts and occasionally in other sections if something catches my eye. 

For Hunt #206 here is my next sketch, in a regular sketchbook, freehand with a Faber-Castell Pitt pen "F".  Probably about twenty minutes total.

Number 2, something of your season - a sweatshirt as it is pretty cool here for winter.  Number 3, something you carry everywhere - my phone.

And for my link to an artist for the day is son, David.  He is starting Castle Design working with 1/4 inch rod (metal)  and wood.  He is making me a turning shelf for jewelry for my studio!  He is making DVD stands, iPhone stands, etc.  Not many photos yet, more to come!

New Artist to Me, Jim Connelly

I was visiting in the Southwest and Western Art Forum on wetcanvas.com .  Jim Connelly
http://www.jimconnellystudio.com/artportfolio1.html
is hosting the Monthly Challenge.  His horse paintings are wonderful.  So, pop over and have a look.  Maybe join in the challenge and share your horse or donkey paintings.


I'll post a painting I did sometime back, to get you in the mood.  I called it Drinking Buddies and Gene uses the image for his home made wine label.

Drinking Buddies, Pastel, 16 x 20 inches (Private Collection in Florida)

New Year Sketches .. Not Really. And, a pastel painting of grapes.

I have been the host for Scavenger Hunt 205 which ends today.  I sketched on December 31 and am just now posting them.  There is never enough time .....  These are with a regular ball point pen, Pilot, in my travel sketchbook which has half a page for a sketch and then half a page for notes.  I left the other sketchbook at my gallery.  Normal behavior, always forgetting something.

Number 5, jeans - added a little blue colored pencil, the pencils are on the outside of the sketchbook.

Number 6, folds in material - part of a sweatshirt with a zipper.

Number 7, old - clock, Number 8, hat - the pillow case has hats in the print/pattern, Number 9, rough - this woven wall hanging has the tree and other items made of cut yarn and fuzzed out for the designs.

I did a small, Jo's Notions painting at the gallery the other day.  I have decided to make a blog for those to see if they might sell that way.  Who knows?  I will put the link here when I get it ready. 

Painting small paintings is so good for practice.  As an artist you still have to work out composition, values, etc., but can finish quickly and work out your ideas and learn for larger works.

Here my latest notion:

Grapes in silver, 7 x 5 inches, pastel on Pastelbord.

The actual painting is much more vibrant in real life.  The grapes have some lovely deep reds and the background is dark green/purple/blue on the left and bright yellow green on the upper right.  You just have to come by and see it!  I was at the gallery and found these leftover grapes in my fridge.  There weren't enough to fill the small glass/pewter bowl so I have them on top of a plastic glass.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  It is nice when you can eat your "models" when done.