"The Three Alpacateers"

Pastel, 8" x 10", on gray pastelboard

AKA Lucy, Tina and Al Pacasso :)

A customer acquaintance took the referance photo on her phone while at an alpaca ranch in the midwest.  I loved it the minute I saw it and asked her if I could paint it.  She kindly sent it to me and I sooo loved painting it.  Thank you Connie!

I decided to have some fun with it, so I asked my sister and niece to each name one of the alpacas.  Yes, I do get involved with my art work!

Below is some of my work in progress.

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!!

Transferred my drawing over to the pasteboard and started establishing the darks and midtowns.

Chopping at the bit to get started on an alpaca.  Decided to do Al first so the coloring wouldn't contaminate the other two since they will be white.

Started on Tina.

Now for Lucy

Trying to work on right color for background.  In real life, the color is a little more greenish turquoise.

Finished!!

May I introduce you to "Duke"

"Duke", Pastel, 10"x8"

My latest pet portrait commission.  Duke is now at Rainbow Bridge.  He was a Redbone Coonhound. His owner rescued him and loved him dearly.  She said he was a very loving and sweet dog and she will miss him immensely.  How could you not with that adorable look on his face!

I so enjoyed working on this painting!  I think I had a smile on my face the whole time.  The referance photo was very small and when enlarged, I lost a lot of detail, but determined to make it work.  I also researched "redbone coonhounds", just to get familiar with that breed, and I have learned how photos can change coloring.  So, luckily, the owner lived within a good distance, and I visited her with several referance photos, and we discussed coloring of his coat.  I later sent her an email with color swatches I had come up with.  She approved one and off I went.  Below, you will see my work in progress.  When I visited her for the final approval--she said "perfect"--whewww!  So I was so happy to leave "Duke" with her.  I sure hope she sends me a photo of it hanging in her office.

ENJOY!!

Expand Your Horizons, Part 4

Another "Expanding My Horizons" I did was entering an annual show that I have not participated in before.  It is the "2016 Reflections of Texas & Beyond Art Show", sponsored by the Luling Oil Museum in Luling, Texas.  This year it was dedicated to Ms. Carol Voigt.  A wonderful show and a great reception.  The reception was this past Sunday and the show will be running until Sept. 23, 2016.

I am honored to report that I received the Carol Voigt Memorial Award for "Better Than Diamonds"!!  It does pay(literally) to "Expand Your Horizons"!!  Talk about motivation to paint more!!

"Better Than Diamonds", Pastel

Expand Your Horizons, part 2

Besides entering shows, outside of my comfort zone, I wanted to expand the places where I can display my art, for a longer length of time a show runs for.  I have quiet frequently heard from other artists that people cannot see your work nor have the opportunity to purchase it--if it is stored at your home.  It finally sunk in.

The Canyon Lake Art Guild has a Community Display Coordinator that has found us some great places for our members to show their work.  Some take a commission(retail stores) and some do not(usually the non-profit organizations--like libraries).  My first one was at the Tye Preston Memorial Library, in Sattler, Texas.  I will be hanging there, again, from Oct. thru Dec., 2016.  I have sold one painting and received a commission to do, from hanging there, plus a print sold that is hanging in their reception area.

A new venue for me is the Canyon Animal Hospital in Canyon City, Texas.  A great spot for my animal portraits.  I have both originals and framed prints available, and have had to replace my business cards several times, which tells me the viewers are interested.

"Celebrate"

"Celebrate", Pastel on velour, 18" x 16"

"Celebrate" is #3 in my series "Paint What You Love".  The first two have my dog, Fancy, in them.  The idea for it came to me because I had received 1st. place awards for the first two, and I wanted her to get a 1st. place award for painting me, aka Fancy's mother.  If you don't catch on to that--I posed like in the famous painting, Whistler's Mother".  I have a lot of referance photos of Fancy, but not one of her jumping.  So, I took time to learn more about a dog's anatomy and did several sketches to see if the proportions were right.  I also took more photos of her in various positions.  Poor thing--she couldn't lay down for a nap without me bothering her.

"Celebrate" is currently in the Canyon Lake Art Guild's, Lasting Impressions Show, at the New Braunfel's Art Gallery, in New Braunfels, Texas, through Mar. 30th..

ENJOY!!

"Paint What You Love", Pastel, 16"x20"

"Have Fun", Pastel, 20"x16"

"MoonPie" Shined for Me

I am happy to share that my painting, "MoonPie", was awarded 1st. Place/Drawing Media, in the current show at New Braunfels Art League, put on by the Canyon Lake Art Guild.  The show, Lasting Impressions, will be there until March 30th..  Try to go see--there is some beautiful work displayed.  Thanks again, Molly Jackson White, for letting me paint MoonPie.  Thanks, also, to Lyn Belisle, our wonderful judge.  Be sure to check out her wonderful work at Lyn Belisle Art Studio on FaceBook.

"MoonPie", Pastel, 10" x 8"