"God's Bounty"

"God's Bounty", oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

Because I have been teaching myself how to paint in oils, I started this painting as a study, and planed on doing it on a 16"x16" wrap around canvas.  Well, I was pleased with how it was progressing, so decided to complete it as a finished painting.

Enjoy, and thank you for reading this.

work in progress pics:

"An Admiral's Lunch"

"An Admiral's Lunch", Oil on canvas, 16"x16"

My first oil painting.  I have been wanting to pursue learning oil painting and dabbled in it now and then, but kept going back to the pastels.  However, last spring I bit the bullet and got my Genesis oil paints out of my archive supplies.  "They" always say it helps the creative process to learn a new medium.  Wow!!!  What a difference between oils and pastels.  So far it has taught me patience(drying time).  Genesis oils have a different drying technique--but that will have to be another blog.  Anyhow, below is some w.i.p. pics.  Right now I am planning on doing a series of my butterflies on the 16"x16" wrap-around canvas, so check back once in awhile.

Enjoy, and thank you for reading this.

 ref. photo--the butterfly was on my husband's truck.

Keep Your Truck Clean

"An Admiral in Texas", Pastel, 10"x8"

This beautiful butterfly stopped for a visit on the bumper of my husband's pick-up truck, while he was washing it.  I was so happy he had his cell phone handy!!  Talk about good timing!!

I looked in my butterfly book and discovered it is a Red Spotted Purple Admiral.  They mainly live in east Texas straight up to lower Great Lakes, east to coast lines.  Also found in Mexico.  They like a variety of trees including the blooms of Cherry trees(and we do grow them in east Texas).  So I picked the blossoms of a cherry tree for the painting.

Enjoy and thanks for reading!!

referance photo

It Pays to Follow That Inner Spirit

When I finished "A Texas Lunch" (previous post), there was an upcoming show at New Braunfels Art Gallery in New Braunfels, Texas, and I had decided not to enter it.  However, upon framing it (with the help of my niece, Brooke), I got that inner spirit voice saying "enter it".  I usually follow it--so decided to.  So glad I did!!

The reception for the show "Art in Bloom" was this past Friday, May 6th..  It is a beautiful show and will run until May 28th..  I am so happy to share that I received 3rd. Place, Drawing/Pastel category!!

A Texas Lunch

"A Texas Lunch", Pastel, 8"x10"

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on a Texas Thistle. He(she) poised for me on the Lantana in our back yard. I had already painted one on Lantana, so choose to do a Thistle, which is one of my favorite wildflowers in Texas.