Summer

I'm starting this one. Eventually, there will be a boy swinging into the river. 

The painting below if of a sign for Neal's Dining Room in Concan.  A friend wants some pictures of Neal's due to all the fun they've had there. 

You can see more of this wonderful place HERE  

Finishing Christmas

I'm finishing some projects. Over New Years, we stayed in Leakey, Texas.  It was so cold, wet, and rainy, that we spent the entire time watching John Wayne movies, football games, and for me, painting.

Prints of Ligonier on the square are available: 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/town-square-at-christmas-beth-waltman.html

The original, 16X20 acrylic work on canvas, can be purchased for $150.  

Please contact through the link. 

I really enjoyed doing this painting.  When I was a child, the "Diamond"--the town square--was decorated for Christmas. White lights twinkled in abundance. A nativity set was always prominently displayed. Just driving around the area, especially when a soft snow drifted down, was a trip through Wonderland! 

     So when I began this, I used Liquitex Basics light blue violet to sketch it in.  Obviously, I need to work more on architecture and perspective.  But the moment of nostalgia caught me, and I worked feverishly until it seemed complete! 

Prints of the Frio River in springtime are available: 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/spring-river-beth-waltman.html

The original, a 12X14 on canvas, can be purchased for $75. Please contact through the link. 

Originally, I had this started as a watercolor. Watercolor just is not my medium.  So yesterday, in the interest of finishing projects, I set out experimenting.  Finally got the amazing blends of colors that showed in the photograph on this day.

Prints of "This Tree, Mom!" are available: 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/this-is-the-one-beth-waltman.html

The original is for sale for $100. Please contact through FineArtAmerica. 

Frio River

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I'm starting this one from the fall photos we took at Thanksgiving.  

It's easiest to paint places that live in our memories, places we long to visit. 

Swimming hole

I'm continuing to work on people.  People are difficult!  Yes, yes, people in real life are trouble.  They make drama.  They are vain and self-absorbed.  But people as a subject also presents a difficulty.  They have minds of their own.  The girl in the red tank top was supposed to be a chubby grandma (like me) indulgently looking toward the larger group.  She ended up looking toward shore, closing off the group, but choosing to hold back from the group. The finished painting is not so yellow-green as it appears here.

To see the finished product: Order Prints, Swimming Hole 

She partially regrets being here.  She doesn't like it that her cell phone is in the truck, and her boyfriend is probably texting her right now.  He wasn't allowed to come along.  But she is enjoying the water and the noisy little kids more than she'll admit. And for this minute, she is swept by the surprising peace of the water and the shade of magnificent trees.

Cypresses at the Frio River

This week, we were painting at the Frio in the Hill Country.

We were painting the outside of our double wide trailer, not daubing at canvas with Acrylic.  Nevertheless, I took a swim and also a good look at the cypresses in summer.

Their greenery is unexpectedly lush and soft looking.  The cypress height is alway the most stunning, compelling feature, but in summer, their leaves--needles? --are so feathery.  Bare branches extend beyond the green.  It's very hard to capture in paint.

The really great feature of this is that there is water in the Frio!  Texas has suffered through several dry years.  We've had a lot more rain so far this summer. 

I noticed that the tips of the cypress are darker than the trunk.  The water reflections are usually smooth and calm, but if there is wind, it's wavy. 

There is something soothing about sitting by a stream. Or painting a stream, or viewing a painting of that body of water!  It's as if cares are being washed away relentlessly.  

The water is the Frio is always cool.  You can look up the flow, river temperature, etc. 

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=08195000

We also saw more inspiring flora and fauna: 

Prickly pear--my intrepid friend borrowed her husband's pen knife, and we tasted the meat.  They taste sweet, but seedy, like pomengranite. 

I would like to paint the cacti, too! 

Fall foliage, Frio River

For inspiration, I have photos and memories of the most beautiful place on earth.