Hill Country Paintings

 I made this small group of paintings, and they have all ended up at our Hill Country home. 

I can take no credit for the Wild West wall. 100% Sam! 

Try again

P

I was really unhappy with my first rendition of dancers, so let's start this party over. Dang!  Those sheep are just weird and the people are stiff.  I like the happy little leaves, though.  

Just add goats

I'm working on a painting designed to take me to the Hill Country of Texas.  Picture April, before it's so stinking hot that you want to sit in the AC and never venture out.  The bluebonnets are parading around like Southern bells aware of their charm.  Even goats look endearing in all that vivid blue! 

I've barely painted in their outlines, but I'll be adding horns, highlights, the whole works. 

And I have a request for buffalo. So behold the buffalo taking shape!  

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. 

This and That.

 

 I made this one with Yvonne.

We girls got together for a paint night.  

There is something really gratifying about painting with a friend.  You somehow spur each other on to choose, attempt, and complete a work. 

Prints or the original can be purchased at: 

Copper Moon

These desert flowers are a reflection on the unexpected beauty we find in nature. 

Prints or original can be purchases at :

Cactus Flower

When learning to paint, don't be afraid to make mistakes.  Expect that you might even hate some of your work at the start.  At the same time, you'll be amazed how many people say, "Will you paint one just like that for me?" 

Mr. G, the art teacher at my school, gave me lots of helpful getting-started advice.  "You don't have to buy expensive paint to make nice paintings.  Liquitex Basics work just fine."  I have occasionally added a pricier paint, and haven't found it to really outshine the basics, unless I was looking to add a different (thicker) texture. 

My painting goals for 2015:  paint and post pictures at least weekly, sketch almost daily; learn figures and faces; progress with animal drawings. I want to try something outside of my comfort zone monthly--a building, a different color or angle. 

Deer

So here is this week's new paint. 

You would not believe how difficult it is to paint deer, unless you've attempted it yourself. For one thing, they stand oddly. They have bones that stick out in unexpected places.  The face is a cross between a dog and a mouse, and it's easy to get the ears too big.
     Also, there's the color to contend with.  Texas mule deer can be almost gray, while this plump Pa. specimen in almost fox-red.
     It's a good thing to challenge yourself, so I keep working at perfecting animals.  I plan to see some of these up close this coming week.  No comments from you hunters, please.  I can just hear Rosanne. "Where's my bow?"  These are Bambi's parents, for crying out loud.  Do you want him to be orphaned at Christmas?

Food in the Desert

The shape and color of prickly pear is amazingly attractive. 

I'm attempting to paint this patch:

Now, I'm not sure who eats these.  Some research is warranted. But I'm wondering if anyone ever kept thirst and hunger at bay from a meal of the fruit. 

You can find recipes here:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/prickly-pear-zmaz76soztak.aspx#axzz38f1nTglW 

Apparently, the fruit can be made into jelly, wine, and a host of other things.  I think I've see the fruit at Fiesta markets. 

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. 

Christmas Vacation

Over Christmas, I packed up my paints and headed for the Hill Country.  While there, I worked on a display of Cypress trees by the Frio River.  It came out pretty well.  I can tell, because my husband, who doesn't say a lot about my painting, was quite enthusiastic!

I also worked on some purple paintings for my sis-in-law.