People, more people

I have a request for a painting of the dancing at Garner State Park. There's a famously iconic oak tree in front of the pavilion. The sun sinks, the music starts.

Finished painting for sale, also prints

Avoiding overpainting

I'm the queen of overapinting, the mistress of myopia. I just watched a video on how to improve one's oil paint technique-- although my preferred medium is acrylic. And dang, I've been approaching it all wrong! Never mind. I can correct henceforth. 

Never mind that my people are all elongated like giraffes. At least they don't look Neanderthal. 

My husband looked yesrpterday and asked, "Are they naked?" No, no, that's the under painting! They will be fully clothed when finished.

Her goes the redo of my other River picture. I need to soften the sharp edges ands broaden the strokes. 

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.  

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  

Hill Country Paint

West of San Antonio, the Texas Hill Country skips and spreads. Over those mountains and hills, bluebonnets come in the spring.  Goats, sheep, deer, cows, and occasional buffalo dot the hills. More and more, exotic deer, lavender, and grapes join the customary peach and pecan orchards.

The Frio, Comal, and Guadalupe Rivers run through the hills. All these features beckon travelers. 

I get many requests for river paintings. 

I have an unusual request for a buffalo painting.  

I have a less-usual request for a painting of the traditional Gardner Park Dance. So, here's the beginnings!  

Some parts of the Hill Country are dusty and desert-like, scattered with prickly pear and scrubby vegetation.  It's all wildly beautiful.

Tea pots

Have you ever tried Bengal Spice tea with coconut cream? If not, why not? 

I recommend brewing it in a paisley teapot. Or pouring it into a paisley cup. I'll post pics of all my pots soon. 

This has been a long, crazy day at school. Teachers are frazzled getting in final grades. Case managers are urging students to get their assignments submitted. Painting, tonight, is out of the question. So I brew some tea, finish dishes, then begin taking pics of my collection. 

Then I naturally want to sketch or paint the pot. 

There is something domestic and comforting about antique teapots. 

I think about cast iron stoves and crocheted doilies, dainty teacups, and petite fours. 

My grandmother's best dishes and Mom's rose China. 

A student asked me today whether I paint daily. No, just on the calmest days of my life. A still life of nostalgic kitchenware might be very calming. 

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!