"Waiting for Breakfast at the Cadillac Cafe"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$150 includes domestic s/h

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This little painting is a "rerun"! Just so much happening the past few days that I haven't been able to have enough concentrated time to finish up a painting, so I decided to bring out one of my favorites that I painted over a year ago. That's the upside of busy right now--revisiting a painting that really brought me alot of joy in the doing of it. I loved catching her in mid-step. . .

"Coffee at the M&J" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

First off, I had a really nice thing happen today.

My work was profiled on the site http://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com/2009/09/artist-profile-meet-vicki-shuck.html. His blog thoughtful, well-written and interesting--actually, he comes up with fascinating stuff! If you've never heard of nephila clavipes, check it out!

OK, back to work! This little scene takes place in the M & J Tavern here in Bend, OR--the reference photo is courtesy of a friend of mine--of course, I don't go to taverns!! :) Actually, I spent so much time working, playing and dancing in them through the 70's and 80's that I don't seem to have much of that left in my system! OUCH! that sounds so old--might have to re-think all this!

"Morning Ride"

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$135 includes domestic s/h

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I was inspired here by the movement of the horse and the morning light. This is one of those subjects I'd like to work with on a bit larger painting! I have been trying out a different brand of brush to see what it's like--a Princeton synthetic "mongoose", kind of like Windsor/Newton's. It works so beautifully! I love the brights. They are a bit spendy! Sure seems true, though, that you get what you pay for!

"Captive" (sold)

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$200 includes domestic s/h

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Yesterday was not a good painting day! I ended up working all day on an 11x14 piece, then wiped it off! I must have learned something--at least I hope so as I'm not at all sure what it was! One thing that came of it, though, was in coming into work today, I just was able to let go of expectations and just paint. It's always amazing to me how much can ride on a painting--so many expectations and hopes, fears, self-worth, etc. Sometimes it's really hard not to get caught up in all that!

"Cowgirl Tags the Calf"

10"x8"

Oil on Board

sold

Today I was able to work on this commission (which I started a while back!) and I'd say it's just about finished. I need to live with it a bit before I decide! I've been getting alot of comments and encouragement regarding the hunter/jumper and rodeo paintings I've been doing and I'm grateful for that. I look forward to doing more. I've got a painting I started a couple of weeks ago that I'm itching to get back to. Ah-h-h-h, the life of a painter--never enough time to paint everything you want to paint!!

Speaking of commissions--I do them!

"At Townshend's Teahouse in Bend, Oregon" sold

5"x7"

Oil on Gessoboard

I can already see that I am not going to get to do any artwork today--going to go to my husband's class reunion where I expect to get some inspiration for more paintings! Anyway, I decided to bring out this little painting which is one of my favorites. It is a scene from a teahouse downtown here in Bend. I loved the backlighting and effect of the women and objects silouetted against the window. Also, this is the first painting I did with alizaron yellow and a limited palette. It was quite an eye-opener for me!

This painting is also available framed for $180. If you are interested in that, email me and I can send you a photo of it in its frame.

"Smiling Man"

4"x3.5"

OIl on Board

$65 includes domestic s/h

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I'm not sure I've ever done such a little oil painting! It was fun--in big part because of the subject. Also, I decided to try working on a black ground. I had to think about the painting of it a little differently as far as putting values down. I was surprised that the color wasn't modified much by the ground. In a way, it reminds me of doing block prints as you start with the dark background and bring out the lights. Once your brain starts thinking that way, it feels really natural. I look forward to trying this again!

"The Horse, the Rider and the American Flag" detail (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard
Sold

It feels like such a long time since I've posted! I've been up to Canada to visit family and just returned this afternoon from the Pendleton Roundup--both were too much fun! In between, I finished this little commission which is more detailed and tighter than I've been painting, but I really enjoyed it and like how it turned out.

A HUGE highlight of the past week was stopping at the Howard-Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, WA and seeing original paintings by Karin Jurick!!!! It's been nearly three years since I discovered her blog and, with it, the encouragement I needed to try doing the kind of artwork I've always wanted to do--figurative and "slice of life" kinds of subjects. I didn't actually bow down in front of her paintings, but nearly so! Karin is simply masterful at what she does. It was really interesting to see originals. The surfaces of her paintings were enamel-like and smooth, when I thought they would have more texture from thicker paint. The use of a black ground for her paintings provides an interesting component that I could understand more in seeing originals than just the photos, too. Her brushstokes are quite evident and so carefully placed--just beautiful.

"Cosmos and Poppies" (sold)

6"x6"

OIl on Board

Like yesterday's painting, this is of flowers growing in a local community garden--and it, too, was a joy to paint! After what feels like laboring over the figurative paintings lately, these little painting knife oils are a welcome change. I love the juicy paint you can put on with a knife, and the looseness that you have no choice about! I am looking forward to seeing how I can incorporate this with my figurative work.

"In the Garden" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$115 plus $10 domestic s/h

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These poppies are part of a community garden not far from my home. They are just so fresh and colorful and it just did my heart good to paint them! Also, working with the palette knife is a welcome change. I have been so tight lately with my work. I mentioned the other day how it feels like something is trying to emerge. . .it's a little painful! This helps! And, too, I think working with the knife might just be part of the process of this movement trying to take place.

"At the Ore House #3" (sold)

6"x8"

Oil 0n Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

After yesterday's painting, I wanted to try a couple of different things: opening up the composition, trying to do a better job with the values and try using a simplified color scheme. I looked at my photo and saw that I'd cropped it to fit a square format and realized I like this rectangular composition better. Then I worked really hard getting the values down and liked how it looked (the 2nd photo). Then I started completing the shapes, adding lights and darks. Frankly, I wish I could figure out how to keep more of the composition I started with! I like the strength and values of the just-blocked-in painting. Seems like the more detail I added, the more "watered down" the whole thing became. I used pthalo blue, white and cad yellow, cad yellow deep, cad orange and the cad reds. I enjoyed exploring!

"Lunch at the Ore House"

8"x8"

Oil on Board

$150 plus $10 domestic s/h

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I did a little painting of this subject nearly two years ago and was looking at it the other day and decided to see how I'd paint it now. I had the intention of really workng with values and THEN I started putting the color in! I pared down my palette to three transparent primaries I like to use plus white. This ended up OK, and I had alot of fun trying different color, etc., but it's not what I was after--I'm not sure just what I'm trying to do, but there's something wanting to change in my painting and it feels like this is part of the process. Something different has been trying to emerge in my work. It's so frustrating to not be able to just pin it down and DO IT!! Instead, I guess I just have to keep painting and see what evolves.

"Drumming Man"

6"x8"

Oil on Board

$125 plus $10 domestic s/h

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Last Saturday, Obo Addy was playing at a local farmer's market. I didn't catch this fellow's name, unfortunately. I LOVE drums!! And these guys are the best! I love their spirit, too. It's like they have a mandate to share joy.