"Bareback on a Bucking Buckskin" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$115 includes domestic s/h

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It felt good to have enough painting time today to actually get this little oil sketch done. In my ideal life, there would be long uninterrupted stretches for painting--I wouldn't stop until my body clock said "enough for now". However, until that happens, I'll just keep on, brushstroke by brushstroke!

"Rough Ride #2"

9.5"x6.5"

Watercolor, Graphite & Colored Pencil on Yupo

$90 US plus $10 domestic s/h

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The rodeo paintings seem like a natural to use this painting technique with because it lends itself so easily to showing movement. It's really fun--alot more spontaneous than what I've been doing the last couple of weeks!

So, I thought I'd put in a couple of examples of the illustrations I've been working on the past two weeks. There are 22 of them in total and they are for a book for Catholic middle-schoolers. Part of the purpose of the book is to teach the kids about some of the saints and holy people in their Catholic tradition. They are 8x8 inches and are gouche, watercolor and black prismacolor. The top one is Josephine Bakhita and the lower one is Saint Nicholas. It's been a really intense, but interesting and fun project. Lots of research! I have 1 and a half more to do and then I'll send them off! Think I'll have a party!

"Rough Ride"

Watercolor, Graphite & Colored Pencil on "Yupo"

Image: 9"x6.5" on 14"x11" Yupo

$75 Plus $10 domestic s/h

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It feels like forever since I've posted! I have had to really close myself off from everything except the illustration work which I will finish this weekend and ship Monday. Yay! Meanwhile, I am itching to get back to painting!

I saw some work by a Bend artist, Judy Hoiness, on this "Yupo". I loved how she incorporated the paint and the drawing and have been wanting to try it myself, so here it is. If you aren't familiar with the Yupo, it is a sheet of polypropolene, very slick. The watercolor just sits there till it dries, you can wipe it off while it's wet. When it's dry, it takes graphite really well. I have fixed it with a few layers of sprayed acrylic coating. This is an interesting surface. I'm curious to learn more about it.

I hope to start catching up with responses to those of you who've emailed me the last couple of weeks. I have had to not even open them! My apologies!

"Airborne" (sold)

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 domestic s/h

I love the over-the-top crazy courage that someone who rides broncs and bulls must have! Being the tame middle-aged woman I've become, I am happy I get to paint these and at least spend a fair amount of time trying to feel what the cowboy's body is doing and the fierceness of the movement of the horse!

A note about yesterday's post: my computer was down yesterday and most of today so I color-corrected my photo and posted with a different computer and monitor. When I got my own computer back, I checked the blog and saw that the color of the painting was way off. I have since corrected it. I had some really nice responses to that painting and sure hope the change in color doesn't change that!!

"Twisted" (sold)

8"x8"

Acrylic on Cradled Masonite, no need to frame

$150 inc. domestic shipping

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Needing to get a couple more pieces ready to hang in a show next week, I just decided to pull out the acrylics--and what fun! Seems like I can't use them without having intense colors. I worked with acrylics for awhile but switched back to oils a couple of years ago because I was accustomed to being able to blend on the canvas and really had a hard time trying to make acrylics "act like oils". I see some people manage to pull it off, but I've never figured it out! However, I'm seeing that they are what they are and I can enjoy that. It would be fun to try an acrylic with subtle colors. . .!?

"Wild Ride" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

The subject of this painting is pretty appropriate today! LIFE has been a wild ride the past couple of days--one day brings the good news of being included on the Daily Painters Gallery website and the next, yesterday, brings the sad news of having to put down our deeply loved dog, Murphy. Needless to say, I feel like I'm on that horse--but I am hanging on! Murphy was a joy and a blessing and all shall be well. For the moment, my concentration isn't too great and I see things that need to be changed in this painting--I'll reshoot after I make them!

"A Long 8 Seconds!"

6"x6"

Oil on Board

$100 plus $10 U.S. S/H

Trying to keep it loose today, to see how far suggestion goes--as someone in my critique group said, "Not having to prove to the world that I can draw" (or something like that!). I don't mean that I don't value drawing skills, the ability to make a faithful representation--I teach how to do that and believe that it's not only a necessary building block, but an art in itself. What I am referring to is the tendency to have to put all the information in, to be a slave to unnecessary detail. I am trying to learn that!

"Made It!" (sold)

6"x6"

Oil on Board

Another rodeo painting! They are fun and a challenge! In this one the 8-second buzzer has sounded, he's made it and the ride is winding down.