Following the Masters - Self Portrait - Original Pastel

Me & Max

7"x5"

Self Portrait Challenge

Following the Masters

The challenge this month on Following the Masters is a self-portrait. Wouldn't you know it - in the same week I finally put a photo of myself as my avatar we are asked to do a self-portrait! I considered not doing the challenge simply because don't like having pictures of myself taken and painting one just wasn't something I wanted to do but I just joined the challenge last week so how could I not???

I used a photo for a reference from a few years back. I need to get me a set of portrait pastels I think but I just used what I had so the coloring is a bit off and it didn't help that I need to wash my hands and kept getting pastel smudges where they shouldn't be. I think there is something else off but I'm not willing to spend any more time on it so . . .we will just call in finished.

The best thing about this painting is Maxwell. I loved painting Max. He was a super cat - more dog like than not. He was so friendly and lovable. He was a large cat - about 18 pounds. He wasn't fat just big and rather magnificent looking. I wished he was still with me. He and Samantha would make a beautiful couple. I did a drawing of Max a while back - you can find it here on my website, it's called Day Dreaming.

Psalm 36:5
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Kreativ Blogger Award

First I must thank Marsha Robinett - she so graciously presented me with the Kreativ Blogger award in August. I'm just sorry it has taken me so long to post and pass it along.

Marsha is a wonderful graphite and watercolor artist – if you haven’t seen her work and read her blog you are missing out! Marsha’s art in itself is inspiring but her blog will definitely inspire you to do more, write more, paint more, draw more, look more, pray more, celebrate more and be thankful more. She has definitely been an inspiration to me since I’ve known her.

According to the “rules” I need to list seven things about myself. This is probably why I have put it off for so long – but here goes:

1. I didn’t learn how to ride a horse until I was 40 much less own one – now I don’t know what I’d do without one.
   
2. I frosted my hair for many, many years until one day I wondered why it was getting to be so light when I’d frost it – duh! I don’t need to frost my hair anymore at all – nature has done a fine job of it and I love it!
   
3. I love listening to horses eat – it is such a soothing sound to walk through a barn full of horses and listen to there chewing. I only have one but still love the sound.
   
4. I was born in San Antonio, Texas but I’ve lived in Scotland, the Philippines, Hawaii, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Fort Worth, Texas and some of the surrounding North Texas area before moving back to Central Texas.
   
5. I love watching DIY shows.
   
6. I don’t like to fly. People having nightmares who try to open doors in mid-flight, near crashes, engines quiting, windows popping out, electrical failures and the like don't agree with me. So I really have to want to go some where to even get on a plane.
   
7. I love walking around barefoot! The first thing I take off when I walk through the door are my shoes ;-)
   

Now to the fun part, I’m passing the Kreativ Blogger Award along to seven other deserving artists - in no particular order. Please take a few minutes to visit their blogs and enjoy what they do so well.

1. Dean Haven – Dean is a favorite artist of mine. He works in oil and his paintings will make your eyes dance following the light and texture throughout his paintings ! I love that he also places scripture at the end of his posts.
   
2. Cindy Haase – Cindy works in pastels and fabric and produces some of the most fantastic art. Her blog is always informative, well thought out and inspiring as she weaves her creations throughout her posts.
   
3. Saundra Lane – WOW – what can I say about Saundra? She is multi-talented and just oozes creativity. I found her blog not that long ago and just relish each post. She works mostly in acrylic and collage – something I find absolutely fascinating. Along the way in her blog Saundra allows us glimpses into her life making you feel like we are good friends just talking.
   
4. Sara Winters – Another favorite! Sara is a self-taught Texas oil painter. Her paintings are stunningly beautiful. She uses a very limited palette of Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light and Titanium White. With just those few colors she produces some of the most beautiful pieces of art around.
   
5. Holly Zemak – Holly has two blogs and works in pastels and oils. She paints the most adorable illustrative folk art cards with some featuring her favorite pet, a Welsh Corgi. Be sure to check them out – her art will make you smile.
   
6. Dominque Eichi – Is another one of those artists that can paint in oil, water color, acrylics, draw with pen and ink and colored pencils and she also has two blogs. Multi-talented for sure! Very enjoyable.
   
7. Regina Burchett – Another Texas artist. Whether it is pencil or pastel Regina produces wonderful art. Then throw in photography and writing her blog will keep you coming back for sure. Regina’s blog gives you great insight to her drawings and paintings with her posts – thoughtful and thought provoking. BTW - she is just as wonderful in person as in her blog.
   

These are just seven of the many artists I admire and enjoy – I hope you will visit their blogs and enjoy them as much as I do. Be sure to let them know that by posting comments – we all love that. Enjoy!

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Yellowstone's Lower Falls - Original Pastel

I'm re-posting this original pastel, Yellowstone's Lower Falls, because I'm now participating in the challenge blog Following the Masters created by Michelle Burnett. I couldn't resist when I saw Thomas Moran's Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

These challenges are always fun and it's great to see how other artists interpret the challenge. I wonder what the next challenge will be?

Psalm 72:19
And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen

After the Rain - Original Pastel

After the Rain
8" x 8" (20.4cm x 20.4cm)
Pastels on Velour
$50 plus $10 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

We have finally had rain here in Central Texas -thank you Lord! I did have deep cracks in my pasture and yard where you couldn't see the bottom. Most of my grass turned black not too long ago. It had been straw looking, then kind of an ash color, and then it recently went black. I've never seen black grass before. I've lost some rose bushes and a few other plants too. Rain has been really rare around here this year. This week has been wonderful with the rain we have had. Some of the cracks are filled and everything looks fresher. All across Central Texas people are talking about the rain. It hasn't gotten us out of the drought but it has lifted everyone's spirits and there is talk of a wet fall. The temperatures have come down from the record breaking heat we have had - that in itself has been a blessing.

This pastel is just a quick study in clouds. I didn't have a reference picture - just played around with it tonight until I decided it was finished.

Deuteronomy 32:2

Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As the droplets on the fresh grass And as the showers on the herb.

Single Sunflower - Original Pastel

Single Sunflower
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.8cm)
Pastels on Velour
$70 plus $10 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Here is another flower using one of Saundra Lane's photo references. I said I needed practice on flowers so I started this sunflower last night - more practice. I think it is finished. I may tweak it a bit in the next day or two - I'm not sure. At any rate I thought I'd go ahead and share it with you.


2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight--

Two Year Anniversary Blogging!

Today is my two year anniversary blogging!

I can't believe it has been two years already. I can remember how intimidated I was even thinking about blogging. I think it took me a year to actually decide to do it but once I took the plunge it has become a part of my life. I have truly enjoyed meeting new friends and I've learned so much from so many different artists across the country and around the world - and all through blogging.

Anyway - thanks for letting me share a little piece of my life and my art with you through my blog. You keep me blogging.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Cone Flowers - Original Pastel

Cone Flowers
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.8cm)
Pastels on Velour
$50 plus $10 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

I used one of Saundra Lane's photos that she posted on her blog this last week for us to use as we wish. Thanks Saundra!

I don't know why flowers are so difficult for me to paint - but they are - which means I should probably practice painting them more. Then there is that problem of not painting regularly and I fell really rusty right about now - guess that means I need to paint more often. I'm going to try that this week.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit