35. Drought Conditions

This Drought is Tough 8x10 oil/panel

This drought IS tough.... ranchers around here have it better than some, since we're in the mountains and tend to get a little more rainfall than those at lower elevations, but  every one of them will tell you it's been a hard year. And of course the Las Conchas fire damaged huge, huge tracts of grazing land and forest.   With hay going as high as $15 a square bale, they have a hard row to hoe.

My job isn't so tough.. I just have to paint.  That's hard enough some days, though.  I am really working on being more "painterly".  I ask the question, "how can I put down a brushstroke that represents this piece of light and color?"  rather than "how can I make this look like a stirrup?... or whatever...".  That's the hard part, because what we are doing is painting how light affects things - we're not painting "things". You've all heard me harp on this before.  Sometimes I feel like I am pulled in two directions, though.  These type of scenes just scream for  DETAIL!!!   Part of me would just love to get out the tiny brushes and draw in all the details of the saddle, or whatever.  But growing as an artist, for me at least right now, means learning to put down purposeful brushstrokes that represent a chunk of value and color, so I squint even though I'm using a photo reference here, and I use the largest brush I can. I also did a fair amount of negative painting - I do not start these  paintings with any drawing, just some rough thin brushstrokes to place the objects. so for the horse and rider in particular, I sort of carved them out of the background.

And, can I just add one random thought:  cows ARE fun to paint.  Especially Herefords.

postscript.I reworked the background on this one because after looking at it, I decided it was too chalky and too busy.   I think this version is much better now....what do you think?

Yikes! No daily today!

This WAS one of the daily paintings.. here it is hanging in the show in Keene, NH.

I started a small painting this morning, but I had all these errands to run,and I've just now gotten home.... I stopped by our local gallery on the way back, and one of the other artists was there, playing Irish fiddle - it was absolutely wonderful, so of course I had to stop and listen and talk with him.    The main reason for my trip to the "village" (what we call Jemez Springs) was to ship a painting  and  to make a DUMP RUN.  When you live in the sticks, there is no such thing as trash pick up.  You gotta take your own trash.  And since the dump and recycling center is more than a 50 mile round trip, it not only takes quite awhile to get there, but I always try to combine it with other errands so as to make the best use of the gas. So, in addition to the other errands,  I stopped at the general store to talk to the gal there about a painting commission, and while there, the UPS guy came by, recognized me, and gave me a package he had on the truck. (art supplies!). Small town life is cool.  That wouldn't happen in the city.    I also stopped at a local resale shop to see if they had any goodies for painting. I've found cool stuff as still life props in places like this.  Today, I did find a beautiful blue goblet and a little brass cup.

soooooo.... I didn't get home in time to work on the painting for today - You'll just have to wait.

Now, I gotta go light the wood stove and get some warmth going in this house!  And start supper! And feed the dogs!  (the dogs are hoping it is not necessarily in that order).

34.. Portrait Study

Don 11x14 oil

Today's painting is a portrait study of another artist friend.  I asked on one of my painting forums if folks would send me photos of themselves, so I can practice painting portraits.  Don generously supplied several.

Working from photos is never as good as working from life, but it's still good practice, and I learn something every time I do one of these.   And not only about painting...

 In our correspondence, Don told me that he is a musician/songwriter, used to tour, but now writes...and this photo is actually one of photos from a CD he has in process at the moment.  He plays sort of "Texas red dirt" country music, which is sort of rocked out country as he explains it.     It's really interesting to connect in these small ways with folks, even using a photo as a "model".!

33. Copper Creamer and Rose

Copper Creamer and Rose 6x8 oil/panel

Today I've got lots of "stuff" to do, so I concentrated on making a quick study with purposeful brushstrokes and simple subject matter.  Roses drive me nuts, so I'm not sure why I picked that today...I had a bit of trouble photographing this - the overall color is still sort of "off" - the inside of the creamer is not that blue - but I just couldn't get it right, and I gotta run!  
I've been working more than usual from photographs, and really, I prefer to work from life, and it is better study to do so.  

Nothing new, just an update

Little Pals 10x10

After checking the value structure on this, and getting some helpful suggestions from some artist friends, I decided to re-work the background on this painting of little foals.  Now there is greater contrast between the foals and the area behind them, and I think the spring-like colors go well with the idea of new babies - I think these two are about to bound off any second now....

32. Grace

Grace 8x10 oil/panel

Grace, not a name, but a quality. This was a study done from an old Smithsonian photo, black and white.  Again the challenge is to add color - skin tones are the most difficult thing (I think) to paint - because skin doesn't really have a color of its own - it  shifts and changes with the light and surrounding colors more than any other "thing" that we paint.   

I'll be off to visit family for Thanksgiving, and though I'll take my paints, I don't have much hope of getting any work done, so it'll be several days before I post again.

Blessings on you all for Thanksgiving - I hope you can enjoy  being with family and friends.  

31. Three Running Horses

Three Running Horses 8x8 oil/panel

I am sick today. So I thought I should keep it simple and paint just one thing.. well, okay, two if you count the feather.  Normally, I'd probably had painted this pot, let it dry, and then glazed on the design. But I wanted to do this alla prima.  I liked painting the feather though.

Maybe I just should've stayed in bed. :-)