Southwest Icons

22x15 watercolor full of cactus motifs, imagined symbols, and blazing colors of the desert portrayed on 140 lb hot press paper in a sunset landscape.  Just leaving New Mexico today to return to Texas I always feel I've left a little bit behind.

Beached Whales

10x14 watercolor on gessoed acid free matboard done a few months ago; this was from a WetCanvas! weekend drawing event challenge. I realized it had not been posted here.  Courtesy reference with permission of 4 women having a good time at the seashore.  Painted within 2 hours.

Beach Babe

18x24 on Canson Montval 140 lb cold press block from one of the children photographed years ago on one of my Puerto Rican trips; photo was in black and white so all color is imaginary. Last night I began this painting but have had her drawn for quite awhile, then finished up this morning.

Fur Baby

11x14 acrylic and watercolor on 140 lb cold press watercolor paper. Black acrylic was applied first to my pencil drawing, let dry, then went in with dilute washes of paint.

Paris Hilton Cupcake - collage

10 x10 torn paper collage on wrapped canvas, a daily work of art from my New Mexico studio, using magazine pages, advertisements, and various papers.

Spoon Chef

22x15 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper, a daily painting from yesterday's work.  I used one of my chef figurines to draw him then rubber spatula and wooden spoons in front.

Piggin' Out on Lime Snowcones

8.5x11 colored pencil on Bienfang 50 lb paper of three pigs who had been caught eating snowcones and the far right guy had too many lime flavored ones. 

Coronado Beach Chairs

15x22 watercolor painted wet in wet with lots of hot colors. This patio scene was at the Coronado famous hotel on the beach in California; no idea where the people were, just empty chairs with wet beach towels.

Chocolate Icing collage

18x18 torn paper collage on gessoed matboard of a chocolate cupcake oozing with calories and happiness for the viewer as well as the foodaholic.

Party of Two - mixed media collage/rework

BEFORE - collage on matboard

AFTER

Today I took the top piece of collaged papers on matboard, drew two crows, then painted them in black gesso, let dry and reworked into a hopefully better one.  I used Liquitex acrylics, stamping with bubble wrap, scraping with credit card and covering most with glazes letting only a small amount of the original show.  Its size is 14.5 x 21.75 done in 1.5 hours.  Let me know what you think!

Flour Power

22x15 watercolor of one in my series of chefs, on 140 lb cold press paper. He's already made it into 2 major exhibitions.

Ruffles Red Poppies

15x22 transparent watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper, the second time I've painted this floral set up in my dining room.  I sold the first version that was a bit different.  This has more yellow cosmos, forsythia, and purple buds just as my silk arrangement has.  This image was chosen for a poster by one of the largest museums.

Retro Rooster Collage - recycled art

10 x 14.75 mixed media (watercolor, acrylics, newspaper, napkins, catalog pages, ink) I composed over a failed geranium watercolor. The rooster head and neck were from a former failed barnyard painting with him and 2 hens that did not quite work.  The hens I cut out also and adhered to an old shack scene called "Chicken Ranch", that should still be on this blog.  His purple legs just kill me; feathers in front are from newspaper photos of old wood.  It is a conglomeration of elements with a whole lot of country style and was fun to make.

Temptation

15x11 watercolor on Saunders 140 lb cold press paper of banana nut, strawberry/peach, chocolate, vanilla ice cream, a sundae on a Sunday in celebration of National Ice Cream day proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan.  Oozing with calories and sugar, it is just the thing to tempt anyone as hot as it is outside.  Never fear, I ate it after lunch.  (A few days later I've gone back into it and added more chocolate on the right side for balance.)

Border Patrol - a daily painting

11 x 6.25 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper of Jean's cute border collie puppy just like the ones we used to raise on the farm, only they were never allowed in the house as they were working cow dogs.  A daily painting, this took about 15 minutes to sketch and 1.5 hours to paint wet into wet.  As dry as it is here my paper kept drying and I'd have to stop to rewet and sponge, so really not over an hour to paint. 

Tomorrow is National Ice Cream Day so will treat you all with a new painting of yummy fresh dipped flavors in all colors, so do stay tuned!

Bakery Chef

12x12 watercolor drawn and painted from a tiny chef figurine that I've painted many times.  I never tire of painting these jolly chefs.

Rakes in Oil Pastel

9.5 x 12.5 oil pastels on paper from my farm photo in my mother's garage, a collection of yard implements waiting to be used in this country still life.

Decadent - a daily painting

11 x 6.25 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper of a chocolate cupcakes trio lined up to make the viewer's mouth water.  This is my daily painting for today, done while waiting on paint to dry on kid's furniture.  One basic recipe, one yummy dessert selection so decadent and delicious, too much fun to eat after painting.

American Saddlebred

10.5x9 watercolor on Saunders 140 lb cold press paper, American Journey paints.  Size was 10.5x15, about 1/4 sheet, and I decided to crop off the right side as I'd blurred the rider and it didn't add anything to the composition...30minutes to draw, 1.5 hours to paint. I used a black & white copy of the photo so color isn't too accurate but think it reads a sorrel anyway. Thanks Jean for the reference we used for this weekend's drawing event in the All Media Art Event forum in WetCanvas!

Old O'Donnell Shack

15x22 wet in wet watercolor on Saunders 140 lb cold press paper of this old rundown abandoned shack.  It sits by highway 87 in O'Donnell, TX and I have painted its weary boards before but never tire of giving it one more life in the west Texas landscape. What was odd was the gigantic yucca at the corner rising tall as if to guard its former home from strangers and artists with cameras.

Sinful - a daily painting

11 x 8.5 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold press paper, American Journey/Daniel Smith paints done today...so full of calories and sugar it just must be sinful to eat something so beautiful yet tempting! Says summer to me!!

Red Mum

22x30 watercolor of a single bright red chrysanthemum, an older work that has been sold.  In this large format the common mum takes on an added importance.  In another month or so we'll be seeing them arrive for fall.

Gulls Sketch - Happy Independence Day!

5x9 Tombow brush pen sketch using gray and black pens of this Biloxi, Mississippi harbor scene.  The birds are sitting and watching boats and people come and go; they are free to leave or stay just like we are in this country.  So happy 4th of July to all Americans here and abroad! Prayers for all servicemen and women who bear arms so that we can enjoy our daily lives and freedoms we hold so dear.

Summer on a Fork - daily painting

8.5x11 watercolor beach scene/still life combo dreamed up by me who is so desperate to see water, any kind of water and the ocean looks pretty inviting even if it isn't real.  Here the sand stops the tide as the eye seeks the horizon where sea meets sky.  Meanwhile a red melon is being devoured by someone enjoying their summer.  Please send rain to West Texas!!!

Kitty Love

11x15 watercolor of Elizabeth's 2 cats Chloe and Big Ears, who is licking Chloe's face and she does not look too happy.  Finished today after 2 hours from pencil sketch on Italia 140 lb paper, American Journey paints.



Decorative Painting: Jewelry Board

I painted this commission a few days ago as requested for "zebra stripes with flowers in there, too", hoping the customer will like it as it is for her daughter as a surprise.  She plans to put hooks into the pegboard to hold long necklaces or chain type jewelry.  It measures 40x28.