wip - Starlin and Skylar

10" x 8" oil on canvas

The completed photos and scans of this recently delivered painting are deeply buried in the hard drive of my crashed computer. This one was taken nearing completion - probably about 80 percent. I am so pleased with the finished painting and with the client's positive reaction to it!

Wispy hairs blowing across starlin's face were added at the end and not in this photo. More work was done on precious Baby Skylar's face and the skin tones of both color corrected, blended and softened.

This pose was so unusual making it a thrill and challenge to try and capture the sweet gentle face of this beautiful new mother with her tattoo and piercings in a mysterious woodsy setting! I love being an artist!

The dead computer is going to Florida where a tech-y friend can hopefully retrieve the data from the hard drive and I will post a photo of the finished painting this winter.

Wouldn't a large variation of this portrait make a great competition piece? I may request permission to paint it larger for myself!

Stampede

4" x 20" - Acrylic on Illustration Board

Here is the completed painting...I'm pleased with the way it turned out and feel this is what the client has in mind. These horses were fun but a challenge to say the least! I am soooo ready for larger brushes!

The old computer could not be revived (at a reasonable expense) so brought home a shiny new desktop and I'm a happy blogger once more! It's been about two weeks since I've visited your blogs so can't wait to see what you've been painting/creating while I was "unplugged"!

WIP - Stampede

4" x 20" - Acrylic on Illustration Board



Stampede is a commissioned piece I've been putting off starting because the reference photo is poor quality, and because it's so small and because I procrastnate! It's starting to be fun and I hope to post the finished piece soon. It is to be picked up September 3rd and there's nothing like a little deadline pressure to light a fire!

This post could just as well be titled "August Woes" - since it was one week ago today my computer crashed and was rushed to a tech for emergency treatment. Because I wasn't sure if I wanted to repair the four year old desktop or shop for a new computer was slow giving the go-ahead to order the necessary part (power supply gadget). Maybe it will be home by mid-week! In the meantime my sweet hubby is sharing his notebook - with Windows 7 - a whole new ballgame that I think I'm beginning to like!

So sorry I'm not making it to your blogs with comments but will try and catch up next week when "Old Trusty" is back in the studio! Soooo lost without it...need the monitor to zoom in on details with these horses - not to mention needing recent files for two other commissions! Everything was backed up to July 1! From now on, daily back up of art and photo files will be the norm!

Our local newspaper's WEEKLY GUIDE gave Jean, Silvia and me some much appeciated publicity in Wednesday's edition! Woo Hoo - We are enjoying the comments from family and friends! The show comes down tomorrow.

Happy Me!

"Collecting"
24" x 36" watermedia on illustration board

The Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League 43rd Annual Juried Members Exhibit at the Tyson Library, Black Mountain, NC will hang through August 15 showcasing 73 pieces representing 40 artists. When we arrived for the reception Sunday afternoon surrounded by misty mountains and a hazy sky, it seemed the perfect setting for an art show! Exhibiting artists are not given advance information as to awards - so - I was surprised and totally delighted to find my watermedia painting "Collecting" had been honored with a second place ribbon! This show is extraordinary with brilliant pieces in all seven categories! Judge was Asheville, N.C. artist Sharon Trammel.

Silvia Williams had two pieces juried into the show as did Beth Dix. Jean Baldwin took a second place award in the drawing category, and Karen Paquette a second place for her fabulous mixed media piece! You can just imagine how much fun this reception was for me with so many old and new friends! Family members also showed up and the perfect afternoon flew by!

Yesterday two commissioned portraits left my studio going north! I am happy with both and trust (hope) they will be well received. A bit nerve wracking in the meantime!