Winter Cattle Study

I want to paint larger but need to work out the composition. This is the gray barn I painted earlier. I added the cattle from another photo reference. I have photos of Herefords that I may use to try to add some nice warm colors against the cool.

12" x 6" oil on canvas

Late Afternoon on the River

This is from a photo I took after painting plein air. Looking forward to nice weather to get back to this spot.

12" x 6" oil on canvas

Winter at the Gray Barn

We didn't have a lot of snow so this came from a photo I took last year. This challenge was to paint the gray and make it interesting. I did not use any black and mixed my grays, another challenge. 

12" x 6" oil on canvas

In the Round Pen

This was another challenge from one of my photo references. The pose was not what you usually see in a painting, with the legs outstretched such as Degas's "False Start". Some poses lend themselves to convey action and grace better than others. This does not say grace, it almost seems like the horse is about to stumble. My sister had a horse like that and we nicknamed the horse "Trip". Luckily for my sister the horse always managed to stay upright. 

12" x 6" oil on canvas.

Sunset on the Trail

Practicing on clouds again. Sunsets are the most fleeting. My artist friend Gin Lammert has an upcoming show with lots of inspiring sunsets or maybe they are sunrises?

14" x 11" oil on canvas panel

Coconut Cream

Reposted this after fixing it. 

I should have stopped at the produce department. I wanted to challenge myself painting yellow in shadow. Also wanted to practice round objects. A friend sent me a formula for that but I was in too big a hurry. Seeing this downsized on the internet helps me see where it needs to be changed. Oops where is the shadow for the fork?

12" x 6" oil on canvas

One Pair

Set up a still life from my produce finds. I really don't like to eat pears, maybe I can juice them I heard that is good.

12" x 6" oil on canvas

Road to Augusta

Another challenging landscape. Usually a road that snakes through the landscape makes a more interesting subject and successful painting, but I have seen artists take an ordinary scene and make it work.  This was my challenge with this scene. Also still practicing my clouds.

12" x 9" oil on canvas

Forest Scene

Pulled up another photo from my warm weather plein air painting. Clouds are fleeting so it is better for me to practice from the photos. I hope I can keep the scene in my head long enough to paint a believable cloudscape plein air.

6" x 12" oil on canvas

volunteer parade of lights

I deleted the first post on this one and worked some more on the painitng. My husband does not humor me which is a good thing on these portraits. I would rather hear it from him than worry that the volunteers are not happy. There is also someone at the art center who is brutally honest. I guess in this field you better be prepared to listen to a second opinion.

11" x 14" oil on mdf

Riverview at Bonaparte Iowa

Finished at the last volunteer portrait session, just need to tweak it now. Pulled up a photo on my challenge list. Capturing the many rocks in the water and the distant shoreline make this a scene I need to work on. I also started with a white canvas, not ideal.

8" x 8" oil on canvas 

Volunteer in Lavendar

This lady wore the prettiest lavender sweater. Shades of purple are something I need to work on. 

11" x 14" oil on mdf. 

Rabbit

Just a break from the portraits. I have been redoing some of the portraits hoping to get a better likeness. I need to stand back once in a while.

8" x 8"

volunteer no 50

volunteer for West Point Community Club. 

11" x 14" oil on mdf

Spring in the Cattle Pasture

Feeling like painting something Spring. These cattle were in a pasture where they could graze and wander up and down the hills. There were many new born calves in the herd.

8" x 6" oil on canvas

Volunteer no 49

This lady is one of the representatives for the community dinner. When talking you find out a lot about them. Like most of the volunteers they are involved with other non-profits. The rotary was most important to her growing up they made a difference in her life and she is paying it forward.

11" x 14" oil on mdf

Wild Horses Sketch

Not enough time to paint so a fun sketch is in order. 

14" x 7" ballpoint pen

volunteer no. 47

I thought I was going along very well with this painting, that is, until his son showed up. He remarked that the face was too "fat". I thinned it after that, sometimes a fresh look at it helps. I don't mind the criticism I have had worse and this time it was really needed.

11" x 14" oil on mdf.