Along the Guadalupe

8"x10", oil on canvas

In early June, I had the privilege of taking a workshop with Kim Casebeer. She is a wonderful artist, a great teacher and a really nice person, too! 

This painting was done on the banks of the Guadalupe River, just off of River Road, near New Braunfels, Texas. It is usually blazing hot by this time of year but, it was nice and cool along the river. The only uncool thing was the snake that fell from the tree across from us. Such are the adventures of plein air painters! SOLD

Still Standing

6"x8", oil on canvas

I drive by this little ravine quite often. I always have to slow down and take a good look and, if I have my camera, which I usually do, take several photos to add to my collection. I have many photos of this scene taken at different times of day throughout the seasons and over many years.  There is something so peaceful about it and always something a little different. Sometimes there are cattle, sometimes an egret and sometimes even a fisherman after a good rain.

Wildseed Farms

8"x10", oil on linen

This painting is from  Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas. The scene is from the west entrance of the building when the sun was just beginning to peek over the roof. I wasn't pleased with the results on site and brought it home to complete. I could see what was wrong but, it took a while to figure out how to correct it and make it all cohesive. I am now pleased with the results and am calling it done!

Country Road

Country Road, 8"x10", oil
Sometimes giving a painting a title is the hardest part. Nothing I thought about seemed to fit so,  I showed it to my husband and asked what first came to mind. He answered, "a country road" so,  Country Road it is. For now, anyway.
(Available for purchase at Cactus Jack's )

Sunlit Canyon

Sunlit Canyon, 8"x10", oil
SOLD

Freudenburg Farm

Freudenburg Farm, 8"x10", oil, SOLD
This is a scene very near where I live. It never fails to capture my eye, no matter the time of day. This was an early morning scene so, the lighting was still a little blue.  I have more paintings planned that will reflect how it looks at different times of day.

Early Texas Spring

Early Texas Spring, 8"x10", oil
Fellow artist Bonny White and her husband, Roy, recently hosted a paint out for the Texas Paint Slingers.  The fields were full of very bright and wonderfully fragrant wildflowers, which just glowed when the sun came out.  Not only did the Whites kindly offer us the run of their ranch, they fed us some pretty darn good eats.  Thank you Bonny and Roy for a great day!
SOLD

Tradition

This painting has a very special and personal meaning for me. It is of a priest in Eastern Europe and is entitled Tradition.
 6"x8", original, oil on board

Figure Sketch #12

The twelfth and final one of this series. It is also my very favorite. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #11

The eleventh in the series. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #10

The tenth in the series. 6"x 8"

Figure Study #9

The ninth in the series. This was a lot of fun to paint. It almost painted itself, which is always nice! 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #8

The eighth in the series. I like this one a lot. I am very happy with it over all. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #7

The seventh in the series. I really wanted to go back into this one and work on it more but felt it would be cheating. The idea is to keep these to 20 to 30 minutes. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #6

The sixth in the series and one of my favorites. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #5

The fifth in the series. The little studies are challenging but also a lot of fun. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #4

The fourth in the series and a slightly different palette. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #3

The third in the series and a much warmer palette. 6"x8"

Figure Sketch #2

This is the second in the series and was done in far less time than the first.  I wanted to try a higher key.  6"x8"

Gallery Guide West

I am very honored to have had my painting featured in this month's issue of Gallery Guide West. The ad is for the New Braunfels Art League, an art organization that has been very close to  my heart for many years. It is not only a wonderful gallery but a teaching center, which is abuzz just about any day of the year.

Workshops for 2012 include award winning artists such as Deborah Paris, Myra Knapp, Kim Casebeer and Qiang Huang to name but a few. Please check the NBAL website to see who else is on the schedule. And be sure to check back often as workshops are being added on a regular basis.

Goals; it's that time again!

It is that time of year again; the time for setting goals for the year ahead. It is also time for evaluating the progress of the goals that were set for this year. I am very pleased to report that all but one have been achieved and the final one is on schedule for completion before the year is out. I am equally pleased to have found that, as a result of the goals that have been met, more opportunities have presented themselves.

Below is an excerpt of a post I made around this time last year. I encourage you to give it a try. Be sure to write down your goals and keep them where you can refer to them throughout the year. Doing so will greatly help keep you on track. It’s the first step in that thousand mile journey that makes and keeps you accountable to yourself.

Some suggest sharing your goals with someone who will keep you accountable. Others believe it is better to keep them to yourself to avoid the naysayers. You are the only one who knows which approach is best for you but, whichever you choose, write your goals down. Even if you have a support group, you are ultimately accountable only to yourself and your list will help you do just that. There is something almost magical about it, too! Don’t believe me? I challenge you to try it and report back to me a year from now. I’m telling you, it’s magic!

Here is the excerpt from one year ago:

S.M.A.R.T.

Make sure that your goals are:

S-specific
M-measurable
A-attainable
R-realistic
T-timely

It is a wonderful and wise way to set and accomplish your goals. Write them out and review them periodically throughout the year to keep yourself on track. Being able to check them off your list will create even more momentum.

Now, go forth and set your goals!

Gaye

ARToberfest Award

Please accept my apology for taking so long to let you know which painting won an award in the ARToberfest Regional Juried Exhibit. It was, as I had hoped, the portrait of my husband. It is entitled "Jakob" in the exhibit, which is his middle name in Polish.
Although a third generation Texan, he is 100% Polish. Our ancestors came to Texas in the mid 1850's. About 15 years ago, we discovered that our ancestors lived within miles of each other and even attended the same church. We felt it was a sign that we had been destined to be together!
The cap he is wearing in this portrait is one we bought while in Poland. I think he looks so dapper! To me, this portrait embodies all that I feel about him and our common Polish heritage. I love them both beyond words! Thanks for allowing me to share a little of our history.
Oops, I almost forgot to mention that it took Honorable Mention in the Oil/Acrylic category. SOLD

 

ARToberfest

You are invited!

Artoberfest is now open and on exhibit at the Art League in New Braunfels, Texas. This is an annual, juried show held each October. The reception is Friday, October 7 from 5pm to 8pm and is open to the public. Awards will be announced at 6:30pm.

I am so excited to share that I have won an award! Unfortunately, I will have to wait until the awards ceremony to find out which painting and which award. It is either for painting from the Medina paint out and the portrait of my husband, which is entitled Jakob. Needless to say, I am on pins and needles! I hope you can attend.

Meanwhile, the show is open and can be viewed during regular business hours which are Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from Noon until 5pm. If you can't make the reception, please do try to see the exhibit.

Paint Out in Medina

This is from a paint out with the Texas Paint Slingers last fall. It was on a ranch near Medina, Texas. Much thanks to Susan Tracy for allowing us to come out and paint her corner of heaven. 6"x8", original, oil on panel SOLD

Big Stuff

This painting will also be in the upcoming ASBA show being held at Cactus Jack's in Gruene, Texas. If there is a more elegant breed of cattle than the Brahman, I don't know what it is! I love these gorgeous animals!


6"x"6, original, oil on linen