Back in the Groove

It's not that I haven't been painting, it's just that I haven't been painting as much for the past few weeks. I actually worked full time for a friend for a week and a half. I was not used to working like that and it really took it out of me. Before that we were traveling. I did get some paintings done on the trip but not as many as I'd hoped. Life just kept getting in the way.

During the time since I last posted, I completed what I consider my best still life to date "White Roses"

I also painted what I consider my best ever version of Mount Sopris. This one will be in the Plein Air Austin Annual show at the Corridor of Art Downtown in September and October.

Among the other paintings I've done in the past month or so, is one for the Central Texas Pastel Society Annual show at the Cultural Activity Center in Temple September and October. That one was a peg legged grackle stealing food from plates left on the table at Julios. 

It's been a busy month or so even if I haven't been painting every day. I'll try to post more soon.

Happy painting!

Recent Works

Lots of painting in the past couple of weeks. The weather has been perfect for plein air if you don't mind the mosquitos. Much cooler than normal for July in Texas. I've also been doing some in the studio. Here are a few of my latest efforts. All but two of these (those marked with a red dot) are available through my Daily Paintworks Gallery at www.jfrederickart.com 
Thank you for viewing my art.

The Magic of Rust

It's odd. Most things are ugly when they get rusty, but somehow I believe old trucks look better with rust. That was certainly the case for this old pick up out at the Start Hill Ranch. I took photos of it last time Plein Air Austin went out to paint there. I remember freezing while we painted, but I did get some good photos to use later. This one's turn came last night when I was looking for something to paint. I was pleased with the results. I remembered painting another truck out there back when I first started posting on Daily Paintworks almost 4 years ago. The first truck sold a long time ago, but when I compare the two images, I can see how far my art has come since that first truck. Can you tell which is which?

My Largest Painting to Date

A dear friend of mine asked me if I could create a special painting for her. She was redecorating her living room and wanted a painting representative of the Texas Hill Country. Up until now, my largest painting had been an 18x24 of a hill country scene that sold on Daily Paintworks last year. Since she wanted something larger, I was a little nervous. We talked about what she had in mind and she even picked a couple of paintings from my website that she liked, so I'd have an idea of where to start. I took those two paintings and did an 8x10 study combining elements of both into the one. After some discussion and some adjusting we decided to move forward with a 30x40 canvas. It took me most of last week but I think I'm done. She said she likes it and we've arranged for delivery in April when we will both be in Galveston.

Going to the Birds.

I've really been enjoying birds lately. I painted a photo of a bird I'd taken at my in-laws home in Evergreen, a chickadee, I believe. Then I used my brand new camera (birthday gift from my hubby) to take a great photo of a blue jay enjoying our bird bath. Really had fun painting that one so then I went out with my camera looking for more birds to take photos of. Today it was a grackle. I think this all started with the peacock whose picture I took at Mayfield Park last year. I painted it in pastel and it won an honorable mention at the Central Texas Pastel Society Show last August.

"Blue Jay Bath" 6x6 oil on panel

"Grackle" 6x6 oil on panel

"My Little Chickadee" 6x6 oil on panel

"Show Off" 8x10 pastel on paper

30 in 30 The Final Tally and Moving Forward

Although I forgot to post it to my blog, I did complete the 30 in 30 challenge, having painted all 30 paintings in a square format. Most were 6x6 but I had a few 8x8 and even one 12x12 in the line up. By the end of the challenge several had already sold which was gratifying.

The last day of the challenge Leslie Saeta gave us instructions on how to build a collage of all 30 paintings to post online.

Here is mine:

Overall I was very happy with the results. There were a few that I felt might have been better given more time, but for the most part I was satisfied. The challenge was a wonderful way to start the year and spur myself to paint every day. I also loved looking at everyone else's paintings. With almost 900 artists signed up for the challenge, if they all produced 30 each, a lot of new art was generated. To get a closer look at my 30 please check out my gallery at www.jfrederickart.com

Today was Qiang's mentoring class. I found a large Bombay Sapphire bottle and built a still life around that. Bombay Sapphire was my husband's favorite gin for a very long time so I've seen a lot of those bottles. They're a beautiful shade of blue. I'm not sure why I never tried to paint one before.

"Apple, Gin and more..." 8x8 oil on panel  for more information click here

500 Daily Paintings!!!

Wow, I didn't even realize it until I glanced at the number of paintings found for my gallery on Daily Paintworks. The painting I just uploaded, "Red, White and Blue" is my 500th painting on Daily Paintworks. Seems like a huge milestone though I guess it wouldn't matter to anyone but me.

My 500th Painting on Daily Paintworks - "Red White and Blue"

This is day 22 of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge. So far I'm still on track. I just uploaded #23 for tomorrow. It's really beginning to be a struggle. I stay so busy it's really hard to make sure I paint every day, but it's a marvelous exercise.  Here are the other paintings I've painted since I last posted.

"Passing Farm" 6x6 oil

"Butterfly Party" 6x6 oil

"Star Apple" 8x8 oil

"West Texas Industrial" 6x6 oil

Day 18 of the 30 in 30 Challenge

 

Day 15 "Kissing Apples" 12x12

I'm still on track but I no longer have a couple of days worth of paintings in reserve. Unless I paint something today I'm out of new paintings to post. I did paint one yesterday when I joined Qiang to paint plein air at the Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin, but it's a wiper. Actually Qiang convinced me to keep it but said I should paint another one and use the first one as an example of what not to do and never let anyone see it. Yes, it was that bad. Well it did have one redeeming value, I was not unhappy with the perspective, but that's the only part that went right. Anyway, it's a journey and I'm trying to learn so it was a learning experience.

 Day 12 "Fishing Village" 8x8

That said for those who are not seeing my paintings on Daily Paintworks, Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge, my Facebook page, or my "My Art" Pinterest board, here's what I've been up to lately.

Day 18 "Sunny Bunch" 6.5x6 pastel

 Day 13 "Copper Tankard" 6x6

Day 16 "Texas Tower" 6x6

Day 17 "Green Glass and Brass" 6x6

Day 14 "Green Jug with Daisy" 6x6

You might wonder why I don't post them in numerical order...well if I could just get Blogger to cooperate, I would. For some reason I can't seem to get them to post in the order or the arrangement I want. I finally gave up and posted them like this.

Day 10 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge and Workshop Round Up

The 30 day challenge is progressing. I've stopped waking up at 1 a.m. eager to post my painting early so it will show up in the first 50 or so paintings on Leslie Saeta's blog (not that it makes any difference to anyone but me).

"Golden" 6x6 oil on panel

"Don't Tread on Me" 6x6 oil on panel

I am still on track and have tomorrow's painting ready to post, although the one after that is another story.







I started a painting  on day 4 of the Qiang Huang workshop but it is not finished and I'm struggling with the "modeling and consolidation" phases of the painting.

Over all I was delighted with my paintings from  the workshop. I did 3 still life paintings that were among the best I think I've ever done. My husband paid me the best compliment when he said one of them looked like Qiang's style - a standard I would love to strive for.
Here are the one's I did on day 2 and day 3 of the workshop. I will show you day 4 when and if I manage to finish it.

"Moonshine Jug and Fruit" 8x8 oil on panel

"Birdhouse and Fruit" 8x8 oil on panel

The next workshop I'm signed up for right now is the Nancy Tankersley workshop which will be in Austin in March. Her workshop will be on "Keeping it Fresh - Painting Figures from Photos". I can't wait!

Day 1 of Qiang Huang Workshop & Day 6 of 30 in 30 Challenge

What a fun day! I attended the first day of the Qiang Huang workshop in Austin. Enjoyed watching Qiang paint a beautiful still life this morning (using one of my favorite vases). I got to paint my own still life this afternoon with another of my favorite vases, and I felt like the painting really worked. I was so pleased. Forgive the poor photo, I didn't bring the painting home from the workshop yet. I shot a really quick snapshot of it without really lining things up properly, even so, I'm pretty pleased with the way it looks.

This is Day 6 of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge. I am proud to say that I'm right on schedule (actually a couple of paintings ahead as I've already painted numbers 7 & 8. If I use the workshop paintings then I'm already 3 paintings ahead. Here are the paintings that I posted for Days 3 thru 6. Day 4 and 6 already have bids on them in their DPW auctions.

 Day 3 - "Sharps Before Breakfast" 6x6 oil on panel

 Day 4 - "Mountain Grasses" 6x6 oil on panel

Day 5 - "Me and My Shadow" 6x6 oil on panel

Day 6 - "Strolling in the Rain" 6x6 oil on panel

Days One and Two of the 30 in 30 Challenge

Day 1 - "Gift Fruit" 6x6 oil on linen panel

Day 2 - "Lily Pond" 6x6 oil on linen panel

So far, so good. I am still a day or two ahead on paintings. I've painted 4 but today's only day 2 so I'm in great shape. I have already uploaded the  two shown above and managed to get them on the right page with the right information and link. I'm feeling pretty good about the whole process. I went through a lot of my photos yesterday and have already picked and cropped the next few to paint. In addition, I also managed a different kind of painting, by painting part of my bedroom. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg. The whole house desperately needs painting and this year I've vowed to rid myself of the awful "popcorn" ceilings. So I've got lots of work in store.

I got a very interesting call yesterday. A gentleman from Connecticut called me. He had bought two of my small paintings in 2014 and he wanted to let me know why, something I very rarely find out from buyers on Daily Paintworks. He collects specifically paintings of women walking. He said that it was a popular painting theme in the 1920s to 1940s. He has started a foundation the Amity Art Foundation to promote and support art and artists (note website is not currently up to date). It started with print making and has obviously expanded into other forms of original art. He is working on curating a "Walking Women Exhibit" in both Connecticut and Vermont. My paintings will be included. I am very flattered and very pleased to understand why he chose the two particular paintings he bought. I've always wondered why people pick the paintings they do, only a very few ever tell me.

"Santa Fe Stroll Buddies" 5x5 private collection 

"Shopping Trip" 6x6 private collection