Valentine's Day, 2014

When I had a wonderful Christmas meal with this family, the daughter, JoAnn, slipped a photo into my pocket when leaving and asked me to do a portrait of her Mom and Dad for their 35th wedding anniversary.  They picked it up last night, Valentine's day.  Aren't they a precious couple !  Look at that head of hair on James and those cheek bones on Sandy.

Here is my Series Painting of Indoors/Outdoors in Plein Aire

ANOTHER ARTIST ASKED ME THIS QUESTION

Probably every week that I am around other artists, I am asked by someone who wants to paint how to get into the "business" of being an artist and selling their wares.  Or. someone has done a few paintings and wants to know why they are not selling or why a gallery has turned them down or why they didn't get into such and such exhibition and if they did get into the exhibition why they didn't win an award.  You can see the direction I am coming from.  What blows my mind is the idea that you don't have to put in the same kind of "practice" in painting that you put to be a fine pianist (would Van Cliburn role over in his grave if someone was asking the same questions about being a concert pianist to him?), or practice to become the tennis player you want to become, or practice to become the dancer or musician? 

I think you must have many years of practice under your belt to become an artist.  You must have a place that is "yours" to practice in.  My Treehouse Studio is cold and hot, but it is mine and always ready to receive me with open arms.  You must have some idea of what medium you want to work with and they all take more effort than you originally thought.  You must have an idea of how you want to work (abstract, impressionistic, realistic, fool the eye realism, cubistic, etc.).  And, the most important ingredient is the element of desire or drive.  Try a series of paintings in one direction-say a hundred paintings of landscapes.  Then do another series of another hundred. 

This little painting is in my series of plein aire paintings (from the objects either indoor or outdoor):

Some Changes in this year of 2014

Just adopted an 8 year old Australian Shepherd/Labrador Retriever Mix from Tarrant Humane Society.  She is a very laid back, extremely friendly and sweet, devoted after some bewilderment over losing her family (family lost job and then lost home, car, and dog.  I can't imagine their heartbreak).  Her name is Trudy and her coloring is black with white feet and a blaze of white on chest.  Since I do not have a fenced in yard, have been taking out via leash every time we exit the house to go to bathroom, walk, office/gallery, mail box, and it has been COLD here.  Today in Colleyville, Texas, it was 19 degrees and never got over 28 degrees.  Tomorrow it is supposed to snow.
 Never have I spent so much time talking in a low, loving voice, telling this wonderful companion how wonderful and beautiful and good she is.  And, she is all of these attributes.  I am in love with her and feel that unique devoted love that a dog can give in return.  She has hip dysplasia, so she is getting glucosamine/chondroitin  and will try and get a little weight off of her.  You will be seeing paintings of her, that I am sure.  She loves people and dogs.  And, dogs seem to love her. 

And, the year was so good in art sales that I bought a Lexus RX 350, crossover that seats go down.  Will give you a formula for buying on line, which I did.  Could hardly wait to tell my two Sons.  They gave their Mom proper enthusiasm for the "good buy" their Mom got.