BACON...it's What I had for Breakfast

Portly Porker Pals

I was just reading this morning that there are 73,150 pig farms in the United States, (Purdue University) While I can confirm or deny that fact, I do recall spending a little time on my Grandparents pig farm in Woodlake, MN., so I guess I have a little experience with these misunderstood and under appreciated livestock.

I also read this morning that pigs are smart, social and are very clean animals.  WOW!  I know that the smell that filled the air when the breeze was blowing from the direction of the barn could make your eyes water and nearly take your breath away.  I guess that is just the price to be paid for the smell of agriculture.  I can recall driving past the stockyards in Western Kansas as a child and that smell wasn't much better. (Pig Facts)

With that many pig farms, I would be amiss if I didn't draw or paint a picture or two of happy hogs for my Down Country Roads series.  Here is my newest sketch that I just finished this morning and I have to say I think these two turned out pretty cute.  I'm calling this one "Portly Porker Pals".

Both of these pieces are available on both my Website and in my Etsy Store so you can go there and check them out.  I have a number of other farm or country themed artwork pieces that you might also want to see that are part of my Down Country Roads series.

Lunch and a Spa Treatment

I will just end this blog today with a quote from the wise Winston Churchill.  Mr. Churchill once said that, "Dogs look up to man. Cats look down to man. Pigs look us straight in the eye and see an equal.”

Traveling Down Country Roads In My Studio

My Current Work in Progress on my Studio Easel

This week I have managed to steal away here and there a little time to work on my piece that features a Jersey Cow and Calf along with a fence post of beautiful morning glories.  The morning glories have been a repeated theme in my last two works and this piece makes number 3 in a series that I'm calling "Down Country Roads".  It looks as if this will be the name of my solo show at Boulder City Art Gallery in April and then eventually another Clark County Library show.  I'm really excited because these pieces are very special to me and are full of memories of my childhood in the beautiful Ozark hills of Central Missouri.  I am hopeful to have at least 2 more large pieces  and several small works finished by the end of March.

Each piece is hopefully going to be charming, colorful and humorous so it will be a show you will want to see if you are in the Las Vegas area.  I will most definitely keep everyone posted as to the times and dates of my shows.

Marketing Flyer Draft

I worked on some rough drafts for a postcard to use as a marketing tool for my up coming show.  So far this is what I have come up with.  There may be some slight changes but overall I am pretty pleased with how it looks.  When I have made all my edits, I will order some cards to be printed from Vistaprint  to pass out and to mail along sending out electronic invitations to the show.

"You Stole My Heart"

This little sketch was one I did last week but wasn't happy with the composition when I went to place it in a matte.  I decided to extend the background wall to take up more room on the paper and then I added a scattering of small hearts in the wagons path.  I have had a lot of positive feedback on this piece.  It is matted to 11 x 14 inches and will look great in a frame to give as a gift to someone special.

"That's a Lot of Hogwash"

I did this "Big Mamma" piece last night and may do a little more blending touch ups to it before I can say for sure it is finished but I had a great time drawing this one.  I like the pink and blue of the sow and that contrasted to the mud she is so happily standing in.  Hogs can be very large creatures, especially the full grown boars.  They can also be very mean and I know I wouldn't want to get into the pen with them unless I had a big stick or electric cattle prod close by.  I have a great deal of respect for farmers.  My grandparents ran a hog farm for a number of years in small town of Woodlake, Minnesota and so I have first hand experience smelling that lovely aroma in the air when the breeze is blowing from the direction of the barn.  You have to LOVE the smell of  rural America!


That pretty much outlines my artistic accomplishments for this past week.  It was a good week and I am blessed to be able to spend as much time as I do pursuing my passion.