From Whiskers to Hair Bows

Don't ask me why in the past few weeks I've decided that my painting was to take such opposites but I have been focused on two portraits that couldn't be further apart.  I usually paint landscapes and have little experience with portrait painting.  Actually, truth be told this pretty much sums up my portrait experience so you can imagine the struggles I have faced with these. 

I wanted the toothless old prospector to be holding his gold bag tightly in his hand.  A twinkle in his eye and a smile across his lips showing his excitement for his good fortune.  As I researched old photos for inspiration, I noticed a number of prospectors actually had a dog as a companion and that is when I decided that this composition needed a furry friend to make it complete.  For the past week I thought I was going to call this piece "The Big Payout" but today I changed my mind and decided this one was going to be called "The Big Reward".  Not only was this old guy one of the lucky ones to actually succeed in making a fortune but he also has the rewards of sharing his excitement with his faithful companion.  You can just see the excitement on this dogs face as he showers this his master with wet kisses.  

"Big Rewards"- 12x16 Original Oil Painting

I started this piece about 2 weeks ago and have been working on it of and on.  My inspiration is my beautiful granddaughter Katherine.  She now has enough light blonde hair that you can pretend to put it in piggy tails and huge hazel eyes but at this age you couldn't tell for sure what color her eyes were going to be and her hair was really more about the lack of.  Her mother compensated by always having her wear giant hair bows. This composition grabbed me because of her little hand outstretched and so large in proportion to her face.  This piece had special challenges because trying to reach that smoothness and brightness of skin tone that infants have was a real stretch for my skill level. 

"Katherine all in Pink"- 11x14 Original Oil Painting

Both of these pieces will be available soon on my website and will be hanging at City of the World Gallery at 1229 S. Casino Center Blvd, Las Vegas, NV  89104 for the month of December.  I hope you enjoyed them and will check back as I've already started my next painting adventure.

Another Dusty Prospector on the Way

Yesterday, I started a challenging piece that is the 3rd in a series of paintings that I have been working on this year of Gold Prospectors.  I was honored to have my work feature in the March/April 2013 edition of Gold Prospector Magazine.  That was defiantly an exciting to see my work featured in a publication even if it wasn't an art magazine.

When I was doing some rough sketches of what I wanted to see in my next painting I came across a number of old prospector photos that included a dog.  It seems that besides a mule or burro, a dog was often a companion for these adventurous souls.  I thought it would be a good thing to include along with my aged prospector, man's best friend and a little leather pouch of gold.  Probably the two things that were most likely to get him to smile.  I hope that I'm capturing that bond here with my work in progress. 

This work in progress has several elements that are a first for me.  1.  I've not painted such a large facial portrait up to this point.  My other prospector paintings have included the entire body form and therefore the facial details were not as important.  2.  I've actually never painted a dog before and this will be my first pooch so covering him in a convincing fir will be a challenge.  3.  Hands are always tricky and this painting will certainly be that.  I will probably have to get my husband to be my hand model so that I can have a good detailed example to work from.

12x16 WIP Oil Painting- Not yet titled

In case you missed them, here are the other two paintings that I have completed this year in this series.

18x24 Oil- "Taking A Break"

16x20 Oil- "Just One More Pan"

When You Can't Paint...DRAW!

Often it isn't possible to take your whole painting get up when your traveling.  Add a couple of kids and that Honda will fill up quick. An excellent option in that case is a small drawing kit and a sketchbook so that you can take the time to practice your drawing skills.  This is exactly what I did this weekend.

I have been working on a series of prospector paintings so what better subject for sketching but old dusty characters, worn and weathered.  Sketching gives you a great opportunity to do in depth studies of your subject with very little space needed.  Let me share a couple of pages from my sketchbook with you.

Quick Sketch for a Painting

Practicing

More Practicing

Painting a Very Special Cowboy

There have been several times so far in my journey to become an artist that I have worked on a piece that evokes a strong emotional response and usually this has been connected to a piece that makes me think of my dad.  I've painted two pieces right after his passing that brought me to a place of deep reflection and once again I find myself going there again.

Since another year has past and we now have completed year two, I felt it was time to revisit that old newspaper clipping that I have of my dad riding a buffalo at about 20 years of age.  This is just before he met my mother and of course two years before I was considered. My dad left his home in Hugoton, Kansas and began riding the professional rodeo circuit and I'm sure, gave my granny lots to worry about.  There is something about 20 year old boys that can make any mother's hair turn gray.  I know...I've raised 4 of them and have LOTS of gray hair!

So this morning I'm drinking my usual cup of McDonald's fine coffee and considering the canvas that is just blocked out in acrylic at home on my easel.  To the causal glance, anyone would be able to recognize a typical rodeo scene unfolding but this canvas represents so much more than that to me.  As I lift my brush each time to add to the layers of paint, hoping to achieve the desired effect, I am meditating on what this man meant to me and how great my heart aches that I am no longer able to hear one of his facinating stories, discuss a current event or just hear that familiar voice on the phone.  

Yes, painting is personal and can be a very reflective and healing.  It is a way that I can give honor to a very SPECIAL cowboy, my dad-Gerry Warner Diveley.

My dad riding in the rodeo

The starting of my newest painting-buffalo definitely needs to be thicker

 

"A Cowboy Tribute" 18 x 24 Acrylic-If you are interested in purchasing any giclee prints of this particular piece visit my Fine Art America site at:Julie Townsend-A Cowboy Tribute