AND NOW THERE IS FOUR!

I just wanted to introduce my newest piece in my Nevada Prospector Series.  This one is especially striking because of the 12x36 inch canvas size.  This handsome fella is taking a moment away to set aside his Gold Fever and his dream of Striking it Rich to "Strike a Pose" for this piece.  I hope you enjoy.....check out my website for more of my work at JulieTownsendStudio.com

Striking a Pose- 12x36 Acrylic

"Big Rewards"- 12x16 Oil

"Just One More Pan"- 16x20 Oil

"Taking a Break"- 18x24 Oil

Celebrating 150 Years

Last year I had the pleasure of having my art work featured in an article in Prospectors Magazine.  It was a definately a high point for my art efforts in 2013.  

Since that article was published I have added to my collection of prospector pieces and wanted to share a few of them today in this post.   Mining is such an important part of the history of Nevada.  Its appropriate to take a moment to think about this part of our history as this fall Nevada will be celebrating it's 150th birthday. (October 31, 1864)  You will find that there are many examples of both Cowboys, Ranchers and the Native Americans used in western art, but there are really very few pieces that focus on the rugid prospector.  I love giving a little tribute to the prospector/miner who scoured this state leaving their artifacts scattered all over the desert floor.  

More information on all of these pieces and many more are available on my Website at JulieTownsendStudio.com.   Come check them out and I would love it if you would leave me a comment.

"Taking a Break"- finally complete

It seems like I have been working on this piece for longer than I care to consider but it is finally ready for a coat of varnish and framing. Yesterday I included the piece on my website gallery and my Fine Art America site.   It has been a challenge not only because it was a more complex painting but because I suffered the loss of my dear mother-in-law during the process.  I'm really going to miss taking each piece over to show her as I complete them.  She was so encouraging to me and really acted as she genuinely loved seeing each and every painting as I finished them.

I've already started another prospector piece but this time in acrylic.  Hopefully I will be able to showcase that one here in the next few weeks.  I have always loved American history and trying to capture the rugged beauty of the American west is a challenge that I really want to pursue.

"Taking a Break"  18 x 24 Original Oil painting

Clawing Your Way Back to Creativity

There are many things in this life that want to suck the creativity right out of you and this past two weeks a family trauma has done just that.  I'm reminded of that commercial for Progressive Insurance where these people are throwing themselves on to cars and they are call RATE SUCKERS.   I get that same mental picture when I think of the heavy emotion of grief and what it does in your life.  Grief is is a huge black cloud that surrounds you and sucks so much out of you, especially in the area of creativity. 

Two weeks have come and gone and I haven't so much as picked up a paint brush and I keep telling myself to go in there and at least lay out fresh paint.  Recently, my theme has been gold prospectors and so I have a partially completed piece on the easel of an old prospector that is in real need of finishing.  Should I take a hike in the mountains, lay on the beach or just grab my sketchbook to try to begin the process of rekindling that desire to sit back down at my easel?  

I have for the past two years that I have been seriously painting, always taken my completed pieces with me when we would visit my shut-in mother-in-law.  I felt that this was something that she enjoyed seeing and each time she would comment on the piece as if it was the very first time she had seen my work.  Her recent passing has left a hole in my heart and a lump in my throat.  As soon as I can find the strength, I'm going to have to paint something especially in her honor but first I need to get this old prospector off my easel.

Current work in progress that needs my creativity to return so that I can finish this 16 x 20 Acrylic piece.  I'm planning to include a Winchester rifle leaning against the fallen tree and his bedroll and belongings hanging further up the shore. 

Recent piece that I'm calling "Taking a Break" that shows a hardworking prospector enjoying a simply cup of coffee, a warm fire and a plate of beans.

A sketch I started last week of old prospector that could multitask by enjoying his pipe and working his pan at the same time.