Arena Textures

These are the sort of textures you see in the riding arena about a week after a hard rain.

First Foal of 2011

Barn Study: A Few storms short of collapse

This is a study of images taken of an old long abandoned barn which is just a few storms short of collapse. This Barn Study includes a variety of close images taken in this old barn.

Thursday at the DMA Center for Creative Connections: Color Field Studies

This past Thursday we experimented with color and how it can be perceived differently depending on context. We created a few studies and then went to the galleries to look at paintings including those of Josef Albers and Mark Rothko amd then returned for more.

Clay Sculpture night in the Center for Creative Connections

This past Thursday in the Center for Creative Connections, Guest artist and sculpture/ceramics professor from SMU, Tom Lauerman, led a workshop in Ceramic Sculpture. Roughly following the style of Giacometti, I created a pair of horses giving each other a message.

Dog and Pony Show

Thursday at the DMA Center for Creative Connections: Designing with a grid.

This past Thursday Night at the DMA in C3 Susan Barrett led a workshop on creating designs using a carefully designed grid. We painted with ink, some of the cells leaving negative space to create interesting grid designs. I went back and repainted using Black and White Acrylict the following Monday. Friday during my coffee at Borders I created a couple more in my multimedia sketchbook, one in B&W and the other color in watercolor pencil which I came back later with water and brush.

Another Great Horse Eye Photo

Gouache Postcards

These are a couple of quick Gouache and Charcoal Sketches on Watercolor Postcard Stock that I did this afternoon based on some photos I took earlier today.


Building in Snow
Tree with Snow

The Eyes Have It

During my last work day at the ranch I spent a little bit of time at the end of the afternoon with the yearlings and 2yo's. I focused my photography on their eyes.

This is my favorite of the bunch. What is going through this colts head?

Sketchbook: Coffee Shop Sketching

Well I had gone through all the art magazines so I had to do something while I had my Friday Night Coffee at Borders Cafe.


The Auctioneers
This is a drawing from a photo I took last year during the Futurity Sales in the John Justin Arena showing what goes on in the Auctioneers Podium.


Keeping The Pace
When the cattle are wild and run back and forth, you just have to keep the pace to keep them from slipping by and heading back to the herd. This sketch is from a photo I took during the 2004 Summer Spectacular of Bill Freeman riding Boon A Little.

Sketchbook: First Sale

This is a drawing from one of the first photos I took at a Western Bloodstock Sale.
I was shooting in the Justin Sale Arena in Ft Worth and a mare and foal were led into the ring. When an excited foal splayed out like a cutter I took the photo. Here is the photo I used as my reference:

DMA Thursday Nights: Workshop with Brian Fridge

Thursday Night this week we had a workshop with Brian Fridge where we had two assignments. This post shows the first, 2-color paintings depicted movement.

Gouache Postcard: Shadow Mare

Shadow Mare
Based on a photograph I took of the shadow of myself and a mare that was following me across the arena.

Snow Day in Terrell, Texas

Today I was lucky enough to have my feeding day fall on the wettest, coldest, and eventually snowiest day so far in 2011. Although the day started off with a cold heavy rain, after noon the snow began and several hours later I was able to photograph these snow scenes.

Thursday: Seasoned Redfish seared with Arbequina Olive oil in skillet and finished in oven, Steamed Broccoli, Potatoes, and Green Salad with Avocado and Tomato.
Friday: Central Market Blue Cheese and Cashew chicken sausage with Broccoli and yellow squash in a Chicken and Goat milk sauce over whole wheat penne

Open Studio in the Center for Creative Connections

This Thursday at the DMA Center For Creative Connection we had an open studio with choice to do painting or work with clay. In painting we had the challenge in working with these large dry tempera disks used in childrens art programs. An amazing quality came out of this media on the table I was sitting at. I experimented with the colors of sunset. They are posted in the order I created them, each in about 30-40 minutes.

DMA Thursday Nights: Motion Photography

This past Thursday in the CS3 we had a workshop in photography with Teresa Radifi. During this workshop I took these two photos with two American Paintings by Leon Polk (Homage to Victory Boogie Woogie #1) and Gerald Murphy (The Watch).

Natural Textures

At Enchanted Rock Natural area grasses are permitted to grow uncut.
This is what is left of a prickly pear cactus after all the leaf has decayed,.

Here is an experimental piece I painted with gouache on 3x5 ampersand watercolor board.
No predrawing, just paint.