Artists Of Texas Contemporary Paintings and Art

I am doing the 30 faces in 30 days challenge, through an app called Sktchy. Boy it has been hard! It started March 15th, and it has been very hard to keep up.  I am posting the first 15 days! Sktchy sends out a photo each morning for us to work from. It might be about a nose, or an ear, etc. This is 1-15.

I did the 30 day sketchbook challenge. This is a collage of the 30 days plus 2 days in February. I have decided to include my sketches along with the watercolors and collages from  now on, instead of having a separate blog.  Now it will all be together. We had a prompt for everyday. I did skip a couple days, due to not being home or not wanting to draw something weird. I enjoyed the ones I did though!  I do love to draw while watching Television.  Drawing everyday has made such a difference!

This old car is close to Hereford, TX. I saw it months ago on the way to a funeral and couldn't stop.  So the next time I went, I kept watching for it so I could stop and get photos.  It had a road down to it, so I went down and got some photos.  The train started squeaking and barely moving, and I decided I needed to get back on the highway since I was alone. It was a little spooky! I found out later, one of my students in Amarillo owns this car! I can't believe it just sits there all alone...for years it looks like.  I love the look of it with the train and the graffiti. It is 22x28 framed.

I have worked a long time trying to get my saddle just right! here are some of the steps. I forgot to get the first drawing but you can still tell.  I finally got my acrylic paint out and painted some of it. I like the way it turned out using both, Magazine pages as well as acrylic. It is 18x24 on stretched canvas.  Finished...other than the varnish.

I did a drawing each day in December.  There are a few missing because this was the format for the collage, plus there were a couple that i missed getting done.  It is hard sometimes to get one drawing a day.

I did a boot sketch and the owner of the boots liked the sketch and said just throw some lights or something and make a card with it. So thanks to Gouache i could do that. It turned out cute for a western Christmas card.  The Tag will have Merry Christmas on it. They have a cute dog, named Fuzz, and he will be on the inside with the verse.

The West Texas Watercolor Society show starts this week, and I was awarded a Jack Richeson & Co., Inc award.  It is fun to get to go to their website and pick out new paint! I have started using Casein paint and really do like it, so that is my choice of paint!    All Dressed Up

I did another large collage of the longhorn cow that I saw near Kerrville this summer. I had the other one 'Lunch Time' ready for a show and I sold it, so I did another view to replace it.  It will go to Breckenridge for the Best of the Best Show. This was very tedious and takes a while to do one like this.  It is 30x40 on stretched Canvas. I haven't decided on a name yet.

When Keri and I were in Kerrville TX in May we were leaving town headed to Fredericksburg and she spotted some bee keepers way off.  Thank goodness for zoom lenses! We stopped and I took 'several' pictures.  It was a treat to see them. See the smoke, and all the flowers and grasses. It was just a cool thing to see! I did a sketch first, and was so much fun, I wanted to do a big one. I had trouble deciding on whether to use watercolor or collage.  I chose the collage and I had a blast putting it together! I decided to go with black instead of dark greens like the sketch. It is 18x18 on stretched canvas, and is Available. The sketch was done with Casein paint, and is 5x5.

I wanted to try a new method on my collage, so I cut the pieces into rectangles and some squares.  I thought a windmill would be a good thing to experiment with. It was unbalanced I thought so I added a couple of black birds.  I tried blue in the sky and didn't care for it, so I went back to the white. It is 18x18 on stretched canvas.  It was fun to do, thinking about what a precious commodity our water is , and unfortunately is dwindling in our area.  It is Available.  suzy_pal2000@yahoo.com

I spent a week in Kerrville, TX at another SKB workshop.  This one was called TexArt.  It was a great week.  David Rankin was the watercolor instructor and i really enjoyed his class.  He is an awesome instructor.  We did gray studies using paynes gray watercolor.  We also all did this same snow scene.  They all turned out great. We also went to the Musuem of Western art in Kerrville and saw the beautiful paintings about Charles Goodnight by Lee Cable. They are awesome. Then Friday Night we went to Fredericksburg to the Hanna Gallery to see the Society of Animals exhibit. Wow! What artists they are.  If you are close by go see these awesome art pieces.   These sketches I did after I got home. 

This is a small painting of a friends Mothers Saddle. 11x14.   She was an awesome Cowgirl! Her entire life she dressed the part.  She was such a neat lady. I didn't do it justice, but enjoyed painting it anyway.

 Sunday Best and Burlap Boot. I am till preparing for the upcoming workshop in Midland TX next week.  I got a photo of a pair of boots as they were being made in San Angelo, TX at Letty's Boot Company. They let us walk around in the back and take pictures while they were working on all their boots.  It was awesome to see how they worked. The burlap Boot was an experiment, trying to come up with a fast-er demo. I bought the burlap canvas with the white paint on it. and I left it plain.   Sunday Best Burlap Boot

We were coming through Snyder Texas and I shot a photo of this old building through the window. When I saw all the electrical lines and boxes, I had to laugh to myself! It was so funny looking. I sketched it and liked the way the sketch looked so i drew it off on 1/2 sheet of watercolor paper. I used the pouring technique, but wasn't happy with it.  It was so dark, drab and muddy, so I got out my gouache and started painting, to brighten it up.  I like it now. At least it has some color to it.

I am trying to get ready to teach a collage class and need some new work, so here is a new boot. In the past, the boots have been popular and I enjoy doing them. I haven't given it a name yet! Right now...'Cowboy Boot'. It is 6x12 and available. I am teaching in Midland TX, March 8-10 and April 29-30 here in my studio. If interested, drop me a  note.  suzy_pal2000@yahoo.com  

I was invited to come to Midland Texas to teach a three day collage class.  It is March 8-10. Here is the info.  If you are interested in attending i will send you the contact name. Cost of class- $175.00,  $100 deposit (+ $50 membership for non-members) by February 15, 2016 to hold a seat. (credit/debit not accepted) Check payable to Midland Palette Club, note Suzy Powell Workshop. Mail to Midland Palette Club             P.O. Box 9456             Midland, TX 79708   I am teaching a 2 day here in my little studio, Plains, TX. April 29-30 Cost is $100.  There is a small B and B here so if  you need a place to stay it is a fun place. Contact me if interested.  suzy_pal2000@yahoo.com  

This was a hard painting for me. It took me all day! I had some new boards and had to do something to give it some tooth so it wouldn't be so slick.  This is larger too, than what I have been painting on. It is 6x12".  I also added the sketch and the photo that I used.  i changed up the background. It had too much green for me! All of my gates and doors are availabe at this address...along with some other art. http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/suzy-pal-powell--4892/artwor

I didn't get to post yesterday, we were canning peas. What fun! that is a lot of hard work! Plus it affects the allergies. But we got them done and had fun as a family doing them.  Here is Day 12 and 13 combined. I think i have a new favorite for today.. Day 13.  Maybe because it was pretty hard to paint the steps behind the gate! Another challenge! These are both 6x8 on gessobord, painted with acrylics.  I am beginning to appreciate the acrylics a little more. It is just so different that watercolors.

I am already wondering WHY I decided to do the challenge! haha, but I am no quitter so I will stick it out. So here is Gate #2.  I had to change some colors because it just wasn't working for me.

I decided at the last minute....the day before... to join the 30 paintings in 30 days, starting today. It is really a challenge just to get something painted each day.  I am planning on doing Santa Fe Gates, but may not be able to stand to paint 30 of them! I am also trying with acrylics, always trying to challenge and push myself to improve.  So far, I don't like acrylics! they will be posted on my website in the store area if you are interested in buying any of them. http://www.suzypal.com