Another very hot day!

"Blacksmith at Work"  9" x 12"

Finding  this scene was part luck and part magic. Grapevine has a local Blacksmith that I have been dying to paint, but I had never seen the doors open, let alone someone inside. I was lucky to finally have this happen, but why did it have to be 105 degrees outside when it did? I think you can see the heat in the painting!

There where two men inside, but nobody was as stupid as me to stand outside directly in the sun, so I had to move them there in my minds eye. So the "magic" came from my imagination. 

Do me a favor and don't tell anybody.

Stockyard #2

"Leddy's Boots"  9" X 12"

Here is another painting from the Ft. Worth Stockyards. I haven't done many street scenes, so it was a challenge. Like always, there are things I like about it and things I don't. I was drawn to the sign. You would think twenty-five years of designing signs like this one, would make me find a different subject.  Well, you don't see many of these on my Blog do you. :?)

Large Plein Air

"Things Are Always Brighter" 12" X16"

I painted this at my default stomping ground, Nash farm that is blocks from my house. This is a little larger than my normal size, but I had no problems finishing it. I think I will try this painting again. I would like to loosen up the barn wall and add more color shifts. I did luck into some interesting "junk" on the left side that is not normally there. This was a very strange looking tractor that doesn't have the normal large radiator up front.  I think it would have helped me render the form and make it more recognizable if it had. Next time I may magically place it in there. That is one of the perks painting has over photography.

Painting at the Ft. Worth Stockyards

"Texas Caddy"  8" x 10"

I was invited to go paint the historic Ft. Worth Stockyards with a group of painters the last couple of weeks. This car was sitting on Exchange Blvd. right in front of the Stockyards. I get asked all the time how I choose my subject. I was drawn to paint this just because I wanted to paint the horns on the front grill. Sometimes a complicated scene like this gets painted for the tiniest reasons.

A very hot day!

"Burned Out"  9" x 12"

I've been wanting to paint this old firetruck for some time now and finally did. To make it more of a challenge I waited for the temperature to be 105 degrees. If I hadn't managed to find some shade, I may not have been here to share this post. The siren on top was reflecting right into my eyes and I hope I was able to capture that.