Outdoor Painter.com article

 Bob Bahr did a writeup about me over at OutdoorPainters.com the home of Plein Air magazine about my favorite place to paint! I appreciate the press and I'm honored to be mentioned on their site.

"People may know about Randy Saffle's tendency to paint tractors.

But they probably don't know why he does it."

 

  It's fun to see my work collected like this. I get asked some of these same questions Bob asked me all the time. Here was my chance to put it in print. Thank you for the recognition and the chance to share.

Click the link to read.

OutdoorPainter.com | My Favorite Place to Paint: Randy Saffle | Home of Plein Air Magazine

Plein Air Southwest Salon

“Day of Rest”

SOURCETEK AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

and

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

My painting "A Day of Rest" received an Award of Excellence at the Plein Air Southwest Salon show yesterday from judge John Budicin. Later that night I was blown away by also winning the "Peoples Choice" award. I am truly blessed to have so much support. Just to hang on the same wall as these artists was honor enough for me, but to call them FRIENDS.....I'm humbled.

I also won an "Honorable Mention" award in the Outdoor Painters Society's Associates members show for my painting "Just Sitting"

"Just Sitting"

Six years ago, my wife told me about a painting group holding a quick draw event that Saturday. I was not an oil painter and I had no idea what a quick draw was. I went to it and was amazed at what I saw. I didn't know you could do an oil painting in under two hours, especially paintings of that quality, but what amazed me the most was how welcoming, friendly and quick to share this group of people were. That night I went to the 1st Plein Air Southwest Salon show and I WAS HOOKED! I'm proud to be a member but most proud of my friendships inside the group.

Southwest Gallery opening night

John Budicin & myself at the artist dinner

Quick Draw painting at White Rock Lake in progress

Is it just me or do paintings look better with big ribbons?

My wife loves and supports me and makes my life fun.

View all of the winning paintings here

http://www.paswsalon.com/pasw/2012_Winners.html

Christmas Painting Exchange

"All the Live-Long Day"

8 x 10

This is the painting I selected for the Outdoor Painters Society Christmas gift exchange. We wrap our paintings in brown paper, pile them up and play a white elephant Christmas game. It gets pretty heated, because you can steal paintings from other people and everyone gets pretty attached real fast. This will be my fifth party and I have really enjoyed the paintings I received in the past. I got an Ann Hardy, a couple from Cecy Turner and a David Moreland Bates. All are signature members of our group...not too shabby.

I hope I don't disappoint someone that gets this one.

Livery Stable

"The Livery Stable"

8" x 16" oil

This is a plein air painting from my recent trip to Winberley, TX with the Outdoor Painters Society. This was my view from my hotel room, no lie! We meet some colorful characters that worked in the area too. A great local old timer that told me some tall tales while he repeatedly broke wind...all without missing a beat. ;?)

I painted several paintings around the river that didn't quite work out. Not my cup of tea, but I'm trying. I'm much more comfortable painting architecture and form.

My painting buddy, Rick Eakins and I made our way to the grand opening of the new RS Hanna Gallery in Fredericksburg. I was blown away by the gallery, the owners and especially the gallery artists which includes my good friend Rusty Jones. He was grinning ear to ear and had some of the best work there. That's saying a lot considering some of my personal favorite artist, Frank Gardner, Hodges Soileau and Marc Hanson ( see my fav. blogs at right ) all hang in the same gallery. I missed out on opportunity to paint with some of these guys too. I had to return home and they were all going out together the next day. 

I probably would have slowed them all down and drooled on their paintings anyway. I won't miss another opportunity...I promise!

Quick Draw event at the Dallas Arboretum April 9th

I got help getting my quick draw painting done within the 2 1/2 hour limit

My Quick Draw Entry "Young Faun" 9 x 12 Oil 



Beverly Boren paints another masterpiece

Debob Jacobs, with onlookers 

Charles Pruitt and Chuck Rawle

Fran Ellisor

The beautiful Ann Hardy

John Cook at work



Quit telling me the time! I'm working as fast as I can!



Plein Air Southwest Artists Dinner

We had a great time at the artists dinner the night before the reception. I couldn't have been prouder than looking around at these great artists and being privileged enough to sit with them and call them friends!

Back row standing; Charles Pruitt, Judy Crowe, Bob Rohm, Dina Gregory, Beverly Boren, Kaye Franklin, Debob Jacobs, John Cook, Darnell Jones, Chase Almond, Richard Prather, Me and Rusty Jones.

Sitting; Nancy Boren, Peggy Kingsbury, Tina Bohlman, Fran Ellisor, Diane Frossard and Quiang Huang.

 

Southwest Gallery Show artwork

Plein Air Southwest Paintings

 "I am Iron Man"     9" x 12"

"Going Grey"     8" x 10" 

"Old Whistler"     9" x 12"

Above are the three paintings that I will be putting in the Plein Air Southwest exhibition. They'll be available to view and purchase at Southwest Gallery starting April 8th. Earlier that day a Quick Draw Event will be held at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens starting at 9:30 till noon.
I will be attending the opening reception & the Quick Draw, so if you are in the Dallas area, I hope you stop by.


Here are details on the show:

April 8-30, 2011
Opening Reception April 9, 6-9 pm
Southwest Gallery, 4500 Sigma Road, Dallas TX 75244
http://www.swgallery.com

"A Good Book"  9" x 12"

This was my first attempt at painting from a live model and to add to that pressure, the model was my wife. I helped organize a "paint in" a few weeks ago and we had a wonderful turn out with around thirty artists painting inside and out. Along with setting up a few still lifes, I somehow convinced my wife to pose for us. I tried to make it as easy for her as possible, so I brought her favorite chair and book with us and posed her exactly the way she looks most nights. She did a great job. ( Thanks again Sweetie! )

I had no idea how my painting would turn out. In retrospect, I jumped in too fast and should have done more pre drawing. Seeing the photo I took side by side reveals my drawing errors, but I do think it looks like her, so that's good enough for me.

This was fun challenge and I hope to do it again. 

 My beautiful wife!

A portion of our group at work

Port Aransas Shrimp Boat

"Shrimp Boat on Break"  9" x 12"

I have fallen in love with painting Shrimp Boats!  They have so many cool angles. I love the weathered paint jobs, but painting the rigging is the funnest part. 

I have more of these on their way.

Port Aransas Paint Out

"Shrimp Boat" 9" x 12"

I went to a paint out with the Outdoor Painters Society at Port Aransas, Tx. 

This was the first time for me to go to Port Aransas and my first time to paint Shrimp boats and palm trees. I was pumped to go and ended up making several new friends, but the weather tried it's best to ruin my trip. 

The wind was so strong that I used bungee straps to tie my waist to my easel and my legs to the tripod! It was pretty ridiculous feeling and I bet looking. No photos available, thank goodness!

I had mixed results painting in those conditions, but I absolutely love painting shrimp boats. They have cool angles, tons of ropes and masts and really look worn. I had to remind myself that they are the equivalent of a work truck and not made to cruise around in.

Big news! I've been juried into the 2010/2011 Plein Air Southwest event. Sponsored by the Outdoor Painters Society, this event spans several months and has events at the Grand Canyon, Ouray (CO), Prescott (AZ), the Texas coast and Dallas. I have been a member of the Outdoor Painters Society for 2 1/2 years now and this will be the first time I will hang in one of their shows, so I'm very excited!

The list of participating artists includes names like fellow O.P.S. members John Cook, Bob Rohm, Ann Hardy, Jill Carver, William Kalwick, Jr., and several juried in like Steve Atkinson and Michael Chesley Johnson among many others. ( check out the photo for all participating artists )

All paintings will be Plein Air work from mid-August up until the Quick Draw at the Dallas Arboretum next April. I will have 3-4 pieces on exhibit. This is a huge step for me and I can't wait to see my work hanging with this talented group of artists. It's time to get to work!!!

The show opens April 8 at Southwest Gallery in Dallas. 

Here's a link to the show page: http://www.pleinairsouthwest.com/Index.html

Season's Greetings

"Tractor at Nash Farm" 8 x 10

Attended the Outdoor Painters Society Christmas Party a few weeks ago. The highlight is the white elephant painting exchange. Everyone brings an 8"x10" painting wrapped in plain brown paper. You pick a painting, unwrap it and sit back and watch the wolves steal it from you. It can change hands four times. I stole a Rusty Jones painting from someone else, just to have it taken from me. Next, I opened a John Cook that was then stolen by the next four people in line. I ended up with an awesome David Moreland Bates painting. ( click on his name to see the studio painting produced from my plein air painting I received that day )

How's that for a lineup. Not to shabby! 

"Tractor at Nash Farm" was my exchange painting and I'm happy to report it changed hands a couple times.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"! Thank you to everyone that follows my Blog and everyone that takes the time to create a Blog to share. I'm looking forward to a great 2010.

My Colorado Vacation

"Overlooking Ouray" 9 x 12

Wow, is all I can say about my vacation in Ouray, Colorado. My family and I had a great time. I took hundreds of pictures and soaked in so much beauty. I plan on pouring over the photos and turn many of them into paintings. I know it will be a challenge to capture the large scale & beauty of the mountains. That is something I know I wouldn't have had any chance of doing if I hadn't been there and took them myself.

The above painting was done roadside, looking down on the town of Ouray. The weather was a wonderful 72 degrees. I heard Texas was around 104 at the same time, so I wasn't missing it very much right then. I would like to say that I had people from all over the world pulling over just to watch me work, but I'm sure at least a few of them only stopped to take in the view.
I will post more of my plein air attempts and share some of my photos in the following days.

95% Plein Air Painter

"Sonjia's Red Bowl" 8 x 10

This is my first post in a while. A family problem and the Texas hot weather combined to keep my recent painting outings sparse. I am presently about a 95% plein air painter. Very few of my attempts come from studio or indoor work. That is something I know I have to change about myself. I have become comfortable painting outside and now I need to learn to be comfortable inside which is probably the exact opposite from most painters. I decided a few nights ago to set up a still life and get some painting in. The funny thing about the way I work is I paint inside the exact way I paint outside. I have done work as large as 2’ x 3’ but still finished in about three hours time. I need to learn to slow down and not sling the paint. I don't like painting on dry work.

Next week I am going to Ouray, Colorado for a combined family vacation and paint out event with the OPS. I have never painted in the mountains before so I am very excited!
I promise to post many photos and hopefully many paintings.

Train Depot 9 x 12

Here is another of my paintings from the OPS Grapevine paint out. This was my early morning effort. I thought I had something good going on, but I found myself a little distracted surrounded by all my friends and fellow artists. After visiting a while I realized not only had the light changed, but so did my view. I think every car in Grapevine was suddenly parked in front of me! I had been looking forward to painting the little green cart at the base of the train, but it was no longer in site so I finished it up from memory. This painting still brings me a smile because it reminds me of that very fun day.

I'll have to revisit this spot again and give it another try.

Dinner with Friends

I recently went to dinner with several of my Outdoor Painters Society buddies. If they sat us together by talent, I wouldn't have been at this table. From left to right is Dave Bates, Me (with the big stupid grin), Andrew Wages, John Cook and Kaye Franklin. If you are not familiar with any of these people, do yourself a favor and check out their work! So much talent.

Outdoor Painters Video

Here is a link to a video that my friend Rusty Jones put together showing various members of the Outdoor Painters Society painting plein air in Big Bend National Park as part of the Plein Air Southwest competition. If you haven't visited the "OPS" or Rusty Jones web site you can find both links on this blog. If this video doesn't make you want to get out and paint I don't know what will. Great job Rusty!

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4664735?fr=yvmtf