Another portraitbyShep nears completion, Bob Shepherd

Great news! This is my first blog entry since I was juried into the Artists of Texas. Artists of Texas is part of Contemporary Fine Art International. Please check out their websites at www.artistsoftexas.blogspot.com, and www.cfai.co.

This portrait is getting very near completion. The subject of the commission has scheduled a sitting for next week. With a little luck and a lot of painting we'll have it finished soon. Again, if you recognize the lovely lady, don't tell her husband how beautiful she is in the painting. The portrait is a surprise. This painting is, of course, SOLD!

New Officer Open House for Brenham Fine Arts League

We had a great time Sunday at the Open House we threw for new and outgoing officers of the Brenham Fine Arts League. The photo on the left includes Donna DeFoy, our Treasurer, Joyce Lesikar, our 1st VP, and me guarding a really big bottle of Reisling. On the right is Joyce and Jo Ann Lesikar, our 3rd VP, with the beautiful spread Donna cooked. What a fun day!

Arrivederci Venezia is ready to Glaze

I think the glaze is the most important step in this painting.

It was very early in the morning and Venice was just beautiful. There was a light fog, it was cool, and it was so quiet you could hear the luggage roll on the pave stones a block away. I painted the street as if there was no fog, with a few exceptions. The fog will come in the glaze. Very light in the glare of the incandescent lights, dark in the shadows, and slightly blue.

I hope I can capture the quietness.

Finally!!! Posting the Brenham Fine Arts League pics.

What a great show! Here are three pictures of the judge, Diane Brahm, giving her critiques of my ribbon winning paintings. From the left, I was very happy that "Different al" won the Blue Ribbon and "Forget Me Knot" the Red in the Abstract Category. Donna's painting, "Gondola's and Gelato" got an Honorable Mention in the Professional Oil's Category. I was most happy with the Red ribbon "Reflections on a Piano" got in the Professional Division. The Pro/Oils Division was huge in this show and all the paintings were beautiful. The great artist, Marchita Priest, won the Blue ribbon and she deserved it.

The Grisaille is Finished! Ready to start the finish work.

At some point in the painting of each portrait, I usually fall in love with the painting. That happened with the painting of the lace on this blouse. Now the lace isn't finished, although the Grisaille stage of this painting is finished (with the small exception of the pearls), but I think the early work was some of my best work yet. I can't wait to get the work on the next stage.

I believe the reason I enjoyed the painting of the lace was the new inspiration I got from visiting the MFAH to see the "Dutch and Flemish Masterworks". I've always shied away from lace because it is very hard to do. The Dutch and Flemish painters did it better than almost anyone and it IS beautiful. Let's see how well I finish the lace this time.

I'll probably glaze the painting soon and start the final stages.

REMEMBER! This is a SURPRISE for the subjects husband! You can tell her how beautiful she is, but NOT him!.

What I've been up to...

I've been painting a lot lately. The new year is always a fun time. It's a new year and it looks as if my resolution, if I made resolutions, was to paint more.

I usually don't show a painting in the middle of a stage like the painting of Venice, but I did this time. The painting is Venice very early in the morning, and very dark. I'm painting it as if it were daytime. I'll add in the night time with glazes.

Again, on the portrait, if you know the subject, don't tell her husband how pretty her painting is. It's a surprise and the dead color stage is coming along fine.

Finally, I'm really happy with "Purples Mountains Majesty", and I think I really got it right. When I tried to take the picture, I couldn't get the camera to focus. The camera was fooled and thought I was trying to take a picture of the sky. There was nothing to focus on so I had to use manual focus. What do you all think?

The "Arrivederci Venezia" drawing is finished.

And I'm ready to start painting. Since this painting is of Venice I must paint it in the "Venetian Tradition". Now that it's drawn the painting will start with the Grisaille stage. I plan to use Cold Black, White, and one of the Italian "dirt" colors. I haven't decided which one Umber from Umbria or Sienna.

I like how the drawing went. This should be an interesting painting with all the fog and darkness. I'll probably have to do many glazes.

Follow along and lets see how it comes out.