Shep's "Muerto" Comes Alive! at the CAL Show

At the recent Conroe Art League Show, "Muerto" was awarded a 3rd Place in the Professional Oil Class.  The CAL Show was a great show with over 200 entries, so it was special to win two awards in such a well attanded show.  The inspiration for "Muerto" came from so often taking the cutoff through Montgomery, Texas from the Lone Star Parkway to Hwy. 1097, close to my studio.  There was this beautifl old dead tree with all these buzzards in and around it.  So I uprooted the tree to the New Mexican desert and a painting was born.

"Muerto" is available for $895.  If you're interested contact Shep by clicking HERE!
To see more of Shep's work check out the Web Site!

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Shep's Ready 4 "Paint Like a Venetian" Classes

In August I will be conducting my "Paint Like a Venetian" Classes.  Here's one of the paintings I will be working on in one of the two classes.  As you can see I've barely started the Drawing Stage of this portrait, but I really like the start.  The first day of the first class I will finish the Drawing Stage of this portrait.  The subsequent stages are Grisaille, Warm/Cool, Glazing, and Finishing.

If you are interested in taking classes in the Mountains here in Cloudcroft, weeks 3 & 4 are sold out, so the first and second weeks of August are still available if you act fast.

You too can "Paint Like a Venetian"!

Click here for Shep's CFAI Website!

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Shep says, "Dance Like Nobody's Watching"!

I started this painting when I was teaching my "Paint Like A Venetian" class in Brenham.  Now it's finished and will be For Sale this weekend at "Mayfair" in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.  It's 16.5" x 20.5", $525 "Framed".  If you're interested, please email me back before this weekend.

It's one of 3 companion pieces to "Girl in the Gold Dress" that won 1st place in The Woodlands Art Show.  This one is of the 70's when we all liked to "Dance Like Nobody's Watching".

Click here to see my New Updated CFAI page!

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Shep's Fire Fighters Commission "War" is Presented

Thursday was one of those great days all Artists look forward to.  The commissioned portrait "War" was presented to it's new owners, Shane Smith, the subject of the commission, and Amy who commissioned the portrait as a gift for Shane.

The portrait features Shane, at the scene of a fire, warning us all to stay back.  A fire is a place for professionals only and our fire fighters are at the highest level of professionalism.  The first 3 letters of Shane's fellow fire fighter's name give us the appropriate title because each and every fire is a "War".

The presentation took place at the great Dutch Art Gallery in Dallas.

Click here for Shep's CFAI web site!

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Shep Starts a New Commission!

Once again I get the great honor to paint America's Heroes, our firemen.  This commission is a composit of a number of scenes to try and capture the danger and devastation our firemen confront all too often.  In it the fireman, whose wife commissioned the portrait, has lead his men into the fire which is now almost out.  He's warning us to stay back because it's their job to put it on the line and go where we not dare.

I will keep everyone up to date with the progress on this commission as I finish the stages.  In this photo the drawing stage is almost finished.

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Shep's "I Love You Too" is Finished!

I've worked longer on "I Love You Too" the second longest of any painting I've ever worked on.  I could never get the beautiful hills the sweet couple are gazing at correct.  It always looked like a wall instead of the beautiful outdoors.

Recently I was in an art show and my painting "All In Vain" received a 2nd Place ribbon in the Professional Oil class.  I was beaten by a beautiful still life painted by my original teacher, Tina Szajko.  You always want to win, but to get beaten by an amazing artist like Tina is never a bad thing.        This painting didn't receive a prize so I asked Tina to give some advice as to how to make the work.  She took one look and said to add a sky.  I've added a sky and now I love it.  The painting now extends to infinity.  I hope you all love it too.

Click here for Shep's web site!

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Shep's "Owen" is Unveiled at Beautiful Christmas Party!

Donna and I were honored to be invited to the beautiful home of Jim and Bev Cosgrove for a Christmas Party where we unveiled the portrait of their grandson Owen.  It was a truly great time with a wonderful dinner.  The best part of the evening was the chance to spend it with a fun group of our neighbors.  Our best unveiling EVER!  Click here to visit Shep's CFAI page!

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Shep's "The Girl in the Gold Dress" Wins Blue!

I was very happy, a little surprised, and extremely honored to win 1st Place/Professional in The Woodlands Art League's Fall show today with "The Girl in the Gold Dress".  "All In Vain" and "Mom's Pride" (pictured on bottom in the photo) won Honorable Mentions.  The Woodlands Art League Show is always a great show with strong competition.  The judge, the great artist Karim Ghonima, said it was one of the best fields he had ever judged so I was honored to be recognized.

I am so proud of this painting.  Karim said, in his critique, that the painting, besides being beautiful, was very sensual with a big dose of 1960's innocence.  I love it when a judge gets my paintings.  I have to give credit where due.  The model in this painting is truly one of my favorite models.  She is beautiful inside and out, very talented, and extremely involved with the creative process.  We had been thinking/planning on a painting with a very 1950's feel: a girl reading a book, a June Cleaver dress, a doll, and a picture on the wall.  The model brought 3 vintage dresses to the photo shoot, a blue gingham that is perfect for the June Cleaver painting, one we didn't use, and this great 1960's shiny gold dress.

The June Cleaver painting was put on hold because that gold dress just blew me away.  I hope you like it as well.  If you're interested in this or any of my other paintings just drop me a note.      
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How Hot is It? Shep says it's "Texas Hot"

"Texas Hot" is my latest Representational Abstracts.  These are fun to do.  Start with something, move it around, play with the colors, crop it in an unusual way, and Voila you have something people seem to like.  One of my Representational Abstracts, "Forget Me Knot", recently won a very nice award from Contemporary Fine Art International, and I hope people like this one as well.  "Texas Hot" will be at the Bentwater Yacht Club Sunday, September 15th for the Art festival.  Come see it!
Click Here to see Shep's CFAI Web Site

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Shep's "Mom's Pride" is Finished

It isn't too often that an artist gets to do something much more fun or meaningful than painting your Mom's car.  And it's even more fun when Mom's car was a 1966 Porsche 912.  This painting and many more of my work will be on display and "For Sale" Sunday, September 15th, at the Yacht Club at Bentwater's First Annual Fine Art Festival.  Come on out!
Click here to see Shep's CFAI page!

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"Mimi's Garden" by Shep is Finished!

A number of years ago we had a Clematis in our front yard...Mimi's Garden.  When it bloomed I thought it was one of the most beautiful flowers I ever saw.  Then it died and never came back.  Thankfully I took a bunch of photos one morning and they were the inspiration for this painting.  I hope everyone likes it.

I finished "Mimi's Garden" today in honor of Donna and my 45th Anniversary.  Click here to view my Web site!

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