Shep's "Purple Mountains Majesty" Wins Award!

Contemporary Fine Art International awarded Shep's "Purple Mountains Majesty" an Honorable Mention in their Fall 2014 Juried Competition.  This beautiful painting of Mount Hood in Oregon depicts the famous western peak in morning light.  It's now in the private collection of Mr. & Mrs. Brent Swaine of Austin, Texas.

To see more of Shep's work, please click HERE!
To commission a PortraitByShep, please send him an email NOW!

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Shep's "Drawn That Way" is Out of the Box!

I was wanting to do a portrait for the Portrait Society of America's Annual contest.  My model brought this little outfit to the photo shoot and I knew I had my "Out of the Box" moment.  So where does the title and look come from?
Please click HERE to see more of my work.
If you're interested in making "Drawn That Way" yours, please email me by clicking HERE!

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It was funny how Shep's "Date Night In" happened!

This traditional portrait came about in the most amazing way.  We took over a hundred pictures looking for the right pose to paint, and ended up throwing all the pics away to paint this photo. I snapped this pic as the model was about to leave.  No hair, no makeup, no wardrobe, no special lighting, no nothing, but I liked the look.  This portrait is not for sale, but if you're interested in a commission please email me by clicking HERE!
To see my web-site please click www.portraitsbyshep.com

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"Sunset at The Lodge" by Shep is Finished!

I love this painting.  It will be available at the Bentwater fine Art Festival this Sunday from 10:00 to 4:00.  If you would like to visit the show and Bentwater, please send me a message.

One of the joys of owning homes in two states is the wonderful opportunities for beautiful and different vista's.  This is just after sunset at The Lodge in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.  We were eating and had a great view out the picture windows.  I got up from a great dinner to run outside and snap this picture.  Now that I'm back in my studio in Montgomery, Texas it's the first major painting from this past summer.  I hope you like it.

To inquire about purchasing "Sunset at The Lodge" please contact Shep HERE!
To view more of Shep's work please check out his Web Site
To see what Shep's working on join his BLOG!

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Shep Did Better in This Time!

On May 30th I was proud and humbled to post that my painting "Cold shoulder #5" had won a 3rd in the Contemporary Fine Art International's Spring 2014 Figurative Juried Competition.  I promised to work harder and do better next time.  I got the official announcement today that in the CFAI.co August Figurative Artist Showdown my painting "That's That" had finished 2nd.  Now I'm back home and go back to work tomorrow in my Bentwater Studio trying to reach that Holy Grail of a First Place.  Maybe next time, but for now very happy, proud, and thankful.

Congratulation to Marie Fox on her 1st Place and Mary Opat on her 3rd!  

Click Here to see all Shep's paintings For Sale on the CFAI Website.

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We completed our "Paint Like a Venetian" class last week in Cloudcroft and I think it was a great success.  Just look at the beautiful work my students did.  Jane, on the left is an accomplished Art and Writing teacher.  Her painting of "Yoda" was full of fun and feeling.  Nancy is an award winning song writer and relatively new art student.  This is her first portrait and it's beautiful.  What a great talent!

If you're interested in painting in the mountains next summer, please let me know ASAP!

Click HERE for Shep's Contemporary Fine Art International Web Site!

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Having FUN at Shep's "Paint Like a Venetian" Class

This week has gone perfectly here in Cloudcroft.  The weather for the "Paint Like a Venetian" class has been perfect.  We've been able to paint outside except for one day it was a touch COLD!  The students are doing great, wonderful portraits.

If you're interested in learning the techniques of the Great Masters please let us know as soon as possible.  We're already planning next years schedule.

Click here for Shep's Contemporary Fine Art International 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 Paints Cloudcroft's Steller Jay and a Birdhouse

It's hard to make regular posts when you're having the time of your life painting in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains of Cloudcroft, New Mexico.  These paintings were painted from my deck in the cool mornings here at 9,000 feet.  Both Paintings are 5" x 7" and are available for purchase at the Downtown Art Gallery in Brenham, Texas.

Click here for my CFAI Website  

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Cold Shoulder #5 Wins A Wonderful Award for Shep

Contemporary Fine Art International is a truly fine organization and their Quarterly Competition's are among the best I've participated in.  I was very proud and humbled when I was notified today that my painting, Cold Shoulder #5, had won a 3rd place in their Spring 2014 Figurative Juried Competition.

Congratulations to the winner Linda Popple and 2nd place winner Carol Smith Myer.  Now I've got to get to painting to see if I can do better next time.

Please click here to see my CFAI web page and see all the entries!

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Shep at Mayfair in Cloudcroft!

It could not have been a better 67th birthday this weekend.  I spent it in beautiful Cloudcroft, New Mexico showing my art at Mayfair.  I'm pretty sure I met every person in Otero County.  They all turned out for Mayfair.

Besides the paintings and cards sold, the best thing that happened is we sold out the last week in August, Labor Day weekend, for the "Paint Like a Venetian" classes.  There are still places open for the first three weeks in August.  If you are interested or have a group that would like to spend a great week in Cloudcroft, please let us know ASAP.

Click Here for Shep's New CFAI page!

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Shep's "Girl On The Gold Couch" is Finished!

Here's the third painting in the trilogy, that's completed, of paintings from the decades.  It's also the first decade, The 50's!  I've enjoyed these paintings so much.  I'm lucky to have a great model to work with, who always comes up with such great outfits for the decades.  Next up will be the 80's and 90's...I've got to find one of the Cabbage Patch Kids doll's we gave our daughters.

This painting turned out very well and won a nice ribbon at the most recent WAL Show.  It too will be at Mayfair in Cloudcroft this weekend.  It's $1,250 "Framed", 33" x 24", Oil on Linen.

Also, I'll be teaching my Class "Paint Like a Venetian" in the mountains of Cloudcroft this August.  If you're interested, please contact me.  We'll have a blast, painting, hiking, and learning a truly unique way to paint that's great for Pros or Beginners.    

Click here for my Contemporary Fine Arts International page!

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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 Tribute to Fire Fighters!

I've dedicated this new painting to the Fire Fighters of Unit's #46 and 55.  Many of the artists from the Conroe Art League are painting this great old fire helmet from #46 Houston Fire Department as part of the annual Object d'Art.  The reception is Friday night at the Gallery at the Madeley Building in downtown Conroe, from 5 to 8 pm.  Everyone it invited.

After finishing the composition, and getting pretty far down the road with the painting, I went by #55 and asked the Fire Fighters what I had done wrong.  They loved the painting but said I had left off most of the uniform and equipment.  The guys were great!  One of the men got dressed in his complete uniform as if going to fight a fire.  This is the result.  I hope you all like it.  It will be at the gallery the entire month of February and is $1,200.

Click here for Shep's website!

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