Day 26 Afternoon Glow

Afternoon Glow  5 x 7 pastel

 

Day 26—11 days since my last post. I have been framing for my upcoming show Art From Farm to Table in Brandon Vermont. Finally got to the easel today and decided to play.

Day 15 Snow Day

Snow Day  8 x 10 pastel

Day 15 — I cannot tell you how much fun this painting was.

I have been trying to find some gals in the snow, without much success. I believe only beef cattle go out in this weather. You need a snowy day and then you have to be lucky enough to find them out and close to the road.

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Day 14 — I've Got My Eye On You

I've Got My Eye On You  11 x 14 pastel  $650

Day 14— Technically this is the halfway point, if you consider February has 28 days. This painting was a struggle yesterday, so I wiped it out and watched the Olympics (yeah Shaun White!)

After going to see a great movie David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts I was inspired to revisit this Hereford. The movie was about his two exhibits: in 2016 82 Portraits and a Still Life and in 2012 A Bigger Picture. I think some of Hockney's color palette wore off on me.

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My cousin Judy Albright and I are having a show in Brandon VT. Hope to see you at the opening reception March 2, 5 - 7 pm.

Day 12 — Spoon

Spoon  7 x 5 pastel  $75

Day 12 — Sometimes the day gets away from you — looking at gas fireplace inserts, photographing cows, finding a new Dollar Store. So when I got to the studio tonight, I saw a board with a spoon drawn on it and I thought that would be just the thing to paint. No reference, no rules.

Tomorrow, cows...

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Day 11 — Enamelware Pot 1

Enamelware Pot 1  7 x 5 pastel $75

Day 11 —  I have added quite a few pieces to my enamelware collection since moving to Vermont. Always wanted to do a complicated a still life with a lot of these gems. Stay tuned.

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Day 9 — Brown Eyed Girl

Brown Eyed Girl  6 x 6 pastel

Day 9 — All I can hear is Van Morrison. It was always one of my favorite songs.

Yesterday had me driving to Brandon pick up postcards for the show and the return was a "cow search."  Most of the dairy gals are in for the winter, though the beef cattle are often out but far away even with a telephoto lens.

There is a farm less than 2 miles from me and yesterday the gals were out, in full sun!

I read a sad piece of news today:

With milk prices declining to levels seen 20 years ago, the dairy co-op Agri-Mark this month sent farmers phone numbers for suicide prevention hotlines and other mental health services along with the latest market forecasts. The price of milk is expected to fall below $16 per hundredweight this winter, down from an average of $25.49 in 2014. 

And some Progress shots:

 

Day 7 — Silver Duckwing Phoenix

Silver Duckwing Phoenix 10 x 8 pastel $100

Day 7 — The only reason I know this is a Silver Duckwing Phoenix is because I also took a picture of it's credentials at the county fair. 

Curious, I looked up the breed:

The Phoenix is a German breed of long-tailed chicken. It derives from cross-breeding of imported long-tailed Japanese birds similar to the Onagadori with other breeds.

 

Primary use: ornamental

Egg size: Medium

Temperament: Unfriendly, Docile 

Ornamental and unfriendly, but oh SO pretty.

Day 6 — Cow, Rt. 73

Cow, Rt 73  6 x 6 pastel

Day 6 — OK, I don't know my cow breeds—yet. After some internet research I think she could be a Randall or a Lineback. 

It's a bit of a hike to go ask the farmer, about 35 miles over a mountain and they usually aren't around to answer these Flatlander questions. So for now she will be Cow, Rt 73.

Day 5 — Sap Tap

Sap Tap  5 x 7 pastel

Day 5 — This was a huge amount of fun. I really like rusted metal things. Sorry I forgot progress shots on this one.

Sap Tap will be a perfect addition to the Art From Farm to Table exhibition at the Brandon Arts Guild in Brandon Vermont. My cousin Judy Albright and I are having a two person show March 2 - April 30. More information to come.

Day 4 — Lunchtime

 

Lunchtime 8 x 10 pastel

Day 4 — Yes, I missed 2 & 3. 

This was a struggle.  I actually took it out and sprayed it at one point. Progress shots below.

Day 1 30/30 Challenge (even though February is 28 days!)

Addison County Fair & Field Days— Ram 1   12 x 12 pastel

Day 1 — Usually the 30/30 challenge is in January, but this year it's February, which means there will be two days that will require 2 paintings to stay on track. 

I took hundreds of pictures in the livestock areas at the Addison County Fair & Field Days and hope to capture a few of these wonderful animals. Roaming through the 4-H barn was pure magic.

Addison County Fair & Field Days— Ram 1 is the working title, any suggestions for a better one?

Here are some progress shots: