8:31 PM - (Plein Air) Pencil on paper (SOLD) Streetcar outside the Roger's Hotel in Waxahachie, TX. Activity on the square quiets as night falls: a few still wander by to view the courthouse; a lone skateboarder zips through on the sidewalk; live music drifts up from a cafe on College. Street lights suddenly go on. Victorian Morning - (Plein Air) 5"x7", Oil on panel. This dignified, but weathered old lady sits just off the Square in Waxahachie. Probably too far gone for repair, she quietly speaks of grander days when cotton reigned in this Texas prairie town. 

  Along College - (Plein Air) 6"x8", Oil on panel. (SOLD) Storefronts off the Square in Waxahachie, TX. This was painted during the 4th annual "Paint Waxahachie" event. It received BEST OF SHOW honors in the judging.

Watermelon Truck - (Plein Air) 5"x7", Oil on panel. (SOLD) The Paint Historic Waxahachie event kicked off with a 90-minute quick draw in the courthouse square. A farmers market brought in produce and other sellers to add visual interest for the 40 or more speedy plein air participants.

On the Square - (Plein Air) 7" x 10" (approx.) Graphite on paper. (SOLD) A "pencil painting" done on site during the "Paint Historic Waxahachie" event.

Hot Sun Deep Shade - (Plein Air) 9"x12", Oil on panel. View from the roadside, the horses were on the property of His Hill Bible School in Comfort, Texas. I first did a quick sketch before the horses moved into the pasture below. My wife and I were staying the weekend with a good friend - who stopped by to say it was 106 degrees. I love the heat. The road, used mostly by uphill residents and weekend camp traffic, surprisingly, also brought conversation with two hikers and a cyclist.

 

Cactus Garden - (Plein Air) 12 x 9", Oil on panel. (SOLD) At the Ft Worth Botanical Gardens, painted during the Campfire Plein Air Paintout, Oct. 23-26. Leading into their annual "Artist's Christmas" fundraising auction, 25 artists contributed paintings produced during the weekend for the Nov 8th auction. Superbly organized event, we were treated like royalty with lunch, water deliveries and gourmet, home-made cookies! This painting received fourth place honors in the judging competition.

Three things I like most to do... Be Outdoors, Paint and Watch the Grass Grow. With plein air painting I get to do all of them at the same time.

 
These works are painted almost entirely on site (I usually leave a few finishing touches and signature for the studio). One of the pleasures of painting is observing and recording. I like to be faithful to the subject matter to give a true sense of time and place as well as manipulate to create a visually interesting piece.