More Texas Landacapes

Usually I see paintings of our hill country landscapes, but this is east Texas.  Every area has its own kind of beauty.  I love trees.  They are all different, like people.  When I paint one it is like doing a portrait.

Plans of attack!

   My life has changed somewhat, so will my subject matter.  My goal right now is to paint from home all the things that interest me most.  I no longer have my gallery and have set up my studio here at home.  If you see something of interest to you it is available for purchase.

Finished "The Gathering"

It took me a little longer than I anticipated to finish this.  Too much holiday, I guess.  It's my view out the window where my desk is.  They gather morning and evening to make their peruse the neighborhood.  This came out darker than it is.

"November Leaves", oil, 11x14

This is our southern version of fall color, found on the ground.

Crows

  Now that I'm home in mornings I've noticed an interesting happening here.  AT the back corner of our property is a telephone poll.  Most days in the bright morning the crows begin to gather.  First one or two then more. It's like they're planning their day.  You know, who do we stalk today and where do we begin.
My daughter and son in law own 6 acres adjacent to mine and I know they have a murder of crows on the property.
   This group "owns" the territory apparently.  On one occasion we heard a great commotion and our son in law found a foundling hawk on the ground near a very tall pine.  It's parent were frantic and the crows were ready for the kill.  He  caught the hawk who wasn't yet able to fly and placed it as high as possible in the tree.  For some time thereafter he fed and watered the little bird until it was able to excape.
   Anyway, this was the the group of crows that live in the trees between their home and ours.  Not a friendly bunch, but ineresting.  In the evenings especially we see them swoop over our property. And that telephone pole is their gathering spot.

    This is a round about way of saying I find them fascinating and set out to get their picture.  It seems like they knew when my camera was searching and managed to vanish.  Sooooo I took a photo of the pole. Any way I seem compelled to paint the scene. I'm not sure about this painting.  I hope you will let me know what you think about it.  I will probably have it finished tomorrow.  In the meanwhile, here is my photo.

"Fallen Trees" oil, 30x16

In the Spirit of Fall

Unlike other parts of the country, we don't get beautiful colors in the trees.  Still fall is my favorite time of the year.  My husband and I were out cleaning the fish pond when a beautiful little green finch came and bathed in the bubbles from the fountain.  The temp is in the 70's and humidity is down a little. Leaves are everywhere and the annuals under the tree are fading fast.  Still it's so nice to just sit and watch and listen.  Beat of all the mosquitos are down and I don't worry about  the west nile virus.  It's just too nice to stay inside.
So, why not paint a series on my patio.  The painting I did of the summer flowers turned out pretty well so why not.
I am working on a piece of a friend's country place where a small waterfall spills under fallen trees.  I never thought of myself as a landscape painter.  But I love the softer light.  I didn't understand about how different the light makes until we lived in Alabama and I realized how harsh our summer sun is.  It was nice to have the different seasons.  Here we have only two, hot and humid and less hot and humid.  But the light is definitely different in the fall.  Softer.  Welcoming.  And the evenings are covered with a golden glow.  It's something to think about.
When I can I'll put some paintings up.  Hopefully you 'll let me know if I could be a backyard plein aire painter or not.

About Blogs

I really wish whoever runs this would quit changing how you do things.  It's a whole lot harder now than it used to be.

Some suggestions

A  few of the names for hand painting:

Handshake
Handy Dandy
Now you offer me a handout!.  I needed it yesterday.
Handsome
Handful
No two alike
Helping hands
All together, everybody wave
It's a reach
No touching

Thanks to all who sent them.

HELP ME NAME MY HAND PAINTING

It's all about hands

There's something about hands that fascinate me.  I love to look at them, watch how they're used.  I used to tell my husband I married him for his hands.  They are efficient hands.  There never seemed to be a wasted movement.  Not to mention his rather strange little finger the hops us at the mid way joint.
Anyway, I also love to draw them.  My first year at UT, it was a drawing of hands that found its place in the annual student exhibit. I must admit I am partial to long thin hands.  That's maybe because you can see all the hand's construction.  Or maybe because my own are that way.
Well, I buy most of my supplies over the internet, and a lot are from Gamblin.  My last package contained a tube of "torret grey".  It was free.  It seems they have an annual competition using torret grey, black and white only.  Any subject.  The big prize is $500 in supplies.  So, what have I got to lose.  I decided hands were the perfect subject.  Hence I have been gathering photos of hands.  Funny how most people take a picture of their hand just laying somwhere, doing nothing.  So I took everyone's picture who didn't think I was crazy and began to sort them out.

I have almost finished now .... a good thing since the contest ends Oct. 1..  Her is a collage of the hands.

Later today, I should be able to show the finished piece.

I DO WATERCOLORS, TOO

Done a few of these, too

A small history of my oils.

This is what happens when I start to play with my new computer.  Fun!

Back to normal!

Finally finished the commission and am back to normal.  I have been working on value in my painting class.  Funny, it feel awkward not to throw in some touch of off beat color.  I feel normal when I'm drawing with graphite.  I appreciate kind words regarding my garden painting and I may do some more when, and if, the virus carrying mosquitos go away.  Mosquitos really like me, a lot more than I like them.  Staying home, I am really enjoying looking at my flower garden.  I moved my desk so that as I write this I can see the vivid colors and even an occasional hummingbird.
For now, I'm really getting antsy to do some more figurative work.  And on a larger scale even if my arm gets really tired.  I feel like there is a painting dancing around in my brain.  I wish I could get it to blast out.

I’LL PAINT THAT...... STEVE CONRAD: Rower

I’LL PAINT THAT...... STEVE CONRAD: Rower

PATIO GARDEN

After I took some photos of my back patio of my shady garden I decided to paint it.  This sounds simple but I am not a landscape painter and there is a lot of detail here.  I put my chair out on the patio, sprayed myself good to keep the mosquitos away and set to work.  I admit to doing the preliminary work in my studio but felt the only was to capture the dappled sunlight was to face the elements.  So I did.

Finished Painting

Finally got a chance to take a photo of the finished piece.  I think it turned out pretty well.  I wonder if it will have the impact that a photograph has, though.  After all this Could be a figment of my imagination.

'Walking the Line"

Life just gets in the way!

Believe it or not I have actually been painting, and having a lot of fun and frustration and impatience, and joy...all mixed in together.  I think I finished my painting of Mary and the "Angel" and have set it aside for awhile to see if I want to do anything else to it.  In the meantime I'm starting a rather complicated scene from my patio garden.  This is not really my usual so it's kind of an experiment for me.  It is in it's awful state that paintings go through, so I'm not posting it. You painters will understand. Painting is a lot more fun without the gallery, but then again I need a gallery to display them.  Decisions, decisions!

I took in some of my old pastels to be photographed by Rick Wells.  (By the way,he is a master at this)  I miss working in pastel sometimes.  Funny how I choose different subjects for different mediums. I wonder if other painters do this!   Anyway, they're on my website if you want to see them.  "franknueppel.com".

I'm still working on the best arrangment for a studio.  I'm afraid my husband may divorce me if I make him move anymore things around, especially since I'm thinking about moving it all  uptairs.

One thing about life....you never know where it's going.  You can organize, plan, make suggestions and on and on,  but........don't bother because you never know where it will take you.  One thing is sure, things will always change.  I think about one of stranger paintings, and least liked except by me, called "Walking the Line".  That's life.

Ready for final touches.

The first picture is just sketching in, the second is a second working.  This week I'll have it finished.  Hope it connects somehow

I was checking on how the face looked when lit from below and my daughter agreed to pose for me.  There were several of us there when I took this picture.  We all felt we got something very unexpected.

I thought about this for awhile and decided I wanted to paint it.  The photos are a start to finish which is still to come.
 See what you thin.

Red Knock-out Roses

What with rehab and life goings on, I'm finding it hard to get into the studio. It seems that the only time I paint is when I have art classes.  I really enjoyed the drawing class.  It reminded me how much I really enjoy working with pencil or pen. By the way, I have a new website, "franknueppel.com".  It's not complete but shows some of my old and new work.  I kept getting Frank Knueppel, do disregard that.  Don't know him. There are some pastels and drawings I have to get photos of.
 My mind keeps running off willy-nilly.  I guess this is one of abyss periods where I need to go in and "push paint around" until it tells me where to go. That's what my daughter tells me anyway.
 Art class was fun today!  I finished a demo I started in an earlier class.  It's pleasant, if not profound.  The class wanted to learn to paint flowers and I picked a few "knock-out roses" and put them casually in an old vase.  Anyway, I had fun.

Sketch of Travis

New Computer

Why do they change programs every time you get a new computer?  Just when I think I'm getting used to how to do everything, the computer dies and the new version is all different.  I don't think it's "new and improved", I think it's sadistic.

My Fish Pond

Drawings have always been a passion of mine.  But painting gets in the way sometimes.  Then I was asked to teach a drawing class.  Wow!  What an opportunity to get back into what I love to do.  After a 6 weeks class I found I had needed it more than I knew.  But...ever wanted to be a critic?  Now's your chance.

HOPE YOU HAVE MISSED ME!

On October 3, 2011, I was rushing to meet the Chamber of Commerce Director, do some quick shopping and go to the opening of my newest exhibition, and fell!.  Hard! 
Since then I have seen more doctors, been to more hospitals, more rehabs than I care to remember.  After surgery, they tell me there is some serious lung problem called "pulmonary fribrous".  Wow, what is THAT?  I was ready to call the mortuary, make my will and kiss my friends goodby.   After MUCH testing, breathing, and cat scanning,  it seems I may live after all.
To that end, I moved my studio home, enthusiastically taking over 2 northlit bedrooms....one for exercise and WC and one for oil painting.  I located a drawing class in my cheerful sunroom and have slowly returned to my chosen profession.  I have now learned how to breath and blow up balloons (at least halfway" and have practiced my drawing and sketched a watercolor "fantasy" painting.  I even ordered more paint from Dick.  So, for any of you who are still with me, Thanks a lot.  I'm going to be watercoloring for awhile.  That's my fun painting.  And am I ever ready for fun. And drawings.  And hope to be off and running, or maybe at least plodding.  But keep tuned and wish me luck.

A New Day!

Did you ever feel uneasy about drastic change then suddenly realize there was a whole new world of opportunity to try.  You're excited and a little scared, but mostly really anxious to jump in wholeheartedly and see what happens!  Wow, I just can't wait to find out.
I closed my gallery this week.  The beautiful building looks pretty bare now.  Soon the new owners will be excited about what they're doing there.  But to me, it's full of good memories, and some not so good.  It will be wonderful to have the time to just paint.  Sure, you hope to sell, but mostly just to have the luxury of time to play with the paint and canvas, or as my daughter says, push paint around until it tells you what it wants to be.
I will miss some things.  I'll miss those who came around to "talk art" with me.  And the talented young talents who make me feel excited for them.  And just good friends who passed the time away.  I am thankful for all the fellow painters who came my way, all ages, all types.  Art really knows no age.  It's something hiding inside, always begging to come out.  Of, sometimes it comes out wrong.  But you know you'll try again, and again.
Last October when I fell I guess I felt old and decrepit, and discouraged.  But now I realize it made my life really start over again.  A new beginning for an old gal.  What fun.
I'm still around the Bend.  We'll have chances to get together just to talk or paint or sit and kick around new ideas. 
Here's to a new adventure.  Hope you come along with me.

REAL SETBACK

In early October of '11, I had a rather disastrous fall, breaking my femur at the hip.  It really put me out of commission for awhile, but things are finally looking up.  As a result, I have decided to close Morton Street Gallery and work here in my home studio.  If anyone is still looking, I really appreciate it.  But now I will have more time to just paint, something I am really looking forward to.  Of course it also means I won't have the same presence in the community.  Scary! 
I love looking at all the other artists "blogs" and websites.  I hope you will feel the same about me.

PS.  Don't any one out there do what I did.  Take it from me, it has been a REAL PAIN!