Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Journey Home - horse in snow oil painting

4 X 5 Oil on linen panel $65
Includes Shipping and Handing
I'm eager to start the next book cover but the weather has not cooperated. Well, that isn't actually true. I HAVE gotten LOTS of snow images lately (and made my 3rd snowman of the season). But I still need to get my image of the boy-wrapped-in-buffalo-robe-on-a paint-pony. As SOON as the weather looks cooperative and I can get to Nemo to borrow the buffalo hide, we'll get this underway. I have several paint ponies available - including Tuffy. But I don't know how cooperative he'll be ridden bareback - he's just the right image, though. Little and shaggy and hard as a rock and a nicely patterned paint. The model I have in mind is a 13 year old girl who could probably ride anything we put her on. I would like to test Tuffy first, though...not only to see if he'll cooperate bareback, but also to see how he'll handle the smell of a buffalo hide. Might be worth keeping the movie camera handy...
Revelation 19:13
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
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Price: $65 USD
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Monday, February 22, 2010

Bandit Betrayal - cowboys gunfight oil painting

5 X 6 Oil on Masonite Color Study for larger painting
$115
Includes Shipping and Insurance
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This is an idea for a painting that I envisioned after my last photoshoot at Doug Prine's place in Nemo, Texas. Before I begin any large work (and this one will be 25 X 30) I sketch it out in pencil, then paint a small, quick version in scale to the larger painting. 5 X 6 is exactly 1/5 of a 25 X 30. Often I change the placement a bit and add more contrast if the composition needs it.
The final version will be much more detailed. I want the horse in the foreground to show his eye very round and excited and appearing to be looking at the bandit in the rear. I see a few minor changes, but will probably stick to this color study fairly close. One thing I DO want to change is the shadow in the lower right and make it look more like another horse and rider.

Proverbs 6:9-11 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- 11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
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Price: $115 USD
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Sunday, February 21, 2010

American Eskimo Spitz dog portrait oil painting

6 X 8 Oil on masonite
Contact artist for availability

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My beautiful friend, Sandy, recently slipped and broke her leg (both lower bones right above the ankle) while walking her gorgeous dog, Joy, her American Eskimo. Fortunately Sandy had her cell phone with her and called her husband, John, to come rescue her. Dutifully, Joy remained close at hand while waiting. While she recovered in the hospital, we "baby-sat" Joy, and I managed to get a number of good photos of her.
I have difficulty painting long-haired, light colored dogs - and haven't even painted my own little Pomeranian, Kibble, to my satisfaction. But I continue to practice.
Good news regarding Sandy - she will be OK. Bad news is that she is flat on her back, waiting for swelling to subside so she can have surgery to pin the bones back together. Beautiful Joy remains close by her side....
Matthew 23:3
So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Friday, February 19, 2010

April Western Art Collector


nodpLook for this ad in the April Edition of the Western Art Collector Magazine and the accompanying article. I am very proud of this group of artists and their dedication to their work.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

More Texas Snow

5 X 7 Oil on Masonite $115
SOLD to a California sitcom set designer

The composition of this painting is inspired by Frederick Remington's "A Figure of the Night - The Sentinel". These are the woods behind my house. To get the feeling of cold moonlight, like Remington's painting, I need to use more Viridian - a color that goes a long, long way. If I glaze the painting with a Viridian tint, I may get there....
I shall continue the snow series. Maybe by Spring I will understand the nature and color of WHITE!
Deuteronomy 11:14
then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil.
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Price: $115 USD
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Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Eventer V - warmblood jumping horse oil painting

30 X 40 Oil on Gallery Canvas with painted sides
SOLD to a Canadian Collector

Well, I think I am about finished with this piece, and I am frustrated with photographing it. The colors are very rich and vibrant and it's nearly impossible to get that across on a computer screen.
Yesterday's record snowfall is half melted and I expect the rest will disappear today since the temperature is supposed to be in the 50's. What a mushy, muddy mess we have left behind. I went walking in the woods yesterday morning before it warmed up and got some lovely photos for the background of the next book cover. Thanks, Mother Nature!
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Texas Got SNOW!

nodp Parts of Texas woke up looking like Colorado today! Bad news: Lots of people without power. Good News: It's going to be 50+ degrees tomorrow.

PJ says "What you doing????? FEEEEED ME!!!"
Dandy always leads the pack to the barn for breakfast. PJ is ALWAYS last. Easy is a typical "middle-of-the-roader".
I am painting and finishing up "The Big Horse".
Looking good!
Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Shaggy Winter Coat- small abstract horse painting

6 X 6 oil on canvas panel $100
Includes shipping and insurance
Let's face it, shiny horses are more fun to paint than shaggy ones - at least for me. But all my "models" are really shaggy right now. And with the exception of a few tufts of rye grass, there's no green grass to be seen, either. Winter is in full swing - and the rainy background has returned to Texas. A slight drop in temperature will turn the drizzle to ice and/or snow. I welcome the moisture still, but am missing the sun. THIS IS TEXAS!!!! It's supposed to be sunny! There's just no pleasing us, is there????? At least my garden's winter greens are doing REALLY well - we eat fresh spinach and Swiss chard nearly every day. And this Spring (number 3 since planting) we get to EAT asparagus instead of watch it grow into ferns. SO much to look forward to....
2 Peter 3:12
as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
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Price: $100 USD
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Friday, February 5, 2010

Cold Day for a Walk - winter snow oil painting with horse

8 X 10 Oil on Linen Panel $125
Includes Shipping and Insurance
Another winter day using no resource material except what's in my head. I almost stated that I sometimes wish we lived where it snowed, but then I remembered the blizzard currently hammering the Atlantic Coast and I quickly changed my tune!
After a week of gloom, the sun is finally shining today. All the moisture has moved East and turned to snow. Since I only work from my own photos, snow is difficult for me to paint. I will continue to practice.
Acts 15:19
"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
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Price: $125 USD
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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Cold Dawn 2 - WIP

7 X 10 oil on canvas panel
$125 includes shipping and handling
Keeping with the warm, tho greenish light, here's another attempt at a cold winter scene. All I need is an very cold, redheaded boy wrapped in a buffalo robe riding this horse, and we're ready for the next book cover....I'm not positive about the warm sky, though. I think the next one I will paint as a monotone using mostly Ultramarine with a hint of blue violet and viridian. That is called an "analogous color palette" - where all colors are close to one another on the color wheel.
Song of Solomon 2:11
See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
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Price: $125 USD
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Corgi Power - commissioned dog oil painting portrait


8 X 10 Commissioned Dog Portrait oil on canvas
SOLD to a Texas collector
contact me for YOUR dog's painting!
Georgia, the Border Collie-Wanna-Be is part Corgi, and one of her best friends is Max, a Bembroke Welsh Corgi who has the absolute best personality for a short dog. Max belongs to Tessa, and Tessa has a sister who has two Corgis. She doesn't know it yet, but she's getting the above painting for her birthday in March, via sister Tessa (who assures me that she DOESN'T go to my blog!)
I'm not near as familiar with dog painting as I am horses, but I am learning. I tried once to paint my little dog Kibble (blond Pomeranian) and I failed miserably. Maybe I am ready to try again.....
Email me if you have a special dog who needs to be immortalized in paint! debbiegraysonlincoln@yahoo.com
Joshua 21:45
Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Cold Dawn - color study for illustration art


5 X 7 Oil on canvas panel $100
SOLD to a collector in Illinois
This is my next book cover commission in it's infant planning stage. I will show you the first one completed when I have been notified that the author's website has been finished. I have read one of the chapters in the book, and I am looking forward to reading the entire story, even though I know the ending. So keep checking here if YOU are interested, too.
Dan's next book is again historical fiction that occurs in the first half of the 19th century in Texas. One of the characters will be depicted on the cover, and this is the first of several color studies/compositions I will compose.
The scene will show a teen-aged red-headed boy on an paint Indian pony in the snow, wrapped in a buffalo hide. I don't want to give away the story - you'll have to read it to find out the why's and wherefor's.
Dan and I have discussed this set up at length, and he suggested that I have the individual facing the viewer, but just for fun I painted it this way - with my first goal to get the feeling of cold. I haven't painted snow very often, so I will play around with several palettes, getting it right before I start to paint in earnest. Also, I am going to set up a photo shoot with a teenager in a buffalo robe on a paint horse so I will hopefully have an image to work from! I have located the buffalo robe and have a choice of paint horses (with Tuffy being one of them). I'll probably have to imagine the snowy background (this one is way too boring and predictable) or perhaps search through my own archives. Lord knows Texas has been cold enough lately!
Ecclesiastes 3:6
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away.
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