Old Split Ear's Challenge - Mule deer buck painting by Debbie Grayson Lincoln

12 X 12 Oil on MDF Board

SOLD to a Texas Collector

On our way back to the Thirty Mile Campground, we were surprised by an enormous Mule Deer that made his appearance as we rounded a blind turn. Mike braked the truck, knowing I would attempt a photo, and the buck hid behind a scrubby patch of firs as I fumbled for my camera. I was very lucky to get several terrific images. The White Tail deer in Texas is no match for the Mulies in Colorado size-wise (although I'm assuming the meat from both is quite tasty). It's like comparing a donkey to a draft horse. And in Texas we are overrun with does, because so many hunters want trophy bucks. Since we hunt strictly for the freezer, we prefer the does and usually leave the bucks alone (unless they are eating the peas. Then it's every man for himself...). This fellow had a notch in his ear, and I have no idea if he lost an earring or damaged it in a fight. I have a feeling he was tagged sometime in the past, though, and I do hope it means he'll be spared during hunting season. His spread was impressive, to be sure.

Luke 5:36

He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to

patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and

the patch from the new will not match the old.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE.
To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

Loading up the Pack Mule

6 X 8 Oil on MDF Board

$125 includes shipping in US

We have just returned from out annual Colorado trip and despite going later than usual, the timing was still good. We missed three weeks of typical August Texas heat that extended into September. In addition, we caught the beginning of school, so the campgrounds were relatively empty toward the end of our trip. AND THE FISHING WAS GREAT!
Our first two weeks were at Thirty Mile near Creede. Hunting season was fixin' to begin, and nearly every day hunting guides were hauling camping equipment up the mountain - setting up campsites for the hunters.
The first guide I watched pack up was Greg Pearson of Lost Ute Outfitters, and I truly appreciated the opportunity to get some great images of him and his animals.

He was readying 3 mules and an Arabian gelding to haul camp equipment up the Weminuche Trail. This painting is of "Ace", one of the pack mules.
Greg had a set of scales in his trailer that he used to weigh the packs before he balanced them on the pack saddles. I was impressed by how well the load was distributed on the mules as I know what can happen when weight shifts on the back of an animal. It can be scary - especially on the narrow trail up the mountain.
Exodus 23:5  If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. 

To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

Mules Mules Mules - from Thirty Mile Campground in Colorado

5 X 7 Oil on Canvas mounted on Board $125

Includes Shipping and Insurance

We are back from our yearly trek to Colorado. We escaped the blazing Texas heat for 3 glorious weeks where the temperature was never over 78 and often down in the 30's at night. DEEEE-lightful! Many many thanks to my friends and neighbors for taking care of the cows and horses, etc. And, MOM...thanks for encouraging us to go - I am so grateful you are feeling so well!

At our first stop, near Road Canyon Reservoir on the way to Thirty Mile Campground near Creede, we passed a corral full of mules and horses. I LOVE mules and took many photos of them.
This first little painting is a composite of my 3 favorite, and I have included here the process of the painting's composition.

I would love to paint this in a large format using a different color palette...any takers?

Above are three original photo images that I took.

A quick sketch on notebook paper (I forgot my sketchbook) established the composition.

I decided to make the format slightly wider than square, re-drew the sketch onto the canvas and began painting.

Unlike many painters, I prefer to work "front to back", painting the negative space to make corrections in the outline, if needed.

This painting was completed in about 3 hours (not counting the photography, planning and final drawing). Painting on the "kitchen table" in the RV is not the best of circumstances - lighting is very bad and the space is cramped. I used to take boxes of supplies and canvases, but I have learned to take the barest minimum and make-do.

My fellow artist friend, Niki Gulley leads ART TREKS to Europe (France and Italy), and I marvel how artists can travel overseas and bring along enough of their stuff.  But I have learned to do the same when we set off in the RV.  Less really is more!

Exodus 13:21

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. To view larger paintings, go to my Website HERE. To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

On The Way to the Rio Grande Reservoir - Thirty Mile Campground

On The Way To the Reservoir

8X10 Oil on Stretched Canvas $125

Includes Shipping and Insurance

The mountains in the background harbor the birthplace of the Rio Grande, and this is what we see as we drive above Thirty Mile to the Reservoir where we really enjoy fly fishing. It’s a quite a climb down from the road to the lake’s dam, and it truly tested our lungs the first day. I had to stop twice on the climb up and out. But by the end of our stay, we had acclimatized and could make the climb without stopping.

The fourth day of our stay we decided to see if we could follow the Wemenuche Trail and make it to the Continental Divide. Several years ago we had tried unsuccessfully to make the pass and failed. Too old and fat and out of shape. This year, however, we started out loaded with plenty water, thick socks, snacks, little camera, ponchos and Georgia. About 2 hours into the trek, I was sure Mike was ready to turn back, but we trudged on – past the rock slide, through the brief thunderstorms, over Wemenuche Bridge and upward. A caravan of pack horses and mules passed us – hauling supplies up to workers who were repairing trails. I briefly wished I could hitch a ride, but the narrow steep trail was scary enough on foot, much less 6 feet in the air!

Around noon we made it to the pass – marked only by a hand-carved pole stuck in the ground. We were on top of the world and the views both up and down were fabulous. The round trip took about seven and one-half hours (and about 10 miles). We arrived back in camp exhausted, sore-footed and hungry. Georgia couldn’t run up the RV steps the following day – choosing instead to climb them one-at-a-time. Mike and I weren’t in much better shape, but proud that we had bettered our last hike! 

Isaiah 30:30
The LORD will cause men to hear his majestic voice and will make them see his arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire, with cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. To view larger paintings, go to my Website HERE. To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

Don't Fence Me In

Don’t Fence Me In

8X10 Oil on Masonite Panel $125

Includes Shipping and Insurance

For the past three weeks we’ve been in Colorado on our yearly escape from the Texas heat, and I am happy to announce that I have been painting again – and I HOPE to continue it now that we are back.

As usual, I took my minimum paints, brushes, solvents and canvases/boards. I neglected, however, to pack my wet canvas carriers! I paint with traditional oils, and they take a LONG time to dry – so the camper ended up with little cut-off box bottoms holding individual wet canvases. Fortunately most fit in the space over the cabinets – kinda out of the way - but still a concern during travel. All survived, and I will be sharing my favorites over the course of the next couple weeks. (This painting has a bit of Colorado stuck in the paint, but it will be removed once I get it home! - OR you may just wish to leave it there for interest!)

This first one is a scene we see as we leave Road Canyon Lake, heading away from Thirty Mile Campground, near Creede, Colorado. I added the horse and decided that he, like many of us, resent fences and rules, but we do the best we can within the confines we are given.

The fishing at Road Canyon Lake was great, as usual. I ate fish every one of the 11 days we were at Thirty Mile Camp – some caught in the Reservoir on the Rio Grande above the campground and some caught in the Lake below. I even hooked a very nice Brown Trout in the Rio Grande where it runs through River Hill Campground, just below Thirty Mile. I expect the gills I grew while there will come in handy when we visit Merideth and Garrett who have recently moved to Bay City!

Exodus 13:21
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. To view larger paintings, go to my Website HERE. To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

Thirty Mile Campground Mule Deer Doe

8 X 6 Oil on canvas board $115

Includes Shipping and Insurance

We are at 30 Mile Campground, 6 miles from the headwaters of the Rio Grande River. We found this place 2 summers ago while camping near Creede, Colorado and came back to camp here last year. I fell in love with the remote location, the extreme peacefulness and the opportunity to hone our fly fishing skills in a river that is still relatively untouched. There is no electricity or phone or water hookups here. There are latrines and water faucets (you fill your own containers and haul them if you don’t have an RV tank, like we do). An emergency phone is available for calling out, but there is no calling in. We have a small generator which we use for a limited time during the day to charge the RV batteries and to turn on my desktop computer for storing the photos I take (doesn’t REALLY sound like roughing it, does it???)

We have fished every day and have caught enough to feed us and the dog. Anything over what we can eat here we release. Two days ago, we our catch resulted in a lovely assortment: a brown trout, a brook and a rainbow – all over 14 inches (the brown was 16) and all supremely flavorful cooked over a wood fire with no embellishments but the smoke. I eat fish for every meal….

This Mule Deer doe is a camp regular – she loves saltine crackers. Rattle cellophane in her presence and her ears perk up (even higher), and she’ll cautiously approach you. She doesn’t trust Georgia, so we haven’t gotten her to stay around very long – but long enough for me to get an image to paint!

Creede, Colorado is 30 miles down the road (hence the name of the campground) - half of it a one lane winding dirt road with blind hairpin turns and steep dropoffs. We journeyed to Creed today to do laundry, pick up a few supplies and let me catch up on the internet stuff. I may be back on-line in about 5 days....God willing and the Rio Grande don't rise!

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

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