Bear Lake at Cuchara, Colorado

20 X 24 Oil on canvas SOLDOne of our favorite places to camp is at Bear Lake near Cuchara, Colorado. We have gone there every August for the past 7 years and we'll be there again this year, God willing, on the way back from Montana. When we owned the garage and worked outside all day, just knowing we would be in the the cool mountains helped to get us through the hot summer months. The campground is at about 10,000 feet - with no hook-ups (that's no running water or electricity, for you non-campers). Daytime temperatures are delightful and during the cold nights you can see every star in the sky. In fact the best meteor display of the year (Perseid) occurs the second week of August. Great hiking, too. And it is named "Bear Lake" for a reason - there are bears. So I don't recommend it for tent campers, although there are always some there - and they usually end up sleeping in their vehicles, it seems!

Studio update: The foundation has cured nicely and the forms come off tomorrow. Framing wood should get delivered Tuesday. I have decided to install a wood burning stove, too, to help keep that end of the house warm so I am beginning that search. There are so many varieties out there - and price ranges!
2 Peter 1:19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Does Know They Are Safe

16 X 20 Oil on Canvas $500

This is the painting I have been working on for 3 days - that seems about average for a 16 X 20. A few more "tweaks" and it'll be done.
We watched "Comanche Moon" this week and I have to admit that I was disappointed in the acting, screen writing and authenticity of the props (I have a thing about Indians carrying bright red feathers - they didn't have them). Nevertheless, I watched nearly the whole presentation because it WAS shot in Texas - in country that I love. That much was authentic and it inspired this painting. If you live in the country, you know about hunting season and what happens the day it begins. The deer and birds disappear - probably because they hear guns - duh - but I also believe that they have an instinct about when they are safe and when not. Take crows, for instance. Smartest birds I know. They raid our pecan trees for about 3 weeks out of the year and can strip the trees of the nuts. You can walk around the yard empty handed and they'll continue their marauding. Get something shiny (like a rifle) in your hand, and they disappear. NOW I have NEVER shot at a crow (I actually kinda like them, despite their thieving nature), but somehow the whole flock seems to know about guns. Go figure.
Psalm 140:11 Let slanderers not be established in the land; may disaster hunt down men of violence.

Fish Tales

"Bob" watercolor Not For Sale

I am going to have to redefine myself. I am still a Daily Painter, but at this point in my career, I don't necessarily FINISH a painting every day! I have painted the past 2 days on a large canvas and I expect to finish it today. It looks as if 3 days is about average for me to complete 95% of a painting. Then, like many artists, I "live" with it a while and put the final touches on it sometime in the future.

The little paintings have taught me a lot about colors and composition, and I will continue to do them. But at this point in time, I feel the need to paint large.

Mike has gessoed and cut me a huge stack of 6 X 8 Masonite panels - both to use now and for our Montana trip this summer (it's never too soon to plan a 6 week trip!) I have also stowed away in the camper wet canvas carriers. Wet paintings are a problem for oil painters - I had them stacked in box cartons and stashed on top of cabinets all over the camper last summer. This summer will be different.
I painted the above watercolor several summers ago after visiting my cousin Jane and her husband Bob in Baton Rouge. Bob is an avid fisherman and lives to go to his family cabin in Mississippi where he can invent the largest fish tales you've every heard! (Just kidding, Bob!)
Matthew 14:19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Palo Duro Canyon, Texas

24 X 36 Oil on Canvas Not For Sale

Several years ago we spent Thanksgiving weekend camping at Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle. Yes, it was risky camping in November in that part of Texas, but we were blessed with extraordinary weather. I had broken my leg a year earlier and this was the first camping trip where I could actually hike a little bit. The second morning there, we awoke hearing a strange swooshing noise and upon investigation discovered several hot air balloons taking off and rising up the canyon walls. Permits are rarely granted to balloonists at Palo Duro because the air currents are undependable, but this weekend was perfect - with crystal blue skies and cool, still air. And since there were few other campers, we felt we were really special with an air show just for us!
The foundation for the studio addition is poured and setting up. It's 22 degrees this morning but I think the concrete is dry enough to not worry about it. Walls start to go up Tuesday - we hope. I started walking every morning with several friends and have not missed a day in 2 weeks. And three of those days were in the 20's. But the wind is gusty today, so I think I'll stay in and make a fire and plan some paintings, instead.
Matthew 7:25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Pouring Concrete

I'm so excited!!!!
The foundation for my studio addition is being poured today. As I was leaving for my daily walk this morning at 7:45, the workers were pulling in the driveway. When I got back at 9:15, they were already halfway through the first concrete truck. I may not get to paint for a couple days. This is all going on just outside my current workplace (the 2nd window in the photo) and it's a little distracting. But worth it!
Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Two Faces of a Sixteen Year Old

This lovely child is my daughter when she was 16. I have used her for a model many times and I am generally happy with my painting results and usually know where I am headed as I paint. This painting, however, took an unexpected turn when the reflected face resulted in a diabolical countenance! If you have raised a child, you know what often happens in the teen aged years - rebellion. And to a certain degree, rebellion is a good thing - they HAVE to separate from us and find their own way. I am happy to report that 8 years later she is married and a joy to be around. AND a professional photographer. See her work here:
www.meridethdodd.photoreflect.com

16 X 20 not for sale

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Get A Head

I didn't paint yesterday afternoon. Instead Merideth and I explored the countryside scoping out possible sites for photography shoots. With several weddings already under her belt, my enterprising daughter is making quite a name for herself with her unique perspective on photography. Check it out at http://www.myspace.com/doddphotography

I also got some ideas for paintings, despite the fact that everything is middle-of-winter dead around here. We found a cool old suspension bridge near Bluff Dale - a one-of-a-kind built in 1891. Before that time, wagons had to ford the Paluxy River to get to Bluff Dale. The bridge is no longer open to automobile traffic, but we walked out to the middle of it to feel the bouncing sway.

Today's painting is a colorful 8 X 6 and can be purchased directly from my for $50, shipping included.

Genesis 2:9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Protective Elk Cow

On our way to Wyoming last summer, Mike and I stayed at Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park. The elk around our campsite were as near as common as cattle in Texas - and almost as tame. They were MUCH more protective of their offspring, however. One morning at daybreak I discovered the hiding place of this elk cow's baby and got myself charged by her and chased all the way into the RV - not before I got her picture, though! I suspect she weighed as much as my horse and could have done some damage had she caught me. I became considerably more respectful of protective mommas that morning!
8 X 10 oil on canvas $100 includes shipping.

Proverbs 2:11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Memories Long Gone

I worked all day on this painting. I was not yet tired of the old farm house and decided to paint it in its own setting. The post oaks have nearly lost all their leaves,the red oaks next to the house still have half of theirs, and the broom weed around the house has not yet blown away. The grass is a warm ochre. This is winter in Texas this year. We actually have grass, and, like much of the rest of the US, wind. So wild fires are an issue, too. It's amazing that this old house has withstood the ravages of nature for as long as it has.

16 X 20 Oil on canvas. $500 shipping and insurance included

Psalm 35:17 O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

Construction Completed

This painting is completed, for the most part, and I'm calling it "Homeward." The old house in the background is on Hwy 281 between Stephenville and Interstate 20. I passed by it daily for the eleven years I worked in Weatherford and watched the weeds grow up around it. It had almost disappeared from view. Several weeks ago, as Mike and I drove back from a trip to Weatherford, we passed the old farm and I noticed the land around it was cleared. It had been scraped and bulldozed, but the old farmhouse had been left standing. I asked Mike to turn around and quickly got my camera out. This might be my last chance to photograph an old friend. This horse is an old friend, too. He belongs to a rodeo family with two little girls, and they both compete on him around barrels and poles.
16 X 20 oil on canvas. Contact me if you are interested.
Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

Under Construction 2

I did get to paint a little bit more on this yesterday. I have seen the sky exactly like this from my office window. I hope to finish it today.

The plumber comes again to today. We have made modifications to the septic system that I hope will make him (and us) happy.

Phase 2 of yesterday's painting. 16 X 20 oil on canvas.

Genesis 8:6 After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark

Under Construction

I was continually distracted yesterday, so I didn't get very far on this painting, nor did I paint a little "warm-up". SO I'm just going to show you this one that I started and maybe later while in progress.

It usually takes me several hours to compose a painting - especially if I use several elements from different sources. This painting will be composed of a horse from one photo (he's an old gelding that still goes to rodeos - a 12 year old girl rides him), the sky from another, and the old house and horizon from still another. The time of day is different in all the photos, but I'm making it a dramatic sunset. Hopefully I'll remember to take photos of it as I progress!

Yesterday's studio construction began with a big problem. It appears that our septic tanks weren't installed correctly 11 years ago when we built this house - there is not the required "drop" to make them as efficient as they can be. We have always had the problem of stopped toilets, but we just thought it was because we have "low water" toilets. Not so. Everything else works and drains, but the toilets have always been an aggravation. Plus the old line runs under the addition, so two additional clean outs need to be installed. PLUS the old line doesn't meet specks for going under concrete and could (tho probably won't) collapse leaving us with the need to decide whether or not to add a new septic system again. The cost of a new system is a bunch - plus there are all kinds of new permits and regulations and hoops to jump through. One "expert" recommends not fixing what ain't broke and another wants to cover his a-- and replace the whole she-bang. Our money - his pocket. And so begins the saga of the money pit! Mike keeps reminding himself that he is doing this for me, I'm sure. Thanks, Sweetie - I love you!

Today's Bible quote is SOOOO appropriate!

16 X 20 not for sale.

Proverbs 23:5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Extend That Trot!

When Easy cruises in his extended trot, it's like riding a glider. He does it instinctively in the pasture and when I ride him. He is a natural at preserving energy, too - which is why he failed as a race horse! I need a ladder to get on him, though - he's over 16 hands. I am thinking of loaning him to a trainer friend who wants to use him as her schooling horse. Trista, I've about convinced myself that you can have him for a while - just let me take a few more pictures!

This was an end-of-day painting - again using up the left over paint. Back to another big one today.

8 X 6 Oil on Masonite. $100 includes shipping and insurance.

Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Dodge the Hooves

I had to move the horses to another pasture yesterday, and I knew they would leap and jump as is their custom when turned onto something "new". So I took my camera in anticipation of a photo-op. I wasn't disappointed.

"Easy" bucked and pitched in front of me, and even in the dim afternoon winter light, I caught him in some really athletic moves.

Often when I have moved horses in the past I have found myself on the back end of a hoof when releasing the beasts. I have learned my lesson to stand aside when undoing halters and turning prancing horses loose - Hoo Hah!

This picture of "Easy" shows him in an almost impossible pose for a horse. He was all twisty and bucky! If I had attempted this kinda move, my back would have been out for weeks!

6 X 8 oil on Masonite $110 shipping and insurance included

Psalm 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Cordial Tomato

Obviously I spent more than an hour or two on this painting - 3 days to be exact. The other Daily Painter still life painters have so inspired me, and the little blue cordial glass and MY LAST CHERRY TOMATO :-( really caught my fancy - I had to try something a little more complicated and detailed. Also, I have a friend who wants me to paint a horse she recently lost, and she doesn't care for my more "painterly" efforts. She's known me for years and knows I can do really detailed work if I put my mind to it. My problem in the past, though, has been color mixing, and the little paintings let me see the final results quickly and paint over them to make adjustments quickly, too - all without spending days. E-mail me if you are interested in this painting - I'm thinking of entering it in a show in May. If it sells, I'll have to paint something else!!! This is painted on a regular stretched canvas - 16 X 20 - $500 shipping and insurance included.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Child's Play - Cheap Entertainment

Yesterday afternoon my daughter, Merideth and I went to Ft Worth to get her dog groomed, to drop off some clothes at a consignment shop and to visit our favorite grocery store, Central Market. She is in her first year of teaching high school science, and confessed to me that she didn't have a clue when she first started. She loves the job and is already making plans for next year, but she really was naive when she started - like all of us when beginning a new job, I suspect. It seems like only yesterday she was this chubby little baby child chasing the cat around the backyard (cats are cheap entertainment, by the way - and a sweet natured one is worth its weight in gold). When she got a little older, this kitty let her dress it up in doll clothes and push her around in a buggy - and never complained or scratched.
8 X 6 oil on Masonite $100 includes shipping
Proverbs 16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

Always Eating II

One of the indicators of an ill horse is that he may stop eating. Our friends, the Becketts, had us over for the Texas Tech game a couple days ago. Marie couldn't concentrate on the game though, because one of her horses appeared to be ill. How did she know? The filly wasn't hungry, and anyone who has owned horses for any amount of time knows that that is a pretty good indicator of an ill horse. We took her temperature and it was normal. She didn't appear distressed or in pain, but her gums were a little pale. We still don't know what the problem was, but she appears OK now.

My big ole horse, Easy, has never lost his appetite since I acquired him 2 years ago. He was a racehorse and came to me pretty lean and wiry looking. He wasted no time, though, taking advantage of the easy life he has with me and filling out. And if he ever stops eating, I will definitely call the vet immediately!

This 5 X 7 oil on Masonite can be purchased directly from me for $100, shipping included.

Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Tagged

I forgot that I have been tagged by a couple of my fellow artists and part of the game is to reveal 5 facts about yourself that are probably not known by others. Here are mine:

1. I never ride a horse without a knot of anticipatory fear in my gut. (This may be because I have been seriously hurt four times – 2 times broken legs and two times broken ribs).
2. We called our second child Boo-Boo because she was! Thank God He knew what a blessing she would be to us. She is now 24 and a joy to be with.
3. I used to change oil for a living – well, manage a fast lube. I DID occasionally have to show my employees that I knew what I was talking about, though, and turn a wrench.
4. I have the best In-Laws in the world and I actually like them and enjoy their company.
5. I am turning into my mother and my daughter into me.

Nandina

My daughter, Merideth, and I went shopping together Sunday after church, and we are both pledging to "do" Weight Watchers for the New Year (and drag our respective hubbies down with us!) After loading the car with veggies we went to the local antique mall to hunt for treasures. I found this little sterling cup which I plan to engrave for a friend's coming first grand baby. But first I had to paint it. The nandinas in front of Merideth's house are covered with berries and they were a perfect compliment to the little silver cup. I may paint this cup several times before I send it off to the engravers.

6 X 8 Oil on Masonite panel. $110 includes shipping and insurance.

1 Corinthians 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Cordially Yours

SOLD

This is the last cherry tomato from my garden - I picked it and a couple dozen more 2 weeks ago before a series of frosts. It wasn't ripe yet, but I expect it to be one last burst of sunshine in my mouth in the middle of winter. Picking green tomatoes before a frost is a desperate attempt to extend summer as long as I can. We Texans complain about the heat - and many of us leave during the summer - but I wouldn't have it any other way. My Southerner's thin blood just doesn't do well in frost and snow! It's cold here today, so I am content to stay indoors, watch the builders repair the sewer line they broke while drilling the piers for the studio, and practice painting still lifes.

6 X 8 on Masonite $110 includes shipping and inurance.

2 Corinthians 11:27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Hoppy Birthday Micah

Thanks for hopping so much for us, Micah!!!!!

What would we do without you, our fearless leader!

Wyoming Pasture Rock

The face of this rock looks to be a climber's dream - solid with plenty of hand-holds. I took a photo of this formation from my truck last summer while crossing Wyoming. The pasture was lush and rolling, the firs were waving gently in the breeze and the picturesque cedar fence followed the terrain for a mile. And then this huge rock rose up spectacularly from out of the earth. A house up there would be way neat, but you'd have to use a helicopter to come and go!

9 X 12 oil on canvas board. $100 from me until it joins the others in the gallery.

Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Always Eating

A quick little study of a view of my side pasture from a painting I did earlier. I like the color in this one better. We have had several frosts down here and the grass is no longer green, yet my horses are as fat as ever. I am not yet giving them hay or feed. Mike keeps asking me when I am going to start feeding them extra and I answer "When they are no longer so fat." Why mess with nature? Just because the grass doesn't look palatable, it doesn't mean they are getting no nutrition from it. They are fine.

5 X 7 Oil on Masonite. $100 from me.

Genesis 45:18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.

Little Brown Jug II

We broke ground on the studio today!!! Got most of the foundation framed and some of the piers dug. The entry is on the other side and that will take a few more hours. I watched the guys work all day from my current studio. I am promised a good view throughout the whole process! Stay tuned.

This little 5 X 7 painting is another still life attempt using my little brown jug that normally resides in my kitchen and hold scissors and pencils and letter openers. I find my drawing skills improving with the number of paintings behind me. It took about a hour to paint, which was pretty fast for me. As a test to see how many of ya'll are reading this blog, I'll GIVE THIS PAINTING away to the first person who e-mails me and tells me where I spent last June (family and close friends don't count!)

Luke 6:48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

Little Brown Jug

I am not known for still lifes, but I have been watching Thaw Malin and Brendy Vaughn and Delilah Smith and Liza Hirst and Tom Brown and Carol Marine and Jelaine Faunce and Irene Corey and Qiang Huang and other Daily Painters who are so versatile - they can paint ANYTHING and are really good at stills! I wanted to try it, too. So I set up a little box covered table top 3 feet from my easel, ironed a piece of muslin, gathered stuff from the kitchen, pointed a lamp at it and started to paint. Tomorrow I may try something more complicated. I know from experience that it is MUCH EASIER to paint something from life than from a photograph. Photos don't pick up all the details like you would expect, plus they have no depth, but just try to get my horses to pose for a painting!

This 8 X 10 oil on Stretched canvas can be purchased directly from me.

Proverbs 6:23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.