Fall Color

 Fall Color (Kaylee Brown)

12"X24" Oil on Linen

 

This is a painting I started yesterday and finished today!  Kaylee and her friend were posing for me.  I loved the light!  I love the Crepe Myrtle she is leaning against.  I've used this area before.  It's very cozy and rarely in direct sun.  We were in Wyoming for my father's funeral last week and while we were there I stopped into the Hen House and found the great hat Kaylee is wearing and the jacket.

 

 

Detail of the face and hands

 

My wonderful father always encouraged me in my pursuit of art.  My mother painted a bit but my dad was very artistic as well.  He made beautiful jewelry and of course gold crowns.  He taught me how to make things in wax and cast them into gold or silver.  He was so generous with his time and knowledge as well as his gold.  I treasure the memories I have with him and all the lovely things that he made.  He is one of the finest men I've ever known and I'm so grateful that he was my dad.  Thank you for financing and encouraging me.  Scott M. Welch, you are my hero.

 

Best of Show

 

 

My painting "Bunmi" won Best of Show in the 2012 WAL fall judged show.  I entered two paingings in the professional division.  Pictured here with me is the judge June Dudley who is a Contemporary Western and Poetic Landscape artist here in Texas.

 

 

 

Interesting side note here...  I was late getting to the awards and critique.  The judge had already announced the winner and talked about my paintings.  I snuck in and sat by Pam a lady I had recently met at the Monday life group I've been attending.  She told me I won and brought my arrival to the attention of the judge.  When she confirmed that I had won Best of Show, I'm ashamed to say, I squealed and jumped in the air with my fist raised and landed with a "yes!"  The above picture was taken right after the before mentioned incident.

 

My painting "Jordan Arbour" won 2nd!  Needless to say it was a very exciting day!

 

 



 

I could not have done it without my boys.  Carl and Coulter were good enough to take the paintings to the venue and get me in the show.  I was playing the piano for Kaylee at her solo and ensemble competition.  By the way she sang beautifully and received I's on both of her pieces.  I couldn't have shown the large painting of Jordan with out the help of Andy Cook.  She  was kind enough to lend me an easel sturdy enough to hold this incredibly framed, large and now heavy painting.  It takes two people to move it!  Thanks guys!

 

At the end of this great day I found that the only thing missing was the opportunity to share it with my parents.  My mother upon hearing of my small success would have been broadcasting the news to all who would listen.  I miss my biggest fan and am so grateful that she took me to her art classes when I was little and was constantly encouraging me in my artistic pursuits. 

 

My sweet mother was showing photos of my work to a man as she waited to have her eyes checked at my brothers office.  Of course she was thrilled, and a little skeptical,  to find that the gentleman beside her was an artist too and wanted to see more.  When she called me later that night and was telling me about the interaction she said that he was very complimentary.  "She could make a living at this" the man said.  When she was called back to finish her exam she was retelling the interchange to my brother, Dr. Barry Welch of Northern Wyoming Opthamology.  Barry, knowing how much pride mom takes in her children, was delighted to ask her "Do you know who that was?"  Of course she didn't, even if she did I'm not sure she would have recognized him as her eyes were dilated.  "That's Jimmie Bama!"  James Bama the incredible Western Artist had just been Kathleened.  I hope his eyes weren't dilated.   I love and miss you mom. 

 

 

Still life

What do you do when you want to paint from life and you don't have children around 24/7 as school attendance is considered important these days?  Well you do a still life.  I bought a beautiful orchid and some pretty produce at the grocery store.  That beautiful orchid is in that orange pot.  I think I painted a couple of leaves...  I took this reference photo to post on here.

 

 

The onions were stealing the show and I went with it.  I had this cool vintage fabric from my mother and I liked how it blended with the onions but was such a different texture.

 

Coulter thought I should paint pomegranates instead of onions.  He likes eating those better.

 

I will paint that orchid yet!

Highway Robbery

 

I wanted to try out some of the things that I had learned from Rob Liberace's demo so I asked my kids if they would sit for me.  Coulter said he would but was gone all day and Kaylee was too.  Starlee wanted to play with a friend but they weren't home so I told her I would pay her to sit for me.

 

This is what I got from 2/20 minute sessions with her.  She did amazingly well for the first 20 minutes!  She held the pose and I was thinking "Sweet!  I've got a good, cheep model here."  The second 20 went pretty well but she did not want to get back into the pose for the last 20.  She fussed and complained and said she needed more money to do this.  I may have gotten five more minutes out of the little stinker at that point.  $38 later I think she got the better of me.  40$ an hour at the age of  nine.  What a business woman! 

 

 

You can tell that she really loved every minute of it too.  I'll give her some time and a check and hopefully she will do it again.  She is lovely with that blond hair and blue eyes.  I told her next time she can pick the outfit too.

Bunmi from life

 

I had the opportunity of attending a demo of Rob Liberace's at the Woodlands Art League.  It was incredible!  I wish I would have know about the week long workshop that he did.  I left that night with new motivation and new contacts!  Annie Walker told me about a group that meets every Monday for three hours and paints from a live model.  I was in!  This is what came of that first Monday.  

 

 

 

Bunmi came in looking positively normal.  Like anyone you would see on the street.  She disappeared and came out looking like this!  I loved it.  She did a great job.  I hope she gets put on the schedule again. 

 

 

She posed for 6/20 minute sessions.  Let me tell you those 20 minutes fly by too!  I worked on this canvas at home a bit as well as I wanted to get the purple of her head dress just right.  I did not want to loose the quick fresh quality that I had going though. 

The jewelry she wore was so fun to suggest. 

 

I can't express how great it was to be able to paint from life in the company of other artists. It has been over 20 years since I have been in a group like that. I'm excited to see what this does for my work.

Jordan Arbour Portrait

This is the commissioned portrait I just finished of Jordan Arbour.  He is an extremely gifted pianist who has overcome many challenges to be where he is today.  It was such a pleasure to paint this exceptional young man.  This is the largest canvas that I have worked on.  36/48"  Bigger is better.  I loved the freedom the larger format offered. 

I took hundreds of photo's of Jordan in his home as he played the piano.  It was incredible!  The setting was gorgeous as was the music that he made.  It was non-stop.  I loved the back lighting and the dreamlike quality that it gave. 

 

Did you notice the Steinway & Son's.  That was a fun little bit to include.  I almost added gold leaf.

I really wanted to play with the edges in this piece.  Close ups are great for showing this!

 

 

I loved the needlepoint cushion on the piano bench.  I grew up with something similar but not nearly as padded.  It was just another beautiful detail that I had to make sure stayed in a supporting role.

 

 

Jordan's brother and I thought it would be fun to have Beethoven making a surprised face. Reason prevailed.  I will check back through the photos and see if I got any of that expression before it was resolved in a more appropriate fashion.

 

This floral arrangement and bowl were lovely and I had so much detail in this area that it took attention away from Jordan.  I had to knock it back so the focus would remain where it needed to be. 

 

The Arbours are such an awesome family to work with.  I enjoyed having them drop by and check on the paintings progress.  I'm looking forward to seeing this large canvas framed.

Updating

 

 

 

It’s been a while but I’m finally making an effort to update this blog and my presence on the web.  I would like to thank my photographer for her help with this project. 

 

 

You can see her pictured here with me. You are awesome Starlee! She didn’t even charge me.