Texas Ranch Barn, an original acrylic painting by Jimmie Bartlett

'Texas Ranch Barn' is a commission painting I finished earlier this month on a 16 by 20 inch gallery wrap canvas. The buyer wanted it for his wife's birthday as she likes Indian Paintbrushes and Bluebonnet wildflowers which are in the foreground. He wanted a rusty vintage truck in the background. There are numerous barns in Texas with our state flag painted on them. The old tractor, cattle, and hay in the barn are nice embellishments. Also, there are no fences or trees to block the view of the wildflowers. The background trees and sky full of clouds push the scene forward nicely. Hope you like it! Prints are available.

God Bless You,

jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Texas Barn, Original Acrylic Painting

24 by 36 inch Acrylic Painting

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There are several paintings I haven't blogged about as they were painted before starting this blog and this painting is one I am very proud of.  It is one of my first large paintings.

I painted the Texas Barn with acrylics on a huge 24 by 36 inch stretched canvas in 2005. The inspiration for the painting came during a vacation trip in the Texas hill country after seeing a few old barns with Texas Flags painted on them.  I wanted to put the composition I had envisioned on a large canvas with a barn as the focal point in remote woods with horses and cows in the scene.  So, from out of my head and some photo references, the composition came together.  The painting is of no particular barn or location. I just wanted to express the remoteness and expanse of the country in Texas, away from the fast pace of urban life and noise.  Some of  my thoughts in doing the work: the bull standing in the shade of the barn checking things out,  the mare looking at you, how many generations worked the ranch, how old is the tractor with stud wheels, the cattle in the background gently grazing, and the sounds of the windmill lifting the gift of water.  I hope you enjoy the painting as much as I did painting it.

God Bless You,

jimmie@jimmiesart.com

jimmie@thebartlettpair.com

Texas Heartland, a painting in progress

I am real excited about the painting I started yesterday.  I call it Texas Heartland and will be evident when the painting is finished.  The work is in acrylics on a 11x14 inch stretched canvas.  I was given the goals for the painting and I get to design and paint what I love to paint most-- Texas barns and blue bonnet fields.

In the above, the first picture shows how the work starts, and continues into the second picture in developing the basic layout.  Notice the changes from the first to second picture.  Painters designing on the canvas continuously make changes throughout the work until it is refined and finished.  I rerouted the road a couple of times to find the best approach to the barn.  I call this stage of the painting the "block in", where basic layout and components are done and the entire painting has color on it. Also referred to as the under painting. The edges are painted with a dark brown to push the scene forward.  Now that a foundation is established, the filling and refinement starts.  Check back for the next stages to be posted.  Blue bonnets are coming.

God Bless You,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com