The Good Life

Here's the cattle having a Good Life in a field of bluebonnets. This was a fun little painting on a 12 x 16 inch canvas in oil.  I still have two paintings of horses to finish and hope to show you some progress on those soon.

Go Paint,
Jimmie

Fruit of the Spirit

The Fruit of the Spirit is one of the most referred to scriptures in our Holy Bible because it is so meaningful in our lives. See Galatians 5:22 or click on the picture of the wreath to get a better view of the list of fruits.

When I started painting seriously for our arts and crafts shows, my lovely wife suggested that I should paint a fruit wreath and include captions of the fruits within the painting. At that point in time, I was in the early stages of learning to paint and doing simple floral scenes on old windows. I liked the idea and challenge. The first fruit of the spirit sold quickly, and I painted several until I ran out of windows. I did them all freehand and no two were alike. The real success of this painting is that many people viewed it and is a wonderful way for us to share our belief in Jesus Christ with others.

After several years of painting on windows, I decided to change to canvas and the Fruit of the Spirit is now on a 30 x 30 in our dining room and we take prints to the shows. It was a big decision to stop painting on the windows as they were good for sales. After much thought and prayer, we have made the switch to canvas and fine art. Since then, my painting skills and ability to create has improved. I give thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ for all the blessings bestowed upon me and my family and for the gift of art.

At the end of my postings, I usually sign off with Go Paint; today, please be a receiver of God's Fruits of the Spirit.

May God Bless You and Your Family,
Jimmie

The Good Life

SOLD

If you are a cow, it doesn't get no better than this. I finished this painting today with the exception of clear glaze after it dries. This is the 12 x 16 oil I started a few months ago and stopped to work on other jobs. It was restarted early this week and a midway pic was posted if you want to check what I started off doing. Painting the bluebonnets is tedious, other than that this painting flowed well. Most of the background and trees were done with palette knife and the foreground was brushed in. I like the texture added with the knife as it makes the main objects stand out even more. What do you think. Knife or no knife or should it all be knife.! Hope you like it. Will start on a similar painting of a couple of young horses in the countryside tomorrow.

Go Paint,
Jimmie

For the folks that don't paint, but appreciate art, you don't have to Go Paint. Just keep visiting and feel free to post comments. Many thanks. Jimmie

Pelican Beach

Did this guy a couple of months ago for demonstration. I thought you might want to see a brown pelican. They thrive here on the Texas beaches and bays. Another summer day. More light and cast shadows. The Pelican is on a 14 x14 canvas and was done in acrylics. I finished most of the painting during the show and had fun tidying it up the next day in the studio. The seaweed was a bit challenging to emulate. Hope you like him.

Go Paint,
Jimmie

Life is Good

Life is good. Can't get better for these bovine. The ref. pic for this painting was taken in Chappel Hill, Texas a couple years ago. Again, finally getting a chance to work on it. I started it a few months ago and when I got back on it yesterday, I decided to eliminate some of the clutter that is in the photo. Used the palette knife to get rid of the background tree and posts. I plan to make the background more open and free and make these cows look like lazy laying in a field of bluebonnets. I think the tree in the background should be a sprawling oak. What do you think? Blue bonnets on an easy hill side in the background also.

Go Paint,

Jimmie

Ranch House Finished

I finally finished the ranch house. This was a great work out on cast shadows. The palm tree really makes the house set back. The treatment of the yard, which most of it was under cast shadow of the evening shade, was challenging. Always good to finish one and get going on the next one.

Go Paint,
Jimmie

Still Building the Ranch House

Had a good day with the ranch house I am working on. Established some boundaries for shrubs and background forest where the yard and trees meet. Also got the backgrounds for most of the yard foliage blocked in. Used greens and umbers and did some work on the yard. These efforts helped to set the house farther back for more depth. I hope to move out on the foliage and put in flowers by the weekend and also get the palm top started. Putting in the shadows on the roof and under the porch eaves is planned for last. Until then, the scene will look rather stark. Just some thoughts re. the work.

Go Paint,
Jimmie

The Appaloosa On Matagorda Beach

I put a giclee of this painting on stretcher bars yesterday and thought it would make a good post. This is one of my favorites. I worked on the original (16 x 20 acrylic) for several months last year. I would paint on it over and over again. I wanted the image to capture the spirit I saw in him on Matagorda beach. Eager to run, proud and strong. A magnificant animal. I have a couple of horse paintings in the works now and hope to have them ready for fall shows.

Go Paint,

Jimmie

Painting a Ranch House

The pic on the upper left is of a home I am painting which is in progress on the upper right. The yard is well manicured and full of flowers. I am past the halfway point and thought it would make and interesting post to follow. The straight lines, many of which are parallel to each other, made the body of the home a bit tedious to paint. And mixing color to match closely took a little time. The face of the house looks a bit drab as the shadows haven't been put in yet. The face of the house faces west and we took pics in the mid day and evening to see which would be best. Mid day didn't work as the entire house was in deep shadow, but the evening setting sun brightened the front porch area just right. This is on a 18 x 24 canvas and in oils. The palm tree in front of the house will add depth to the painting and the plan is to add more flowers. The trees are very tall and are just blocked in at this point. I will put in the cross rails on the porch tomorow.

Go Paint,

Jimmie

Blue Bonnet Painting Finished

Here's the finished bonnet painting. These are fun to paint. Hope you like it. I haven't put the glaze on it yet. I might want to poke a brush stroke here and there on it??.. What do you think? When is a painting finished? This question has always plagued painters.

I am still working on the commission of a landscape featuring a lovely home with a beautiful yard. I plan to post some pics of it also.

Go paint,
Jimmie