High School Reunion

Oil on Panel

8" x 10"

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I painted this as a donation for my high school reunion, and I am not saying which one.  This is a '67 Ford Mustang (oops, I guess that might be a hint which one) in front of the Messick High School Auditorium.  We really loved these cars.

The Sketch Challenge!

I am posting some sketches that I have made the last few weeks.  I am challenging my students and myself to make sketches every day this summer.  I am posting some here to inspire and motivate them to keep working.  I hope that some of the rest of you will also take the challenge.  Draw something every day. It can be small or large, serious or silly, from life or just a doodle, color or black and white.  Use pencils or paint or fingernail polish or ketchup - anything - just get some images on a surface.  Some of mine were very quick. Some were in meetings (even in church.) A few were drawn over several days, investing about 15 minutes a day until it was complete.  I also have been playing with my very wee watercolor set that I will take on my travels this summer.  (Judi, thank you for teaching me the little "wee" word.  I love it. So Scottish.) Also, here is an artist blog from two years ago. This lady traveled by car across the Great Plains and painted in the car as she traveled.  (No, she wasn't driving! Her friend was.)
http://vvaughanusa.blogspot.com/

I want to do that.  I'm not sure if I could paint in the car, but I would sure like to try.  Anybody want to drive???

If any of you make sketches and want me to post them, email them to me at janngogh@gmail.com. 

I hope my grandchildren will join in the challenge and send me photos.  They love to draw and paint as much as I do!

I'm Still Lovin' Old Trucks

Rust Bucket

6" x 8"

Oil on Panel
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Here is another rusty old truck.  Of course, a nicer word is "patina," not rust. I painted this one with a palette knife.  I love the energy and vitality that the palette knife creates with the broken and raised areas of paint.  The 3- dimensionality of the paint casts little shadows and creates texture that is so different from one painted with a brush.  

I need some more photographs of trucks. Wish I knew where they keep old rusty "has-beens" in Memphis.  

Arles, France
8" x 10" 
NFS

It has poured most of the day today so I painted. It was so dark outside I even ran to Walmart for additional lighting for my painting area. (Wish I could say painting studio.) This is Arles, France across from one of Van Gogh's hospitals. I think this was where he was taken after he cut his ear off, after he chased Gauguin (his roommate) through the streets with a razor and after he sent the ear to a prostitute. The hospital behind the iron fence was nondescript, but this little provincial house with the blue shutters was a jewel in the sunlight. The line down the middle of the street was actually a small drain that many of the streets there seemed to have. Arles was a beautiful little town with lots of flowers, blue shutters, sidewalk cafes, and Roman ruins dating back to the first century.

And now that I am finished painting for the day the sun has come out.

Poteet, Strait up.

"Poteet, Strait Up"

6" x 8"

Oil on Panel

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Another old truck -- 1949 Ford.  I just love these little guys because no matter how rusted and dented they are, they have so much personality-- they seem to have a smiles on their "faces."  I may paint some more on this one.  I think it needs a Texas license plate.  And just for those of you who don't know,  Poteet is the birthplace of my favorite country artist - George Strait. I have wonderful memories of driving from Texas to Memphis when the kids were young.  George would be in the "tape player", and we would all be singing along. The one we love the most was "All My Exes live in Texas."