Jean Levert HoodTexas Hill Country Painter

Crock and Red Flowers - Oil Painting, Antelope

2009-10-26T06:11:00.006-05:00

Crock and Red Flowers is an oil painting measuring 14 inches tall by 11 inches wide and is available for $395.00.

Arrival of the Black Buck Antelope!

Black buck antelope are native to India. As the name suggests, the males darken with age and the females remain this lighter brown. We're hoping that these 3 are happy here and enjoy our grasses and browse.

They're already enjoying the field in front of the house, happily eating with our deer. I was looking out at them all together, the deer and the antelope, and it happened. ♪ where the deer and the antelope play♫♪♫, and yes - "Home, Home On the Range" stayed in my head all day!

They were released in the field in front of Lake Jean. They bounded off, bouncing on, then slowed down when they reached the thick brush on the other side of the water.

I'm amazed at how high they bounce, must be springs on those feet!

This is the only photo I have from the game camera. They're eating in the field in front of the house, but my photos from the patio are through the patio fence - not too exciting.

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Don't miss my website for my oil paintings!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

Please visit my Etsy store for original watercolor paintings priced from $10.00. My Etsy store carries my small works.
Still no name for New Kittie, but then again, my helpers don't have names either!

Chickens, Roosters, and Ducks

2009-10-13T13:03:00.000-05:00

In honor of The Chicken Yard that has so successfully housed our new ducks, I'm showing you these two oil paintings. Next I'll get to the Chicken yard/Duck story.

Young Rooster is 10 inches by 8 inches,

and Chicken Strut is 8 inches by 10 inches. Both of these pieces are available on my web site. They are $200.00 each, which includes shipping and insurance. Both are painted on Gallery Wrapped Canvas, meaning the painting continues around the sides of the piece, so it can be framed or not.

These are the last photos of the ducks in the chicken yard. The process of getting them to the lake (mostly uneventful) happened this past week. Those little top knots are getting pretty wild!

I thought I'd throw in a picture of the chickens since you haven't seen them in a while. And, I know you were just waiting to see them!

So, this is the process. We bring one duck to Lake Jean, wait a few days, make sure all is well, bring one more, wait a few days, make sure all is well. At this point, we decide the remaining four can go.

Don and I are in the chicken yard catching the ducks to transport them to the lake. I fall down.

Now, you may be wondering why it is blog-worthy to tell you that I fell down?

Trust me, just put this on your "note to self" pad - A Chicken Yard is not a place where you want to fall down!

Here's the first one at Lake Jean:

Finally, this one makes it to the water's edge. We had to drive around to the other side of the lake, this little guy kept running back to us! These pictures are from a little distance, but I think you'll enjoy them.

The 3 ducks from June are curious and come to see the stranger.

a little closer,

Contact! Successful mission!

And off they go!

We have black buck antelope now! Next blog, I'll show you their arrival.

Please visit my Etsy store to see my small works and watercolors.

Don't miss my website for my oil paintings!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

They are spending quite a bit of time with the new kitty.

Oil Painting Study, "Pears and Cherries," Hummingbirds and Ducks

2009-10-03T11:48:00.006-05:00

This is a small study I painted this week. It's 6 inches tall by 8 inches wide. "Pears and Cherries" is still wet on the easel. I'm working on a larger still life with pears, cherries, sunflowers and a nice vase.

It will probably take a while to finish - the weather is so gorgeous that I just have to paint outside! It's finally cooling off a little and I am so ready to go and paint outside. So, I'll be working on the still life a bit here and there.

The hummingbirds have been enjoying my salvia. I love this colorful plant and I think they do too! This is taken through my patio door, one of these days I hope to get closer for some larger views. They come often in the morning.

Look at those tiny little legs in the photo below:

One of my favorite times of day is the late evening when the shadows are long. I often sit on my porch at that time. I see the strong shadows coming from over the house, casting the dark across the field in front of the patio. The light at this time of day is wonderful.

This photo below with the long shadows was take on a walk and it shows me why I love to paint! I see the photo and know how differently I'd paint the scene. I see it as so beautiful as it is, but if I would paint it I would change so much color. It truly is wonderful to be able to paint what I see inside, instead of just a photo.

I always notice the old dried out tree trunks and roots. I saw these 2 pieces of wood laying just as you see here. The small piece on the left is totally sun bleached from age. The piece on the right is not.

I love my walks. I find 'treasures' every time. And yes, I have to make sure that I don't come home carrying everything I've found, from wood to rocks to flowers!

These dead branches catch my eye every time I pass them. They really set off this Spanish Dagger.

The big ducks who are at Lake Jean are venturing out a bit! They're starting to check out the feeder. They seem to do fine with the deer. Yesterday we saw 8 ducks at the lake swimming with our ducks. We have many come through in the winter and some stay a while. This seems early to start seeing them migrating, though.

We've enjoy herons lately, and egrets. I can see from the house with binoculars and of course, love it when the game camera catches them.

Please visit my Etsy store for original watercolor paintings priced from $10.00. My Etsy store carries my small works.

Don't miss my website for my oil paintings!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

I've been asked several times if they've chosen a name for their pet. (yes, I said they could keep it.) Not yet, I'll let you know!

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Calla Lily Oil Painting, Sunsets, Cats, Flowers, Bees and more!

2009-09-21T06:58:00.000-05:00

This is "Calla Lilies," a new oil painting. It's 12 inches by 12 inches, a different format for me. I like this square format. This canvas is on 1 1/2 inch deep gallery wrap, meaning the canvas and design continues around the sides of the piece, so it can be framed or not. I painted this piece from photos from my sister's calla garden. These are such beautiful flowers and I've painted them often. Calla piece needs more drying time before I list it for sale, so if you'd like it before then just let me know and I'll put your name on it. This week I want to paint some smaller callas. I have some very small canvases and think it will be fun. Fun work that is!

We rarely get a sunset shot from the game camera and now I have several. I guess the deer are going to Lake Jean to drink and trigger the camera. The one below is simply gorgeous. We have some awesome sunsets and sunrises here and I was thrilled to see this one.

Look at those reflections in the lake! I guess a bird flew by to trigger the camera, I don't see any deer in this one. What a rare treat.

Time for kitty photos! ( it's been a while, indulge me!) This is Stella, aggressively cleaning Clothilde. It seems to be a part of Stella's mission in life - much to the sometimes dismay of Clothilde.

It takes a lot out of them both, so, nap time follows!

Oh, and don't forget my sister's jewelry shop. She has everything on sale (half price) through December. She'll be closing her Etsy shop and moving her work to another sales venue, so get out that Christmas list now! Design By Levert is her shop on Etsy.

I know you've seen photos of my little ducks, but they are tiny for such a short time, so you must indulge me again!

Here is the little one below with the big personality - don't you think he is smiling?

And one of my little top knot cuties:

Where is the hair gel when you need it?????

And again, louder - "Where is the hair gel????"

They are in The Big Chicken yard now, safely segregated from The Big Chickens. It's very hard to get photos of them there, too much wire to peer through. All are having fun and enjoying their personal swimming hole. Here is where they practice for life at Lake Jean.

Honeysuckle grew along the back fence of the property where I grew up. I remember loving the sweet aroma of it and pulling the little parts out and tasting the tiny bit of sweet at the end. My sister has these growing at her Santa Fe home and they brought back some nice memories. And, some not so nice. It was below the honey suckle that we buried any dead goldfish!

Yes, it's kind of an unruly vine, but I think it's beautiful! Such beautiful movement to it.

I love my camera. I have a digital SLR and I love the shots I get. This bee was on the Russian Sage at my sister's. (also in Santa Fe) Russian Sage reminds me of lavender.

I've struggled to keep my plants alive this summer. The intense heat and drought has taken as toll on my herb garden. I planted tomatoes in pots this year for the 1st time. I've tried to keep them alive to hopefully have a fall crop of tomatoes. I have 4 large pots of them just outside of my herb garden, all surrounding my bird bath. Stella has taken on the job of Watch-Kittie. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. This past week I've battled the horned worms again. These are pitiful looking plants!

I've lost several of my spring plantings, they just didn't have enough root structure and growth yet to survive our intensely hot summer.

Please visit my Etsy store for original watercolor paintings priced from $10.00. My Etsy store carries my small works.

Don't miss my website for my oil paintings!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too! Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

I knew they were up to something! The'yre wanting a pet of their own. No name as of yet, but they have already given it a milk saucer. I thought that they'd settled down after their summer vacation, but, I'm just not sure now.

Nature's Beauty

2009-09-14T17:01:00.004-05:00

Yes, my blog is a bit late and I want to get back on my Monday blogging schedule. So I'm going to show you some great pictures from the ranch and post without a painting - something I've never done! I had a bunch of interruptions today and my schedule is so not what I wanted it to be. This will help me get back on track.

The new baby ducks and chicks are so cute. We ordered 6 assorted crested ducks. It will be fun to see what these look like soon. They grow so fast. Our early summer crew is enjoying Lake Jean. The main duck in this photo below has a personality already! This one is always flapping, bouncing up and down, cocking it's head.

The top knots on these 2 little guys below are different, one leans much more towards yellow, the other towards white. They tend to hang together.

Ok, I'm going to get gushy, but this is just too cute - Alright, I know it's gushy and mushy.

We had some much needed rain this past week. Wednesday brought 3 3/4 inches and 2/10ths more fell this weekend. Yes, we are happy to measure rain in 10ths of an inch!

The trees aren't up to par this year due to the drought and heat. This wild persimmon's leaves aren't looking very healthy. I'm hoping the rain will perk it up. The fruit of the wild persimmon is normally about the size of a quarter. It feeds a lot of animals and birds. This year many of the trees simply didn't put out fruit, none at all. The fruit on this tree is the size of a blueberry. The wildlife has lacked a lot of it's normal food this year.

And here are our happy ducks at Lake Jean! This is from our early summer batch. They're quite at home at the lake.

I snapped these 2 photos below just a few days before the rain came. With all of our summer heat and drought, these are blooming beautifully. They are both in the Nightshade family. The yellow is Buffalo Bur. This patch is so full of flowers, very thick and healthy and very prickly.

I am amazed at the intensity of the purple on this flower. Normally it's a lighter color. This is Silver Leaf Nightshade. It's about 2 feet tall and should be in bloom through October.

I'm pretty sure this is a Vermillion flycatcher. I couldn't get a closer shot than this. That little head was soooo intensely colored! Gorgeous.

Look how much the fawns have grown:

So, the nature show is over for today. Next post I'll be back to normal, have a painting for you and will try to get my helpers back too. Until then, you can find me on Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to click here to sign up for my (usually) monthly newsletter!

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website .

Jean

Fleur De Lis paintings, Tree ducks and Deer!

2009-09-05T19:18:00.001-05:00

I've been painting Fleur De Lis in watercolors and acrylics. These two are both acrylic on canvas.

Purple and Gold is 5 inches tall by 7 inches wide and is available for $50.00.

Gold Fleur De Lis is 5 inches by 5 inches squared. This is painted on a deep gallery wrapped canvas (1 1/2 inches) that needs no frame. It is available for $55.00.
These pieces will be joining other art that I have at The Royal Standard in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am at the 2877 Perkins Road location. (Perks Coffee is at 2008 Perkins - one of my favorite BR coffee stops!) I'm so pleased to be at The Royal Standard and will be adding more pieces there. If you're interested in either of these pieces, please contact me. I will be sending them to The Royal Standard in a few weeks.

The little fawn came to Lake Jean! The twins haven't been to the Lake yet, but come to the feeder at the house most mornings. These photos are about a month old, they've grown so much since then!

Deer seem to defy gravity when they jump a fence. The camera caught this jump.

The tree ducks have been plentiful! We've counted over 50 flying in for breakfast. (some have passports.)

Above they wait, their watches all in sync with the feeder timer.

They came pretty close to the patio and I was happy for this shot.

And the last one is something we see this fairly often, yet it always amuses me. It's the "Where's my breakfast??" look!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to click here to sign up for my (usually) monthly newsletter!

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website .

My helpers seem to be doing better. They've been enjoying feeding the birds, so hopefully I can count on them again soon!

With the Wind - Oil Abstract Painting, Studio Essentials

2009-08-16T09:47:00.001-05:00

This oil abstract reminds me of the wind. I love the swirl of colors in this piece. Kim at Laketrees had a contest and I entered this. The theme was "Post Card from Heaven." No, I didn't win, but it was fun to enter! Thanks Kim!

You can purchase "With the Wind" on my web site for $325.00 It measures 9 inches tall by 12 inches wide.

Detail:

I really enjoy painting abstracts. Sometimes it's fun to explore and do something different. As you know, I love color in my paintings and abstracts give me a chance to unleash that love and think "color."

My Studio

I like having my studio filled with things that are meaningful to me. I have my brushes, palette knifes, various tools, tacks, erasers, clips, etc, in containers that were given to me by someone special, or that were purchased on a trip. It keeps my creative muse happy to see these pieces around me.

While I love having these containers, well, then there are the "just plain tools." Where do I put all of these?

I have one peg board in my studio that holds all of the items I need, items that must have their designated home, but not the kind of things that can go into my great containers. So, here's my pegboard:

This is where I keep my utility type items that seem to have no other place to live. It resides over my sink.

I have a special corner on my peg board. This little painted slate says "It's never too late to have a happy childhood." Sharon gave me this, a friend I've had for about 25 years. The photo under the slate is of some incredible children that I've watched grow up. ( and I see that it hangs right in her face!) They are now all adults, college graduates, some in graduate school and law school, and all are doing wonderful things in their lives. Then, there is the torn corner of a cover, saying simply "Dance." Pieces on my special corner change all the time, but the photo and slate have been here forever.

Remember my painting from last blog?
I named it "Shawl Dance." Joni Stinson was so kind to let me know that the proper title for this dance is "Fancy Shawl Dance." Thank you Joni!

Joni has a wonderful shop on Etsy and she sent me a great link to read more on Pow Wows. She is Creek and Cherokee. She says "My designs combine traditional Native American techniques with contemporary elements, colors and materials. My work is symbolic and exemplifies my passion for my Nation and my art."

Andrea blogged about one of my paintings on the Design Style Guide blog. Thank you Andrea, I appreciate that so much!

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

Well, they're back from vacation. I'm a little concerned, not much work is getting done, and I detect attitude...

Shawl Dance - new oil painting, Quail and Deer

2009-07-27T12:41:00.000-05:00

This week's oil painting is "Shawl Dance." This is a quick study I did to decide if I want to work on this same idea towards a more finished painting. I'm pleased with how it came out and think I will develop it further. This piece is 16 inch tall by 12 inch wide. As a study, this piece is available on my website for $145.00, which included shipping and insurance.

detail:
The game camera caught a great posture from one of the deer!

If you follow me on facebook you've seen some of these quail pictures. We have a pair of quail that are bringing their little ones back and forth across the patio several times a day. They come to the fountain to drink and eat a little here and there. If you're wondering, the cats simply don't seem to care much that they're there! They even share their cat food with the road runners.

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . The price of work on my web site includes shipping and insurance. Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

That's all for today! My blog is short this week, I'll be more chatty next time. They are starting to talk about coming home. I'm really relieved.

Pomegranates Oil Painting, Daily Painters of Texas, Birds in Red

2009-07-13T10:57:00.006-05:00

Pomegranates is my new oil painting. It measures 14 inches tall by 11 inches wide and is available on my web site for $395.00. (Remember that the prices on my website include shipping and insurance.) I love painting fruit, but by now I'm sure you've figured out that whatever I'm painting at the moment is my favorite! Yes, I simply can't help it.

Daily Painters of Texas

I'm very excited that I've been accepted into a new group call the "Daily Painters of Texas." The Daily Painters of Texas have a great blog and paintings are featured by members every day. This is a diverse group of painters talented in many mediums and styles. You'll see some of Nancy Medina's wonderful works, as well as Judy Crowe, Laurie Pace, V Vaughan, Kay Smith, and so many more. Our Artist of Texas website is growing as new members are added. You'll see a visual feast on this daily blog!

Now for some shameless family promotion - my sister has an Etsy store for her jewelry. She is marking down her items 1/2 price and will continue to add items each week at this sale price. This sale will continue through the end of the year, when she will close that store. She is moving her store to another selling venue.

Birds in Red
I thought it was time for birds again - today's are all red.

They are just gorgeous, aren't they. I never tire of watching them. Our heat seems to really draw them to the fountain. Sometimes I find one just sitting in the water!

I want to thank Mel, who featured me on his blog. I appreciate it so much Mel! I also want to thank Diane, who gave me an award from her blog. Thank you Diane!

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Visit my blog to see life in and around the beautiful Texas Hill Country. I love our flora and fauna and love to share it with you!

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too! Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

Now all three of them are gone and they still aren't ready to come home. Well, they do look happy. Till next time!

Abstracts, Sheep, Cactus

2009-07-04T10:36:00.004-05:00

You know I occasionally paint abstracts. This piece below was a special request from my nephew. This one is 18 x 24 inches.

He recently moved and asked me to paint a companion piece to be hung on the side of the 1st one. This piece is also 18 x 24 inches.

The piece below is a 12 x 12 inch square, another that I painted as a surprise for him. Yes, I am shamelessly vying for Aunt of the Year and this should surely get me ahead of my sisters.

I'll leave you with sheep - love these black faced sheep!

and this amazing cactus bloom - This cactus bloom is so beautifully colored. It has brilliant orange, as well as deep magenta and yellow. Simply splendid!

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store. Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

I've heard from my helpers, and they are not ready to come home yet....

Till next time!

Blowing the dust off!

2009-07-02T14:48:00.001-05:00

Blowing the dust off of my blog! I have family visiting and am totally enjoy some time off with them. I'll be back!
Jean

Althea - Oil Painting, Baby Chicks and Ducks, Lavender, Helper's Vacation

2009-06-22T09:43:00.011-05:00

Althea is a new oil painting, 9 inches tall by 12 inches wide. It's not listed for sale just yet, it needs to dry a little more. If you are interested in this painting prior to listing, just let me know!

Althea, Detail:

We have baby chick and ducks!

The order was for 6 "assorted" ducks, so I have no idea what they are, and we have Rhode Island Red chickens. These photos show them at about a week and a half old. They grow so fast it is amazing. Some of the photos are a little fuzzy, these little creatures never stop moving!

This little dark colored duck is my favorite. It looks like he totally got into some serious gel/mousse.

I'll keep you updated on their growth. Ultimately, the ducks will go to Lake Jean.

Lavender is one of my all time favorite herbs. It can withstand our Texas summers, happily make it through our droughts, and enjoys our mild winters. It even likes our poor soil! In my view, it rivals rosemary in the hardy category and blooms beautifully. I try to have different varieties growing so I can enjoy blooms over a long period of time.

My cats love to lay in the cool under it's shade, then they smell so good!

Lavender is grown commercially in the Hill Country and there are several places where you can pick your own bundles of this scented wonder, as well as enjoy many products made from it's flowers.

You know I love the lavender fields at Becker Vineyards. Their website tells of 4 varieties of lavenders planted, blooming in May and June. I've painted the fields many times, both on location and from my photos. They are located between Stonewall and Fredericksburg. Between Fredericksburg and Johnson City you'll find Hummingbird Farms. They have been growing lavender since 2003 on this working farm. Blanco has Hill Country Lavender - Texas' first commercial lavender farm with 2500 lavender plants.

Through June 30th you can enjoy Blanco Lavender Days fair/festival. There will be special lavender events all month, call 830-833-5101.

You can also Pick Your Own Lavender in Bandera through 30th, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Call the Lavender Farm at 830-966-5105. The Hill Country is a great place to be!

Lavender fields:
These are photos taken at Becker's mid April of last year, which would be early in the bloom season.

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Check out my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature - it's been updated several times this month. You'll see what's wet on the easel.

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

They decided on the beach.

Purple Heron Oil Painting, Fallow Deer, Nueces River

2009-06-15T15:07:00.003-05:00

My somewhat fanciful water bird, Purple Heron is posted on Etsy.

I have fun painting water birds - expanding and contracting shapes, playing with color. This little oil sketch is 7 inches wide by 5 inches tall and is available for $55.00. I'm working on a realistic painting of a heron at the moment. I'm planning to finish it this week.

detail:

Fallow Deer

I was out photographing with my friend Genie and we saw these fallow deer. What a beautiful animal! They were beside the road, having escaped whatever fencing they were in. They stayed close to each other and touched one another frequently. These two weren't very concerned with my vehicle and we got to watch them for some time. What a treat to find something so unexpected like this. But it seems that every time Genie and I go on a photo safari, we find something unexpected! It's fun seeing through each others eyes, we notice things so differently.

I looked them up and found this photograph of fallow deer with mature horns/antlers. Wikipedia calls them antlers and only the males have them. (I'm not sure which they are called, in reading I've found them referred to both ways.) What a magnificent animal! I would love to see some of these antlers.

We have many exotic animals in our area of Texas. I love it when our game camera catches them on our property. We've had elk, axis deer, and others come through. Occasionally they will stay a while, which we love!

Neuces River

This is one of my favorite spots along the West Prong of the Nueces. I photographed it late in May. The reflections are always great, the water clear, the landscape is interesting. This beautiful water flows through the Texas Hill County and is a vacation spot in many areas. You'll find great spots for camping, boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking,tubing, bird watching, and nature areas.

Here's the same spot photographed in Fall and below is my painting of the site.

Fall colors:

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website .

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too! Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

They're asking for a vacation. I'm not sure what to do. I'll keep you updated. Till next time!

Plumbago Oil Painting, Birds, Linda Blondheim

2009-06-08T16:39:00.001-05:00

Plumbago in May - original oil painting:

I painted outside often in May, the weather was really nice. I choose the flowers on my patio for several of my subjects. This is the plumbago stem I painted. I'd shown a bit of it before, now it's dry enough to scan for you. This piece is 8 inches tall by 6 inches wide, and is available for sale on my website for $75.00, which includes shipping and insurance. These small pieces of art are an inexpensive way to start your original art collection!

Birds and Blooms

We have 9 bird houses on our patio. I caught this bird just as it left the fence headed to it's house. I've been watching it every evening when I sit in my swing. I need to be very ready to get a better shot! The mom and pop are always working in the house.

I love shots where I catch the unexpected. Check out the very top of the next photo and you'll see the other male flying in, first like a bullet, second shot with his wings out.

This next shot shows the two males, and one has a red spot in the middle of that beautiful yellow! I've not noticed this difference before. I never cease to marvel at the Painted Bunting, what a remarkably colored bird!

We have these huge moths that come out in the evening just before dusk. They dart around like hummingbirds. My attempts to get a good photo have been pretty unsuccessful. This is my best so far. The body is about the size of my thumb. My petunias and stock are their favorites.

Studio Shot

It's been a while since you've had a peak into my studio, this is just a part of my flower collection:

Linda Blondheim

I've mentioned Linda Blondheim in the past. She is a Florida landscape painter, a friend, and a wonderful artist. You may know that I grew up in South Louisiana, so many of Linda's paintings feature scenes that are familiar.

I love her trees. She captures the moss so wonderfully in the piece below.

Linda's love for her part of our world shines through. She says "I am excited by the landscape and all of its mysteries. From the North Carolina mountains to the deep swamps of Alabama, Georgia and Florida. I love them all and it is a privilege to record them on canvas." Linda captures the Southeastern landscape in a wonderful way. I am honored to call her my friend.

If you're a painter, Linda Blondheim Art Notes Blog is a great blog. It's often like taking a mini workshop. Linda is discontinuing daily posts to this blog, but it will still be up to treat painters to a wealth of knowledge.

Be sure to click here to sign up for my monthly newsletter!

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00. You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Check out my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature - you'll see some of May's work wet on the easel.

You can find me on Twitter and Facebook, too. Till next time!

Sagebrush Oil Painting, Xeriscape plant and Buzzards!

2009-06-02T15:50:00.004-05:00

The sagebrush is blooming! We had about an inch of rain in a 3 day span and that seems to be a guarantee that the sage will bloom. It's pretty intensely colored, but I've seen it thicker. Our bushes aren't too thick with foliage in this dry spring.

This Sagebrush painting is in oil, it's 9 inches tall by 12 inches wide, and still wet on the easel. I wanted to capture the wet look between the rains, with some of the dead grasses we have due to the drought.

The bloom colors vary so much and of course I like the intense color. Our "sage" isn't really that, it's technically Cenizo. Sagebrush is the most common term used locally to refer to it. It's happy in our limestone soils, can handle our heat and droughts, and gives us awesome displays after rains.

This past weekend I was in San Antonio and was amazed to see how many businesses were using Cenizo for landscaping. San Antonio had more rain than we did, and their bushes are covered in blooms and very intensely colored. It's a great landscaping plant, requiring little care from you after it's established. While I see them trimmed as hedges at businesses, they do grown naturally in a pretty free form. Either way they would make an excellent plant to add to your Xeriscape areas. San Antonio Water Systems has a great page on their web site on xeriscape - plants and shrubs. Carefree plants are a big plus in my book! Sagebrush would be one of the tops of my list.

I have no idea why, but both of our game cameras gave us some great buzzard photos. Maybe they are vacationing here. First, though, here's a couple of our proud gobblers.

It's funny to me when the buzzards dry out their wings. The stand still for so long like this!

This is a fun shot. This one flew up right in front of the camera. Great timing!

This is Clothilde's "Can we get that light out of my eyes?" pose.

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Until next time!

Mariachi Oil Painting, Birds and a Bunny

2009-05-19T19:12:00.006-05:00

Mariachi is my new oil painting. It's 12 inches tall by 9 inches wide and available for purchase on my website.

In our nearby Mexican border towns, you'll find Mariachi serenading those who stop to listen on the street, or playing at your table in a restaurant. After a song or two they move on to the next table. I Googled "Mariachi" and "San Antonio" (San Antonio is 125 miles away) and saw so many local Mariachi bands for hire! Their unique type of music is very familiar our these border areas. Wikipedia has nice article on them if you'd like to learn more.

Marionette, also known as Kauai Artist is hosting this month's exhibition of Worldwide Women Artists Online. You can find the exhibit at this link. The theme is Fantasy Island. Marionette also featured me in her recent newsletter. I hope you enjoy them both.

I have more birds for you. This is the season, that's for sure. We're filling the flax seed feeder every other day and are wondering what these birds ate before we started feeding them! I captured this little humming bird getting a drink:

and here are painted buntings, the one on the left is very fluffy from his bath:

and here they seem to look right at me:

And last, this little bunny was waiting for me this morning just outside my studio:

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Till next time!

Poppies Oil Painting - Yes, More Poppies, Berries and Blooms

2009-05-18T10:59:00.003-05:00

"Poppies" is a recently listed oil painting available here in my Etsy store. I think I paint poppies as much as irises. I do love painting flowers. I know I say that about landscapes too! Whatever I'm painting that day seems to be my favorite.

detail:

This piece measures 6 inches tall by 8 inches wide, oil on canvas panel. It's priced at $55.00.

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Onto berries and blooms....

The Retama is beautiful. This tree has green bark and rather nasty thorns. These tiny little flowers are beautiful and it continues to bloom throughout the summer. Rains bring more blooms our way. The foliage of this tree is so graceful.

Our deer browse the foliage and will enjoy the legumes to come. Bobwhite quail (we have Blue Quail also) and other birds eat the seeds and the bees are enjoying the blooms now.

Seed pods are already forming on early blooming bushes:

I love these fuzzy berries. This is called Littleleaf Sumac. Littleleaf Sumac is one of our few thornless plants. Everything out here seems to have thorns! The hairy little fruits are beginning to mature and will feed quail, turkeys and birds. It's a good nesting place for birds, the bush is dense and provides protection.

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

My oil paintings and studies are on my website .

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Until next time!

Anniversary, Cats and Tomatoes

2009-05-08T08:52:00.001-05:00

This is May, my 2 year blogging anniversary! Last year's anniversary came with a promise to not show kitty pictures for the next year. I only broke that promise one time, I think. I decided to not make that promise again. I occasionally get great shots of them and I simply have to show you. You are warned. So for this anniversary post you are being treated to my tomatoes and my cats! Humor me, please!

My tomatoes are growing.

I have them in pots on the patio this year. I've never tried this way before, we'll see. Looks like a good start. I have 4 large pots. They surround the bird bath, which doubles as a kitty bed.

Photo still life: Clothilde with Tomatoes

Photo Still life: Stella with Tomatoes

Thank you my readers for 2 great years! Here's to many more!

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Check out my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature!

Cactus Are Blooming and James R. (Bob) Bulter's Art

2009-05-03T07:05:00.003-05:00

The Prickly Pear Cactus is full of blooms right now. They are are every shade from the palest yellow-peach to sunshine yellow to bright orange. Prickly Pear is a valuable plant for our wildlife. Many animals and birds use this cactus for cover and safe nesting areas.

The fruit, or tuna, is eaten by just about every walking and flying critter out there! I've tasted it straight off of the plant. I was told it was kind of like watermelon, but that would be a stretch to me. The fruit is made into jellies and syrups, and I think that's much better than right off of the plant!

The young pads, nopalitos, are eaten by us humans. It is available in our grocery stores fresh, in bags, and prepared in jars.

I like this shot below. You can see several stages of the bloom going on. The yellow flower is in full bloom, then you see the shriveled up one just about to fall off. Off to the side, you see the soon to be "tuna."

This cactus bloom is a very light shade of cream. For such a robust solid plant the blooms are very delicate.

I took an oil painting workshop this past week from James R. (B0b) Butler. Bob's color theory caught my eye when I was introduced to his work about 10 years ago. I am now the proud owner of this piece, 12x16:

and this one, an 8x10:

© James R (Bob) Butler 2009

Bob has developed his color theory over his 35 years as a painter. With more study and a lot of hard work, I'm planning for some of it to rub off on me! Thank you Bob!

I want to thank Mel Avila Alarilla. Mel featured me on his blog Literatti - An Artistic Blog. It is such an honor to be featured on someone's blog. Thank you Mel!

I also want to thank Christine Pierce. Christine gave me a Passion for Painting Blog Award! Thank you so much, Christine! Being recognized by a fellow painter is a thrill.

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website .

Til next time!

Plumbago Oil Paintings, Birds and Birds, New Assistants

2009-04-23T09:07:00.007-05:00

I'm painting outside this week. It's gorgeous and our winds aren't at gale force for a nice change. My plumbago bush seemed the perfect thing to paint. I painted a larger piece of the bush, then did this small 8x6 piece of just one flower. When they're dry, I'll get a better picture for you. Scanning always gives better results. Here is a preview of my efforts.

Detail of Plein air, Plumbago Bloom, oil, 8 inches by 6 inches.

My plumbago:

This is a 9x12 oil painting:

The flax seed feeder is a huge hit. The number of birds that can hang on that thing at one time is amazing!

I'm not sure what the rose colored bird on the right is. I don't see it in my book.

This is the Orchard Oriole:

and our Hooded Oriole is a huge fan of 1/2 an orange:

The Hooded Orioles pick the orange completely clean.

I hope you enjoyed this week's blog. I appreciate all of my readers and enjoy your comments too. I love getting to share my little corner of Texas with you.

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Check out my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature!

And I'll leave you with my Outside Studio Assistants:

My little helpers have time off this week since I'm painting out. Hmmm, seems like my other helpers are a little more enthusiastic! Until next time!

New Landscape Painting, Birds and Blooms!

2009-04-15T06:57:00.008-05:00

Here's a landscape I've recently reworked. I painted this piece on location in Fredericksburg last fall. As with most of my plein aire work, I consider it a "study." There is simply so much less time put into the design, composition and color elements when I paint out. So you get a great break on the price! (Robert Y ~ this is a special not - an - abstract - post just for you.)

Detail:

This particular day I painted 3 pieces. I've been working on fixing those up a bit. As a study, this 11 inch by 14 inch oil is priced at $120.00. This price includes shipping and insurance. It needs to dry a bit more before I list it, but if you just have to have it before then, give me a shout.

This lovely flower is from the Guayacan shrub. As with most plants it has many names. It's also known as Texas Porliera, Soapbush, and Ironwood. It's an evergreen with very dark green leaves. The largest the flowers would be is about an inch and most are smaller in our area.

The flowers look like tiny orchids! They are every shade of violet from very light to a very deep color. The yellow anthers are very pronounced.

Guayacan is browsed by deer, grazed by sheep and goats, good cover for birds, and enjoyed by butterflies. It's common name indicate it's usefulness, the wood is very hard and soap was made from the bark of the root. Our drought hasn't seemed to dampen it's enthusiasm for blooming, they are covered in blooms! We'll see beautiful red seeds later.

I saw my first Scissor Tail this week! I can't believe I was able to get close enough to one to get this shot. The peach breast of these gorgeous bird is amazing. I love these birds and wait for their arrival every spring.

You'll find my small watercolors and smallest oils in my Etsy store . Work on Etsy is priced from $10.00.

You can purchase my oil paintings and studies on my website . Check out my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature! There is a new post for April. (Robert Y~fair warning, it is an abstract!)

So I'll go for now! Till next time.

We planted tomatoes yesterday.

I bought a new painting! Rose Refour

2009-04-09T01:16:00.002-05:00

Betty Refour is an artist that I met online. We are in a wonderful group together, WWAO - Worldwide Women Artists Online. Betty's sister Rose has autism. Rose is an artist too, she loves to paint. Betty is Rose's caregiver and encourages her art.

Betty says of Rose: "Rose has been drawing for as long as I can remember but is new to painting. Her favorite medium is red ink. She is mostly nonverbal and will often use art to express herself. Having a conversation with her sometimes is like playing pictionary. She is self taught and has had the opportunity to be a part of several group shows around the country. Her work can be found in private collections around the world."

I saw this piece below on Betty's blog and I had to buy it. This is about the happiest painting I have ever seen! Rose also has greeting cards for sale in Betty's Etsy shop. Her work is very reasonably priced and Betty champions this cause with a percent of Rose's painting sales going to Autism initiatives. She has a special section in her shop for Autism Awareness.

Rose painted this piece on her birthday:

Betty said "when she got up that morning she put on her favorite dress, one of her most admired jewel crowns and then painted her face. After all it was her birthday and she was queen...if only for a day."

This piece is now mine! I think it's such a happy painting. It makes me smile each time I see it.

This is a new piece that Rose just finished:

"Look" is available for only $20.00 in Betty's Etsy shop.

Title: Look - (Betty says this is the title because that's all Rose would say when finished!)
Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas Panel
Size: 7 x 5 inches
Date: 2009

I'll keep watching for Rose's work, she brings smiles into our world.

Please visit my Etsy store for original watercolor paintings priced from $10.00. My Etsy store carries my small works.

Don't miss my website for my oil paintings and to see my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature!

Poppies, Abstracted - new oil painting!

2009-04-03T21:47:00.008-05:00

Poppies, Abstracted -I enjoy painting abstracts from time to time.

This one didn't start out that way. The method I use to paint starts with an abstract "block in." This piece was to be a poppy painting, yet I liked the abstract block in so much that I continued in that fashion.

Detail:

Poppies, Abstracted is 12 inches tall by 9 inches wide. It is available on my website, along with my other oil paintings, studies and demos.

Wild flowers

We have 3 kinds of wild verbenas. This one is my favorite.

It's the most showy of the 3 and of course, it's my favorite color! When we have normal rains these bloom all but the 2 coldest months of the year. They really make a pretty show and if volunteers come up in my herb garden I tend them and encourage them.

I've planted quite a bit this year. I'm only needing rosemary now, they didn't have it when I bought most of my plants for the season. If herbs can take our heat they do well here, as most prefer less than stellar soil and prefer our too frequent lack of rain. After I get the plants established they will need little water. This summer will keep my on my toes with watering and tending, but after this year they will be fine with little care.

I want to thank the kind artists who featured me last month. Jordanka featured me on her blog on March 8th. Jordanka paints wonderful trees. Brenda Thour featured me on her blog on March 8th, and also featured me on the Design Style Guide Blog.

I am honored, and I thank you both so very much!

You can purchase my small watercolor and oil paintings in my Etsy store where you'll find them priced from $10.00.

You'll find my oil paintings on my main web site as well as my "What's going on in my studio this month" feature. I will be posting a painting in progress soon. You'll see a progression of photos from start to finish of a landscape painting. Stay tuned!

My little helpers really liked the gardening idea and want to help. Till next time!

Landscape Oil Painting and Spanish Daggers

2009-03-29T19:31:00.008-05:00

Ranch Road is an original oil painting. This landscape measures 18 x 24 inches.

©Jean Levert Hood

I painted this in a beautiful spring that gave us many wildflowers. It's so awesome when the fields are solid color! The grasses are just starting to turn green this year and we have precious few wildflowers. It's just been too dry.

Yet the Spanish Daggers are beautiful as always. I tried to get this close up to show you all that comprises that huge flower head. The individual flowers are cream colored and have a hard waxy look. You can see a lot of beautiful magenta coloring on the stems and lime green on the opening pods. These usually are the earliest blooms we see, along with the Mountain Laurel. I've seen them bloom as early as January, but that's not the norm.

It's a type of Yucca and is evergreen. Our many birds seem to love nesting in these spiny leaves. The term "Dagger" is not used loosely - they are afforded a lot of protection in there! The seeds pods will be huge and I'll try to remember to get you shot of those next month.

Did you know that my What's Going On In My Studio This Month feature has been updated 3 times this month? I have 3 "wet on the Easel" shots there. I'll be changing it to April soon, so check it out!

For a peek into my studio, I want to show you this hanging piece that Jennye gave me. It always brings me a smile, as every thought of her does. Hey Sweetie!

Please visit my Etsy store for original watercolor paintings priced from $10.00. My Etsy store carries my small works.

Don't miss my web site for my oil paintings!

Till next time!

Iris Garden - A Watercolor Painting and Amanda Makepeace

2009-03-19T18:41:00.004-05:00

I have another iris floral for you! Next post will be an oil landscape for you not geared to flowers folks! This watercolor painting is called Iris Garden.

Iris Garden is approximately 5 inches tall by 3 1/2 inches wide, sized for a standard 5x7 mat. You can find it in my Etsy Store by clicking here, available for $22.00.

Detail:

Amanda Makepeace of One Pebble has such a fun project going. If you send her a pebble, she will send you a small work of art. For Free!! That is * Free *!

I'm a rock collector from birth, so I picked out 6 or 7 pebbles and made myself stop. I sent her pieces from Elm Creek that runs through our property. She sent me this lovely little piece of art.

So send Amanda some pebbles and help her project! Click on her name above and you'll find details on her One Pebble site.

What's Going On In My Studio This Month has been updated since my last blog. You'll see another painting that is "Wet on the Easel."

And I'll leave you with another little peek into my studio. This little ceramic piece holds my pens that I accent some of my watercolors with.

Please visit my Etsy store for original watercolor paintings priced from $10.00. My Etsy store carries my small works.

Don't miss my website for my oil paintings, with studies priced from $85.00.

Till next time!