Pursuing my passion

I'm not sure why, but I've always had a fascination for old vehicles - cars, trucks, tractors. My dad used to restore old cars so maybe that has something to do with it. Although my dad's restorations were wonderful I actually prefer to paint vehicles in all their rusty glory! 

"Deserted" (18 x 24) was just such a painting. For years I passed this old Chevy in a small Texas town on my way to Taos, New Mexico. It seemed the light was usually not great for photographing so I didn't ever stop. This past year on my way to Taos there were some nice shadows and interesting light on the truck so I took the opportunity to gather some reference shots. I loved the aged patina and great design of the truck with the tires partly sunk in the sandy soil. It was a fun one to paint! And, yes, there were no mountains in the Texas town, but I envisioned a desert setting vs. a town backdrop so there you have it. :-)

A good friend who was visiting Taos sent me the reference for "Turquoise Classic" She knew I liked old trucks and cars and was so kind to send a few images. On my next trip to Taos I was thrilled to unexpectedly stumble across this same truck - love the complementary colors and the beautiful mountains in the background.

Last but not least "Tilling the Land" (18 x 24) was a painting that came about after a Facebook friend offered her reference pic to me. Looks like the tractor has been lovingly restored or maintained very well and is still working great.

"Turquoise Classic" is sold. "Deserted" will be at the Traveling the West show (http://travelingthewestshow.com ) at Southwest Gallery in Dallas, Oct. 23-24 - showing through art how the west was settled. Some of the top artists working today will have work at this show so drop by if you are in the area. "Tilling the Land" is available at Weiler House Fine Art Gallery in Ft. Worth.

Hope your summer is going well and thanks for dropping by!