I'm Watching You!

This is 16x20 framed, painted in watercolor. 

When we were in Atlanta last July we went to the zoo and got some good photos.

30 paintings in 30 days

Here are the 30 paintings that I started Jan.1, 2015.  It really passed by in a hurry.

There were days when it was a real struggle. There was a day or two that it was easy!

I hope to continue painting a small painting each day. Hopefully I can get a little faster.

If you are interested in any of these, contact me, to see if I still have it.

suzy_pal2000@yahoo.com

Brand'n

I got to go take pictures while our neighbor branded and I loved it! Western art is my favorite!
That is why I started painting...to do western art, then I realized just how hard it really is to make it believable, so I ventured off onto other things. I don't think I could ever do the cowboys, cowgirls, horses, etc. justice but I love to try. 
The young man  had no idea how excited I got when I saw he had on a white shirt! That is what watercolorists look for!

This is done on 300 lb Hot Press Arches Paper, with transparent watercolors.

Some of my Art on Check Advantage Checks!

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from a man in Wisconsin, wanting to use some of my old vehicle paintings on their checks. I am excited to announce they are ready to purchase.  There are Flags, old cars, animals, and my new Garden Series, along with cupcakes and coffee cups. They also have matching check book covers to go with them.

Here are a few ....

http://new.checkadvantage.com/suzy-pal-powell-bio

Check them out and share with your friends!

Workshop with Kay Smith

Kay and her demo

Kay Smith-Suzy Powell

Painting-not named yet

Saturday I was lucky enough to get to go take a workshop from Kay Smith in Big Spring, TX.
She is becoming very well known, just got in Splash 14 among several other art books.
She is an awesome teacher. Be sure and go to her blog and check it all out.

We did mixed media. Using matte medium, we glued down 4 pages from a telephone book on hot press watercolor paper. After 10 minutes, we tore off what would come off, leaving some of the paper. Then after it dried, we sketched our images on using charcoal. Then we painted with gouache. Then we collages some. I used wrapping paper from a birthday gift. The image is a manikin. I took photos of her last week. I also used some gold leaf on her hat. I have a few touches I need to do yet.

The first photo is the demo that Kay did. This technique goes pretty fast ...after you prepare the paper. The bottom photo is the one that I did. For some reason I haven't named it yet! that is very unusual for me!

New Interior

Here is another Steering Wheel painting. I love looking in these old vehicles. I have a couple more that I plan on painting. This was an old car that I found at the Fort Worth Stockyards.
The Red and White interior really grabbed my attention, so naturally I had to take pictures while nobody was around. This is transparent watercolors with a little bit of white gouache.
The image size is 14x18.

Nearly Grown Up

Nearly Grown Up

I took this picture of my Aunt's bike, all grown up in a vine, just parts of it sticking out. I loved the way it looked 'Nearly Grown Up'. She has a couple more bikes in her yard, so there will probably be some more. It is 1/2 sheet so would frame out pretty large.

Yoakum County Art Show

 Spring is Here

Our annual art show was this past week. It went great. Lots of hard work, but it is always fun.  I got a 1st place on a portrait of the fisherman. (earlier post) and won 3 second places. Seven pieces sold, and am very honored that people buy my art. 'Spring is Here' is a new painting, and it won a 2nd place, along with 'Fashion Statement' and 'Rodeo Clown'..Both earlier posts.
I actually started 'Spring painting' a few years ago, and I put it up, then dug it out and finished it.
It is watercolor, with cut out flowers and  then collaged onto the painting.
  I painted the paper in shades of blue with watercolor, then used one of those metal cutters and cut out all the tiny petals.

The Family Tree

'The Family Tree' ©

This painting will also be used for cards. I paint them about 9x12 or ...1/4 sheet of watercolor paper so they will make nice cards. If you paint them too small, they don't look as good.
This little family is going and picking out their special tree for the holidays.
We never lived where there was any trees to go pick out. I do remember going to my Grandparents house who lived in the woods in East Texas, and she always had a little fresh tree, with hand made ornaments and popcorn strings. I never did very well with stringing the popcorn since it was my favorite thing to eat.
I pray we remember why we celebrate Christmas.

July Porch

"July Porch"

This is one of my favorite times of the year.
Flags flying, and warm weather!
Petunias in pots on the patio and porch...
geraniums reaching for the sky,
Cooking hamburgers on the grill,
sprinklers going in the yard!
The smells are great! Especially if it rains.
Watching the crops grow...
barn swallows feeding their babies......
wonderful summertime! and wonderful freedom!

Autumn

I guess you just can't quit painting things you love! And I do love old vehicles!

I just read an article today by a well known artist that said always paint what you love, even if it isn't popular.

  This old truck "Autumn" was at Ceta Canyon, close to Canyon,TX  where we go for an art retreat.

I took 'several' pictures of course!  

Time to Decorate

It is time to decorate again!  I can't believe how fast time goes by! From one year to the next.

This is a little Snow Girl with a helper that  I did a few years ago, with decorating in the back of my mind probably!  Everything is beginning to look festive already and it is still November!

Dont Fence Me In!

This old truck happened to be in O'Donnell, TX too. I love old things, especially the old vehicles.

 All of the old trucks there were behind the fence, so I had to put it in too!

Seems like I get caught up always putting what is there! I definitely like realistic!

I also relied on the gouache again for the sky, instead of transparent color

Ken's Hat

Recently we were in Cloudcroft, and Ken took his hat off and laid it on a post, so he could work on the pick up. The light was great, and most of the time, my camera is very close to me, so I took a picture of it. This is transparent watercolor, but gouache in the background. I really like the looks of the gouache used like this, and I love the white!! That is one of my favorite things about watercolor.

Tulips and Stripes

A couple of years ago, I sent in slides for this book, and never heard back from them. I accidentally found my name on the Internet along with this book, so I looked further and even emailed them, and found out that they had included this painting in it. I ordered it, and all my contact information in the book was wrong for some reason. I just figured they tried to notify me, and used the wrong email addresses.

Watercolor Wyoming Watercolor Show

Best Friends

by Suzy 'Pal' Powell

This is the other painting that was accepted into the Wyoming Show that will be held in Wyoming in September. I wasn't really expecting this to get in since i haven't done that many portraits. I hope to do some more in the future, and plan on taking some more workshops to learn as much as I can.

Daniel Smith Summer Sale Catalog

The new Daniel Smith Catalog is out...finally. It was hard waiting on it! I am very proud that they chose my painting, "Lobster Shack" for one of their summer sale catalogs. The painting was done from a photo that i took when my daughter and I were on vacation. I love that little shack! it was so colorful! The sort of thing that catches your eye, especially if you love color.

"Gone Wild"

Well, I am excited!I got into SWS for the 4th time!

One more and I can be a signature member!
YEAH!

I have been painting but not blogging. this is all new to me. There are so many things I want to paint...Is just hard to get to all of it!
The Painting "Gone Wild" is the painting that got into SWS. It is from a pasture full of thistle in Cloudcroft NM. I have never seen such a field of flowers ever.
They were at least 4 foot tall! Very 'eye' catching!
I did a lot of negative painting on this one, and enjoyed doing it!