Saturday, December 28, 2013

Through the River - and Woody's House

Through the River
Oil on canvas, 12x24
sold! 
On Christmas Day, I went into the studio to paint. I'm stocking up for the coming show season, which starts with my California Calling Painting Extravaganza (there's still time to sponsor me!) and the Southwest Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.

I've not been unhappy with my recent paintings, but I've had the feeling that there's been something missing, some quality of joy or satisfaction, that highest note that maybe only I can hear.

I used to dread this feeling, this hard-to-describe malaise - but I have come to welcome it, since it inevitably heralds a breakthrough.

And this time, it was a doozy. I was sitting in the studio, and I had a small canvas, 6x6, and the idea came to me to make a painting of a cowboy on horseback. I went searching for a photo, and found one, and painted Cowboy Up!  And I loved it.

I've been painting cowboys ever since, and having an absolute blast. This is the second painting I've done, and I am still loving it, barely able to wait until the sun comes up to go out to the studio and start painting.

This new phase, as all of my art, is, I believe, God working through me. I drew horses when I was a kid - but that's it. I have no special knowledge of horses or cowboys or anything - and yet, here are these paintings, and I think they're good, and exciting - and they feel authentic.

So I am grateful and excited - Yee ha!

***
Dog(house) of the day

We decorated Woody's house for Christmas - and he seems to love it! 

2 comments:

Pat Holloway said...

I love this picture! I can hear the water sloshing as they ride through.

carrie jacobson said...

Patricia, thank you so much. I'm thrilled that you like the painting. These cowboy paintings are giving me great pleasure, and it's good to know that people who read my blog and have followed my work are also enjoying them.

Best wishes!