Looking West by Teresa Elliott  40×30″  Oil  –  Available at RJD Gallery

Teresa Elliott. Wow. Her paintings will make your jaw drop. Seriously. She is well known for her longhorn paintings, and I’m not going to include one in this post so that you check them out. Seriously, I couldn’t have picked just one. She captures their inner spirit. Every. Single. Time!

Looking West is a fabulous painting, available at the RJD Gallery. This woman looks as if she’s going to take a breath any second. The light in this painting is incredible, the hair, the eyes, nose, mouth and HANDS! Whew! Talented.

Dog Day by Teresa Elliott  40×30″  Oil – Available at Gallery 1261

This was the first painting of Teresa’s that I spotted. She has a way with animals, no doubt. This dog looks like it’s doing some serious contemplation, ha ha… either that or watching the news, ha ha… Be sure to check out Teresa’s website – It’s a treat!

Read a bit about Teresa, from the RJD Gallery website:

“My own personal growth is inevitably linked with my progress with the infinite challenges of becoming an accomplished painter and providing a powerful visual statement through attention to color relationships, design, edges and paint handling.”

Native Texan Teresa Elliott lives and paints in the wide open spaces of the Big Bend in West Texas. Her years of experience as a commercial illustrator in Dallas naturally evolved into a career in painting. She completed a BFA from the University of Kansas and although self-taught, she admits to being influenced by many contemporary artists, as well as classical masters.

Elliott, who is also known for her portraits of cows, has recently expanded on her captivatingly realistic style to include several paintings set at Javelina Clays– a muddy oasis located inside a Texas National Park. These paintings include Deliverance (not shown) and Agua-Fria. Emma, Elliott’s daughter and frequent Muse, is depicted in both of these glowing and detailed works.

The visual arts has dominated Teresa Elliott’s life for as long as she can remember, and always will. She says, “I’m always pushing myself to grow as an artist, it’s the only way to stay fresh and passionate. My favorite painting is Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 63. To me, this work is distilled down to the essentials of great painting. Having perfected his craft he created one of the most revealing portraits of all time.” Elliott further states, “My paintings reveal what I see visually on the surface and beyond the visible. I explore the fundamentals of the craft as well as the emotional content of my observations of the natural world.””

All images via Teresa-Elliott.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Santa Ana Bus by Susan Cox  20×16″  Oil

Susan Cox. Check out her work if you haven’t already! She has interesting scenes and some great and different perspectives on some paintings. Which makes it nice, adds pizazz and makes it fresh! Pretty cool how an everyday scene can be made into a great painting!

The Alley – San Clemente by Susan Cox  40×48″  Oil

This is one of the “different perspective” paintings I mentioned, by just giving the painting a little tilt it’s so cool! I love the dark shadows and tree in the foreground and that fabulous blue sky!

Read a bit about Susan, from her website:

Susan Cox was educated in Fine Arts at California State University Long Beach and lived in England for 14 years where she painted and exhibited in galleries in the London and Oxfordshire areas.  Her work has been featured in the Federation of British Artists, Britain in Watercolours exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries in London. Continue reading HERE…

All images via SusanCoxArt.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Early Bloomer by Jennifer Diehl  24×36″  Oil

Jennifer Diehl. Her paintings are different and evoke a sense of beauty. Early Bloomer is a happy painting, I just love the light and shadows – wow!!

View from Orcas Island by Jennifer Diehl  20×24″  Oil

Another wonderful painting, fabulous trees!! I love the pinkish light that is cast on everything. Gorgeous!

Are you an artist interested in taking workshops? Check out Jennifer’s Workshop info!!

Read more about Jennifer, from her website:

“Jennifer wants to live in a world where travel is instantaneous, time at the easel and with her family are both limitless, and pots and pans dance their own way to the sink and back into the cupboards.

While these things seem to be something she may have to wait to experience, she has wasted no time in the real world. Having known her passion since she could say the word “artist,” her whole life has been spent pushing towards that goal. Her artist parents taught her how to think about art, but sent her to learn the practice of it from her mentor, Henry Stinson. Jennifer studied with him until she was 18, and then her career began with her first show…..a Mother/Daughter debut. Since then, Jennifer has won numerous awards, shows in galleries/exhibitions around the country, and teaches what she knows to students who, like her, are students of art.

Jennifer has taken workshops from many well-known artists and worked hard to learn what they had to give, never wanting to stall in her artistic development. Even with her last painting, she wants to be exploring new ways to convey her thoughts and feelings without words.”

All images via JenniferDiehl.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Early to Rise by Amanda Lovett  18×24″ Oil

Amanda Lovett. Her paintings are so crisp and clear. What a nice painting, Early to Rise. My favorite time of day… in the wee hours of the morning, when it’s nice and quiet. There is nothing like it. I love the sun highlighting the beautiful flowers and the reflections on the table – also the peek out of the door is so nice, it adds so much depth to this painting, don’t you think?

Vigorous Ride by Amanda Lovett  30×30″ Oil

Another beautiful painting. Just look at this horse – happy and free – and there is that beautiful light once again – WOW! Makes for a stunning painting!

Are you interesting in taking a workshop in 2017? Amanda will be conducted a workshop in Carterville, GA in April 2017 – click HERE for more workshop details!

Read a bit about Amanda, from her website:

“Amanda Lovett’s family recognized there was a creative career in her future when her childhood doodles were actually detailed sketches of her father’s horses.

Amanda attended the Atlanta Portfolio Center where she studied Art Direction, Graphic Design, Photography and Illustration and joined the advertising firm of McDonald and Little as an Art Director at the young age of 19. She thrived in her creative role and gained invaluable experience and education in the position, giving her the confidence to start her own successful agency when McDonald and Little was later purchased and moved to New York.

In 1998, Amanda attended a watercolor landscape class with Frank Broadhurst, who she would later credit for starting her on a path as a painter. In 2004, after recently switching her focus to oils, Amanda made the commitment to become a full time artist.

With a never ending desire for growth, Amanda has studied under some of the country’s top professionals. This love for learning has driven her to continue her education at every opportunity and has translated into the desire to share her knowledge with others. She currently teaches workshops at venues across the southeast with a series of subject matters developed to build the core skills necessary for growth at any level.

Amanda has been accepted into numerous national and regional shows and organizations. She is currently represented in several art galleries across the country.

Through her art, Amanda captures the vibrancy and energy most people miss in the simple moments of life.”

All images via AmandaLovett.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Cuchara, CO by Donna Bland  16×20″ Oil

Donna Bland. Wonderful paintings, these are a few of my favorites. These Colorado painting is dramatic with the dark greens from those stunning trees against the bright yellow/green. Nice, very nice!

Pinch of Sunshine by Donna Bland  36×24″  Oil

Something struck me with this painting. I love it! It’s like you’re standing in the woods with trees in the distance. It’s got a wonderful, happy feel to it. This is a great painting!

Read a bit about Donna, from her website:

“Donna Bland lives and paints in the Austin, Texas area.  She has been an artist all her life starting in kindergarten.  Painting daily in her studio, plein air or teaching a workshop, subjects are unlimited.  Donna loves to learn, create and share what she has experienced in finishing a painting.  No words to describe the joy in painting outdoors in the Texas Hill Country, Colorado or Mexico.

My passion is creating an oil painting that reminds someone of a special moment, place or person in their lives.

When she first started painting in Georgia,  Donna was taught to paint scenes that interested her.  Painting what interest her adds a feeling of excitement into her painterly strokes.  Painting outdoors (en Plein Aire) is a wonderful way to study light and shadow as the day unfolds.  Painting a portrait is especially fun because I get to know the people or create a scene from a person’s life.  “From outdoor scenes, to portraits, to still life – I love it all,”    Each canvas is the opportunity to create a new design made of various colors and shapes.  It is  truly a blessing to be an artist and share people’s experiences, culture and dreams through art. 

She formally studied art at The Student Art League of New York, Scottsdale School of Art, University of Georgia and Tyler Jr. College in Texas.  And, has been fortunate to paint with modern day masters throughout the United States as well as Europe.   Continuing to study and read works by John Singer Sargent, Nicolai Fechin, Joaquin Sorolla and Emile Gruppe’ lends it’s influence in her work.”

All images via DonnaBland.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

A Red Box Low by Nick Patten 24×36 Oil

Nick Patten. Wonderful paintings… great light! What a delightful interior! I love the angles in the ceiling, the light reflected on the floor, bedspread, cabinet, etc. A bonus, paintings within a painting! Delightful!

Soft White by Nick Patten 24×26″ Oil

Pretty darn realistic! Almost as if you could reach in and pull this lightbulb right out of the painting! Nice shadows and that light! Woohoo!

Read a bit about Nick, from his website:

“Nick Patten, a contemporary realist painter, is a native of Troy, New York, he received a B.A. in Fine Arts from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. People love the mysterious light in his paintings, and one art critic referred to him as an “American Vermeer.”

He has also been referred to as a Master of Light and Shadow because of the style of his paintings. Among other awards, recently Patten received the Best in Show prize in a juried show in upstate New York.

He has been a full time artist for more than 20 years, and he states that: ”my goal is to be able to paint what I want to see”.

ARTIST STATEMENT
“Settling on a composition for one of my room interior paintings is a progressive process. I pick and choose the most interesting and necessary elements from an array of photographs, often adding items from my imagination. Light & Dark is a primary focus of my painting, with particular attention to brush stroke and gradation in the darkest areas. Through working from photographs with the aim of creating believable paintings, I strive to bring a quiet drama to everyday scenes. My paintings are never intended to be “photographic”. In part, my aim is to make paintings where the content of the image is most compelling, and how the painting was made is secondary. In a sense, attempting to make the work exceed the medium.”   Nick Patten”

All images via NickPatten.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!