Tall Grass

Tall Grass

8 x 6 in., oil on panel

sold

This is another small piece that came from my trip out to Cypress Mill, Texas on that cold fall day. This barn and old trailer were on the property, and I walked all around through the grass and between the fenceposts taking photos and eventually working up a sketch. I finally painted it this week.

-julie davis

Hill Country Cold Front

Hill Country Cold Front

8 x 6 in., oil on panel

sold

This piece came from a venture out to Wenmoh's Ranch in Cypress Mill, Texas last fall. Though the cold front came through right as we arrived to paint, we were able to brave it for long enough to get several short studies in before we succumbed (I think temps went from 70F to roughly 45F for all you tougher souls from up North). I painted this piece this week from one of those studies.

-julie davis 

A Good Day

A Good Day

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

Naming this one seemed simple if I thought of it from a bovine's perspective--which, not to insult the cattle, was relatively easy. Hoping if you're reading this, you're having a good day, too.

-julie davis

Exciting news

At Rest

9 x 12 in., oil on panel

sold

General Store

11 x 14 in., oil on panel

$900

available through Davis Gallery, Austin, Texas

512.477.4929

After what seems like quite a long time, I'm home from summer travels and obligations and am able to offer a  post -- with news I'm very excited to share! Within the last few weeks I've learned that the above pieces have been accepted into two separate shows of which I'm really honored to be a part.  At Rest was juried into the American Women Artists 2015 National Juried Exhibition & Annual Member's Show, while General Store was selected for inclusion in the 16th National Exhibition of the American Impressionist Society. These are some of my first stabs at national shows. I couldn't be more honored and am truly jumpy with enthusiasm about it. 

The AIS show will take place October 1 - 29 at Trailside Galleries in Scottsdale, and the AWA exhibition will be held November 12 - 30 at Bonner David Galleries, also in Scottsdale.  I'm looking forward to getting to know Scottsdale a bit better this fall:). I will share more as the shows approach, but I'm super motivated going into what is typically my most productive time of year.

- julie davis

Woodpile

Woodpile

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

We have a little place on the Guadalupe River a couple of hours from Austin.  Our neighbor keeps his firewood neatly stacked between two trees near his house.  In the early morning, the sun rises over the bluff across the river and drapes its light between his house and the donkey barn on the edge of our property. The light gives a glancing blow to the woodpile this time of year.

-julie davis

The Ranch in January

The Ranch in January

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

I do these long views occasionally to work on foregrounds.  I know of a couple of things I'll do differently next time, but hey, it's a process.  Painting in winter in Central Texas means more yellows and ochres--not the green of spring everywhere.  I definitely like the greens, but the grasses this time of year complement distant hills nicely.

-julie davis

Old Garage, study

Old Garage, study

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

The sun is out again and it feels so much like spring in Austin it's as if we're being teased.  The strong shadows on this old garage really make me crave more of this warm weather, but it looks like we'll have a cold, wet weekend.  I'm not complaining, though--we'll take any water we can get!

-julie davis

*And an update on my camera.  Right now I'm using a small Olympus because my Nikon's autofocus had completely quit.  I wound up having to send it off somewhere cold for repair.  Hopefully that fixes all its odd behavior!

Long View

Long View

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

After nine long, cold days the sun finally returned to Austin this morning, so I thought I'd post a warm and sunny Texas ranch scene.  I don't know how folks who live with cold temps and cloud cover all the time do it, but I know I'm not the only one in town who is celebrating the sunshine today!

-julie davis

Rolling In

Rolling In

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

nfs

I hope you've had a good start to 2015. I missed posting last at the end of last week because we host a New Year's Eve dinner party in our home each year and my attentions were focused on that all week.  My husband and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary on the 31st--I couldn't be more blessed!  

Just before Christmas I managed to paint five 6 x 8 versions of the above scene--one for each of my siblings and for myself, so we'd all have a connection when we glance at it.  I'm calling it the "Sibling Series." I failed to snap a shot of each piece, but though very similar, (like us) they were each unique, and I think my brother and sisters enjoyed the gesture. 

-julie davis

Long and Winding Road

Long and Winding Road

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

available

Ok, for those of you who did not receive the image in my last post, I'm very sorry.  I have not determined what happened, but fingers crossed it was a mysterious technical glitch that resolves with this post.  Please let me know if you don't receive an image today--I will keep working.  And thank you to several of you who did let me know about the last one.

The subject here is a wonderfully long ranch road in Center Point, Texas, near Kerrville--the same ranch at which I painted Better Days and Uphill.  Atop the far hill must have been one of the highest points in the county--the view was magnificent.

-julie davis

"Better Days" - Best In Show - 1st Place Winner at Kerrville Outdoor Painter's Event

Better Days - Best in Show at KOPE

 11 x 14 in., oil on panel

sold

I'm thrilled to report the news that my painting, "Better Days," took first place at the Kerrville Outdoor Painter's Event this past weekend!  To win last year was a huge boost, and to have another judge regard my piece this year as the best again - well, I'm riding pretty high right now.  My friends Jimmy Longacre and Laurel Daniel took second and third places, respectively, and it was a blast to be able to share the experience with them.  

A big thanks to the judge of this year's competition, Phil Bob Borman, and to those who organized and sponsored the four-day event, as well as to those who opened their properties to us for painting. 

-julie davis

@ the Collins Ranch in Center Point

very excited with the blue ribbon :)

with Laurel Daniel and Jimmy Longacre

Cloudcover

Cloudcover

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

I struggled with this little piece a bit.  It's a seemingly simple scene, but my sometimes things flow and sometimes they stumble along.  Interruptions like phone calls, lack of singular focus at the start, having to leave for carpool and return to finish….hmmm…I wonder why…. Despite these conditions (under which I know better than to try to paint),  I like the result of my efforts. I do hope the next comes off more smoothly, however, because I really love scenes like this.

-julie davis

The Grass Is Always Greener

The Grass Is Always Greener

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

The weather has been overcast and much cooler over the past few days in Austin--loving it, but as one who is known to light a fire in the summer :), I really have to acclimate before getting outside on these cold mornings!  The afternoons have been gorgeous, and we are thankful for a taste of fall.  

The grasses around here always lighten this time of year.  For the image above, I took my value study from late September and worked it into a more fall look than the "Study 3" I did that was a summer scene.

-julie davis

In the Shadows

In the Shadows

12 x 9 in., oil on panel

nfs

The beautiful weather of the past week made for a near perfect first experience of a plein air painting competition for me.  I participated in the three-day Kerrville Outdoor Painters' Event (KOPE) in Kerrville, Texas.  The organizers arranged access to exceptionally paintable properties for the artists--I thoroughly enjoyed each minute, and finished with some strong paintings and some new artist friends, and reconnected with others I don't see often enough.  

This painting was my first of the event.  We painted on a ranch a few minutes from Kerrville that had numerous old structures--this was the old smokehouse.  

-julie davis

Through the Trees

Through the Trees

9 x 12 in., oil on panel

Thursday I met up with PAA and painted at a ranch in Dripping Springs....a beautiful spot with long views and a quiet peacefulness.  The wind whipped up occasionally Thursday, but I found a spot under some oaks and protected from the wind, and painted what I saw ahead of me.  The spindly trunks of these young oaks reached and twisted so playfully up to each tree's canopy, I couldn't help but be intrigued.  My apologies for the poor photo quality here... darker colors give me fits with reflection, and I admittedly rushed myself for this one....

-julie davis

Road to the Pasture

Road to the Pasture

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

This piece was a warm-up for yesterday's post. Sometimes you just need that, whether it's by painting, sketching, reading, whatever works!

-julie davis

*and thank you, justin, for contacting me again!

Old Ranch Road

Old Ranch Road, 6 x 8

Another from my day of many paintings. I was working primarily on still lifes that day, but really had to do at least one landscape.

-julie davis

Wimberly Ranch

Wimberly Ranch, 9 x 12
sold

I'm always focused improving on a particular technique or subject while painting. I'm not sure when that stops and one can simply paint with abandon.... Today I again was exploring foreground. I did learn a few things, or at least had an "aha" moment or two.

-julie davis

Ranch Road

Ranch Road, 8 x 10

sold

Today I did a little larger version of the "Road to the Ranch" that I posted a few days back. I like it expressed in this format, too, though I didn't do justice to the road, which is fairly well important to the painting! In defense of not doing as well as I'd liked, I did start painting mid-afternoon with three kids in and out, have to stop for an hour to go pick up three teens at the movies, then come back to hurry to complete it to clean up and go to a friend's new home. More than I typically like to deal with in the middle of painting, but I figure it challenges me and somehow, will prove beneficial later!

-julie davis