The One with the Barrel

The One with the Barrel

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

Happy 2016!  Most of us with kids at home are back to an educational system-imposed schedule at this point (can you tell I prefer having my daughters around?). As today is the day ours went back to school, it's my back-to-art cue (which I like almost equally as well as my girls, but really, my girls win). 

This is another little Provence piece in the vein of The One with the Blue Shutters. These names make such sense to me because this is how we referred to these apartments and villas while we walked around and admired them. Sometimes they seemed very similar, but close attention revealed that each had wonderful details and individuality that set it apart from the others (hmmm...kind of like my daughters!).

-julie davis

Old Garage

Old Garage

9 x 12 in., oil on panel

I don't think any grass in this part of Texas is this color anymore....this was early spring, and after the copious amount of rain we've had in the last few weeks (5 inches today), everything is green. Or underwater. It's actually been quite devastating to many in our area. Wimberly and San Marcos have had flooding not seen in decades. While we desperately need the rain, this pace is hard to sustain. We are hoping for sunshine tomorrow. Like the sunshine on this old garage...:)

-julie davis

Dry Creek Cafe

Dry Creek Cafe

11 x 14 in., oil on panel

sold

For those who went to school at UT or grew up in Austin, or have just been here long enough to know about this hidden gem, the Dry Creek Cafe is somewhat of an Austin institution.  It's an old dive bar, with a charming, rickety deck and a view of Lake Austin that isn't exactly unmatched, but it's good. And some would say most importantly, cheap beer.  It's nicely tucked away on Mt. Bonnel Road so unless you already know about it or just stumble upon it, you'd never end up there.  This painting is part tribute, part memoir, part record....

-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!

Adare Castle

Adare Castle

9 x 12, oil on panel

sold

Adare Castle is one of the pieces I had in the Collective Chemistry show at Davis Gallery this month--it sold to a dear friend who thoughtfully surprised his wife with it at Christmas.  When we were in Ireland this summer, we stayed across the River Maigue from this medieval castle--near Adare in Country Limerick.   It's inspiring and frankly, amazing, that a 13th century structure still stands so imposingly.  

-julie davis

Exciting end to the year, and "General Store"

General Store

11 x 14, oil on panel

available, $900

This was supposed to be a 6 x 8 of an Austin side-of-the-road cedar tree decorated with ornaments (they are one of those traditions that keeps Austin a little weird).  However, I received a Christmas present early and found out Saturday night that General Store (larger version of The Warehouse) won an Honorable Mention in Oil Painters of America's Fall 2014 Online Showcase, so I had to share!  I can't fully explain how entirely geeked up I was after hearing the news.  There were over 800 entries, and they award first through third places, and ten honorable mentions.  I am super honored and pretty ecstatic, and really, really affirmed after the past few months.  

Should I have my act together by Christmas, I will post the cedar on Thursday.  Merry Christmas!

-julie davis

Successful Holiday Show

Irish Barn

9 x 12 in., oil on panel

available, $800

Davis Gallery put on a festive opening reception Saturday night -- everything looked great and I'm delighted to report that I sold four of the five paintings I had on the wall! The above piece was one of them. Below are a few photos from the evening. Thank you to all friends and patrons who came by--that always means more than you know!

-julie davis

...and, my fabulous girls and husband.

The Warehouse

The Warehouse

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

Sometimes the subjects I decide to paint surprise me.  This old warehouse wasn't much to look at, but I liked the shadows and angles--and the old unreadable, faded signs.  I also find a gravel / grass foreground fun to paint; I can get a lot of energy and direction in it to lead one's eye into a piece.  The grass and gravel were an important part of the composition here--allowing me to place the warehouse off the panel a bit more than would be typical and to focus on shapes rather than a particular building.  That made it trickier to name, until I got really basic and went with the obvious. :)

-julie davis