"Sleeping with Fur"

Yesterday I went to San Antonio to join dozens of other artists at the Greenhouse Gallery where four nationally recognized artists were giving demos. The artists doing demos were: John Pototschnik, William J. Kalwick, Jr., Kathryn Stats and Darcie Peet.

I got lost and missed the morning demos, but was able to join Gaye Sekula and some of her artist friends for lunch. The afternoon demos by Kathryn Stats and Darcie Peet showed how differently successful artists approach their work. It turned out to be a day of synchronicity, meeting people whose work I'd recently become aware of and admire. The first was Susan Carlin (http://susansartjournal.blogspot.com) and the second was Lorin Friesen (www.lorindesigns.com).

Once home, I immediately pulled out my brushes and started the attached. I finished it this morning.

Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

Live still life

On Thursday I went to Wimberley for art instruction from Lilli Pell and did this in an afternoon session.

Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

Playing with still life

As much as I'm drawn to painting people, it's time to spread out into still life and landscape painting. Here's what I worked on last weekend and during the week. The flowers are ranuculus with fat sort of furry stems. One of the problems I'm running into with oils is getting a photo that doesn't pick up the shine of wet paint.

Here are some studies I did from the Carolyn Anderson workshop. We did each in a morning or afternoon of four 20-minute sessions.

Ballerina study - SOLD

Done from a photo provided by Carolyn Anderson.

SOLD. Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

"Willow in the Winter Sun"

An acrylic portrait of my older daughter.

Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

"Birth of Ferpecto"

I did this acrylic of my daughter when she was starting Ferpecto Fashions, her clothing and accessory creations.

Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

Pedernales River, my first landscape in oils.

Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

For a self portrait show

This is what I've been working on for a week. Not sure if I'm done with it. It's in oil rather than in acrylics.

"Feets on a Blanket"

Crocheting in the winter sun.

Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

Getting my feet wet

The idea of blogging about my paintings seemed redundant until I recently attended an oil portraiture workshop taught by Carolyn Anderson (www.carolynanderson.com) and spent some time with other artists. This blog is an outcome of talking with Gaye Sekula, who has a great blog at www.gayesekula.blogspot.com

During the week of the workshop I started some major changes and am not sure what direction I'm headed right now. But here are some of my pre-workshop acrylic paintings.