Dancer at Arneson Theater

I've started working on this painting of a young dancer who was practicing at the Arneson Theater the day Gaye Sekula, Kris Kelson and I spent walking around San Antonio.

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

Inventing in preparation for travel

I'm excited about being able to participate in a Charles Gruppe workshop in Monaco and the French Riviera in October, but planning how to schlep all the art materials I'll need is a bit of a challenge. My French easel is just too bulky and unwieldy to take, but the only easel I really want, a Soltek, is outrageously expensive. Since I haven't been able to find anything lightweight that has a shelf for the palette, I've been forced into creating one.

Here are photos of my solution:

Hose clamps and L-shaped shelf supports are the only additions to the light-weight metal easel. The easel's plastic canvas panel holders are adjusted just above the tops of the L supports.

I set a palette on the shelf supports to act as a shelf. The easel's plastic canvas supports hold the top of the shelf in place.

This shows the L-shaped shelf supports held my hose clamps with the wooden palette topped by the baking pan I use as a travel palette. The baking pan can be slipped into a big zip-lock bag for transport. The paint will stay usable until the next day's session.

Slim Fiddler for Peace

I just finished this portrait of an Austin musician named Slim Richey. He always wears the white-framed sunglasses and will be easily recognized by other Austin musicians, most of whom he's probably played with at one time or another.

Currently on display at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Giclee prints available at http://connie-schaertl.artistwebsites.com/

Wimberley Valley Art League Juried Show

Last night was the opening of the Wimberley Valley Art League Juried Show where my painting, "Well?" placed third among the 2-D entries (behind 2 photos). It was the only painting that placed above an honorable mention. Having seen the delivery of many of the entries, a lot of them very good paintings, I was very surprised that there were not more works on display.

The process for juried shows was explained to me by a fellow Art League member, shedding some light. The League asks a different gallery owner or art expert unassociated with the League to be the sole jurist for each juried show. The jurist for this particular show owns a contemporary art gallery in Johnson City.