A Collection Of Sketchbooks

Over the years I've collected a number of sketchbooks...

...and filled them with sketches of daily life, ideas for paintings and copies of Old Masters artwork.

A few close-ups:

Our living room and dining room.

Architectural detail of the Flat Iron Building in Fort Worth.

Study of one of the subjects in John Singer Sargent's painting, "The Pailleron Children".

Study for a larger watercolor of a geranium pot in Portugal.

Old Sketchbook - The Beach

I recently found an old sketchbook that contained sketches from a family vacation at Padre Island National Seashore.

"Our Tent on Malaquite Beach"   8" x 10"   Watercolor

Good memories!

Ode To Joy

"Adventures in Music"   8" x 10"   Watercolor

Over one thousand fourth-grade students filed into the sanctuary of a large local church one recent morning, recorders in hand, to hear and to play with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.  It was an amazing and emotional experience to witness the joy and enthusiasm with which this young multitude played and sang along with the orchestra.

This incredible experience was made possible for these children by the Fort Worth Symphony's education programs.  The Painted Violin project I posted about in January and February is one event that helped fund this program.

   

Magenta, Yellow and Cyan

When I am thinking of ideas for paintings I often start with quick watercolors in my sketchbook.  My concern here is not for detail but for composition, color and general "feel" of the painting.  Sometimes these studies don't get beyond the sketch stage, but when I do decide to develop them into larger paintings I find they are extremely helpful.  In fact, I rarely paint a larger painting without having done a small version either in watercolor or oil, or sometimes both.  This watercolor is my initial sketch for another painting I plan to do of our local Ballet Folklorico dancers.