Not Monet

Another painting that I want to finish was in this draft post from 2008. It does contain a dog (which you do not yet see), but currently my focus is on the water lilies. This is a 24 x 20 inch painting that I want to complete. 

Work-in-Progress (for a long time)

Not Monet

© 2008 Vernita Bridges Hoyt

Artist's Collection

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V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas™. If you'd like to receive the daily posts via email, there is a subscribe button in the sidebar at Texas Sauce Art Life. New paintings to follow soon.

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About Rasta, the Homeless Hobo Poodle Dog

I ran across this postcard painting the other day.  I wasn't sure I still had it.  In the past three years I've moved my studio three times which caused some files to be out of order.  I need to take a day or two to make them orderly again.  Tonight I accidentally jammed a staple (from the spine of a neighborhood newsletter) into my left index finger, all because I was hurriedly decluttering some junk mail of the paper variety. I'm feeling a little bit like Rasta tonight, not knowing which direction I'm headed. 

© 2008 Vernita Bridges-Hoyt
Hobo Poodle
RASTA a homeless dog

original painting by Vernita Bridges Hoyt
6"x4" watercolor and ink on paper
unframed postcard painting

with rounded corners

Click here to contact me through my website.

Thank you for following my blog.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas™.

If you'd like to receive the daily posts via email, there is a subscribe button in the sidebar at Texas Sauce Art Life. New paintings to follow soon.

For less frequency, subscribe to "Studio Notes" to receive no more than twice-monthly studio news by email.

 

Boxer Boy Thor. Cold Weather. Art in Progress.

nodp 

~ 

 

Josiane #1 work in progress  

Image copyright Vernita B. Hoyt 2017  

~ 

The muse and I are having fun now. I am loving my Commerce St. art studio in Tomball where over Christmas I began a new figurative work. There comes a time when an artist must paint for oneself in order to be creative. More to come soon. 

~

 

Photo copyright Vernita B. Hoyt 

~ 

My little boxer boy Thor is sound asleep and as snug as a bug in a rug on this cold evening in southeast Texas. The cold weather reached us today and is expected to get colder overnight to about 25 degrees. As much as we Texans complain about the cold, we actually need this freeze to kill the mosquitos and other harmful insects and to knock the pollens out of the air. So now that we have cold weather, I will say

Happy New Year! 

www.VernitaHoyt.com

Scotty terrier dog with daisies painted in watercolor by Texas artist Vernita Bridges Hoyt

This commissioned painting of a Scotty dog was completed in ApriI; however, my lips were sealed until the painting had been presented to the final recipient in the State of Maine. The presentation was made on May 7 in time for Mother's Day. 

Scotty terrier 

Kathy and her gift

Boxer Dog with Stick

ART

Boxer Pup with Stick

 

 

 

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water logged stick will do just fine." - John Grogan, Marley and Me

Click the above image to view details and additional images. When sold, this painting will generate a donation to Lone Star Boxer Rescue, Texas.

LIFE

Jumping into 2016 caught me unaware. I was expecting a happier start to the year but encountered sad news on several fronts. Two friends lost their husbands, one on January 4, one on January 5, and a third friend was checked into ER with a brain tumor and bleed. The new widows are in the raw grieving stage, and the friend with the brain bleed has her husband advocating for her best care. He has found a neurosurgeon who is familiar and has much success with challenges such as hers. My thoughts and prayers are with all three friends. "May God hold you in the palm of his hand."

The next news was a sudden change to my son's family. The house they were renting was sold out from under them forcing them to vacate by February 1. That time has since been extended to March 1. Needless to say, the news threw son and family into a frenzy since my 18 year old grandson is in his last semester of high school. The least possible way to disrupt grandson's school year was to offer the upstairs of my house to them for a few months, at least until school is out.  That decision brought on another huge challenge, that of moving my studio and business office downstairs into a room that had been used as storage, a much smaller space than I have been accustomed to. Thus we have been decluttering and tossing out and giving away many of my "keepsakes" and unnecessary art supplies. The business files can't be discarded, and I am looking at purchasing more file cabinets and downsizing the office desk footprint. We hope to finish my part of the move this weekend. Then in late February, the son's family will make their move into the great room and three bedrooms upstairs.

I didn't mention holiday time which kept me off the blog for much of December. So there you have it ... why I haven't been blogging for the past month.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.  V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas™. 

View my Texas Impressionist Oil Paintings. 

Subscribe to my Monthly Studio Notes in the top sidebar at Texas Sauce Art Life, or contact me here. Your email address is safe with me. 

Rottweiler Dogs in Texas Bluebonnets, watercolor art

This watercolor painting of Rottweiler dogs sitting in a field of bluebonnets was a commissioned painting to be used as a Christmas gift for the client's mother. I enjoyed painting this as it included so many of my favorite subjects, i.e. the dogs, the background landscape, and the field of Texas bluebonnet wildflowers.

Rotties in Texas Bluebonnets
watercolor 11x14 commissioned painting
© Vernita Bridges Hoyt 2014

There is a story with this painting. When I paint a commissioned piece for a client who plans to give the painting as a Christmas gift, I'm very careful to keep the painting under wraps until the gift has been given. However, I almost spilled the beans on this one. A couple or three nights before Christmas I had worked very late after a long day. I was tired, extremely tired, but decided to write my blog ahead of schedule. When I closed the compose window, I clicked "publish" instead of "save draft" and that was not a wise decision. The image went to G+, Daily Painters site, Facebook, and other places I never dreamed to find it. I searched and think I deleted all of them before the gift recipient saw the painting. Whew! Lesson learned: never, never post an image before I am ready for it to show up all over the internet.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

To hear pronunciation of Rottweiler (and read a short description), click on the speaker icon at this dictionary link.

Contact me through the Contact Form in the blog sidebar.
Please include my name and the title of the artwork in the subject line.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings. 
V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas™. 

View my Texas Impressionist Oil Paintings. 
Subscribe to my blog letter in the top sidebar at Texas Sauce Art Life, or contact me here. I do not share your email address.

Wire Hair Jack Russell Terrier Oil Painting

Use wisely what you have been given and you will be given more.  MATTHEW 25:29

Southeast Texas air feels cooler after Friday's all day rain, which we so needed. We needed cooler temps, too. Yesterday 74° felt wonderful. Today promises more of the same. The only bother is mosquitos which hatched overnight from standing puddles of rainwater.

Original is sold.

The time of year approaches for looking back. I decided to look back at September 2006, and found my little painting of the feisty, wire hair JRT that was rescued by True Blue Animal Rescue. Painting is much like journaling. With each painting, I record my memories of life at that time. I remember traveling to the beautiful hill country between Chappell Hill and Brenham to meet up with Melanie and other people at T-Bar. If I had been younger, I would have adopted Jack the JRT, but he was too energetic for me. The best I could do for Jack was to paint his portrait and donate the sales to T-Bar. Jack's portrait sold quickly.

HOLIDAY CARDS AVAILABLE

Jack, the Jack Russell Terrier, was printed on holiday cards which were offered at my Etsy Shop in 2006. The cards were sold but can be reprinted. If you'd like to send these cards, contact me here with JRT Cards as the subject. Cards will be printed and shipped directly after your confirmation of order. Thanks in advance. Inquire soon! 

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas™.  View my Texas Impressionist Oil Paintings. Subscribe to my blog letter in the top sidebar at Texas Sauce Art Life, and you will be able to contact me directly. I do not share your email address.

SOS, Saturday of Shipments

I love sitting outside early mornings listening to birdsong. The little mockingbird must have found his wings. We never saw him again. Even with a background of tires rolling on pavement and the occasional too loud revving of an automobile engine in the 20 mph zone outside the fence, the birdsong chorus overpowers with a morning melody. 

Today I will ship two paintings (Ernie Dal and the fawn) to one person, a new collector. Then I will get back into my oil paints to finish the spots on Daisy Dal who has been waiting in the wings for too long.

The air is dry and cool this morning, cool for a Texas summer that hasn't yet officially begun, a good day for painting. I love Saturday! All I need is a fairy godmother to clean the house... A girl can wish.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Zeke Boxer Finis

13039. Sold with a donation to Lone Star Boxer Rescue in Harris County, Texas.

Zeke Boxer • copyright Vernita Bridges Hoyt 2013
watercolor wash and ink line on Arches 140 lb. hp paper
6x8 inches
Click on image to view enlarged detail.

Painted in 15 minute segments of found time started Friday evening and finished late Monday evening.
I am loving working on the Arches hot press paper. This scanned image shows more true color than the digital image shown in the previous work in progress.

boxer, dog, illustration, pet portrait, watercolor and ink, wash and line, realism, MaimeriBlu watercolor paints, Golden Lake, Cobalt Blue, Cad Red, Cad Orange, Permanent Red Light, artist Vernita Bridges Hoyt

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

P.S. I listed a new Penny Auction today. Find the link in the top right side bar at the blog.

Sneak Peek of Zeke

I am enjoying this illustration style of painting with the watercolor wash and ink line. Here is a sneak peek of Zeke the Boxer. 

Sneak Peek of Zeke, a work in progress
© Vernita Bridges Hoyt 2013

Wash and line is completed quickly when using a hair dryer to dry the watercolor washes, or the technique is good painted over a day or two in 15 minute increments of found time. The paint dries naturally in between time segments, and that is my preferred way to paint with watercolor. Air drying preserves the natural glow of the paint whereas blow drying can dull the paint. 

Zeke's portrait still needs detail on the second eye and nostril (the ones you can't see) and another glaze or two of color in the background. 

Want a portrait of your pet in this style? Email vernita@txsauce.net with Dog Art as your subject. If you want to give a painting as a Christmas gift, the time to order is now. 

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Thor, Down-Stay

Sketchbook Art

13019-sk. Thor, Down-Stay.

More from my sketchbook journal. 

5-minute sketch in pen and ink line
copyright Vernita Bridges Hoyt 2013

My Boxer boy Thor waited patiently as I ate breakfast early this morning. I'll be adding color to this one and may be painting it at a larger size.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Great Dane Study

Art and Life 

Sketchbook Art

13015sk - Great Dane Study, pen and ink/pencil on Raffine sketchbook paper, 100 lb. acid free, 8.5 x 5.25 inches. This small study is in preparation for a larger commissioned piece.

copyright Vernita Bridges Hoyt 2013

My artworks are copyrighted and I reserve all rights to reproduction, print or otherwise. Images may be shared by back link to this blog address. Licensing is negotiable, but my express written permission is required before any image is reproduced in print. © Vernita Bridges Hoyt ... Thank you for observing copyright law.

GREAT DANE STUDY
work in progress

Directly above is an image of an early phase of my Great Dane study showing the initial pencil sketch and a few ink lines as I started to define the detail.

Commissioned pet portraits.  vbhoyt@me.com

dog, Great Dane, drawing, pencil, pen and ink, line work, illustration, black and white, artist Vernita Bridges Hoyt

Life 

Allergies are bothersome this springtime. Blustering winds are stirring pollen through the air ... and simultaneously through my nose. Even the dogs have allergies. Two vets have told me that if a dog consistently chews on his/her paws, it is a sign of allergies, most likely to the same allergens that effect humans. Dogs have their noses on the ground sniffing, sniffing, sniffing.

I must run now. Today is a busy, busy day here.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Just a Little Nugget, Boxer Puppy Portrait

Sold

JUST A LITTLE NUGGET
pastel on black-toned Mi Tientes paper
6x8 inches
artist Vernita Bridges Hoyt

This is a painting of Boxer Nugget from the previous post, but Nugget is a very young puppy in this pastel painting. You can see my conceptual sketch of puppy Nugget (aka Gus) here. 100% of proceeds from this painting go to Legacy Boxer Rescue in the Dallas - Fort Worth area of Texas.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Nugget, a Pastel Pet Portrait

SOLD

NUGGET, All Grown Up
Boxer pet portrait
pastel on Mi Tientes paper
8x10 inches
artist Vernita Bridges Hoyt

You have probably figured out by now that I am on a mission to paint commissioned pet portraits to help Boxer rescue organizations. The two I typically try to help are both in Texas: Lone Star Boxer Rescue in the Houston area, and Legacy Boxer Rescue in the Dallas area. If a person wants the donation to go to a different organization, I am happy to send it as long as the rescue group is a registered 501(c)3 charity organization. I donate 25% - 100% of the sale price (less shipping fees) to the charity depending on the size of the painting. 

I am posting some images below of the painting of Nugget to show you the progression of the pastel painting.

Step 1: Line drawing and first pastel strokes

Step 2: All local color applied over drawing

Step 3: Detail developed as more pigment was added

Step 4: Eyes completed

Step 5: Painting sprayed with pastel fixative which darkens colors

Final Step 6: Color refreshed by adding highlights of pastel pigment

This painting was shipped to the owner after adding those final color highlights of pastel.

~

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Ink Sketch of Boy with Dog

13011-sk. Pigma Brush, Ink Sketch on Archival Heavyweight Sketchbook Paper, 8x10 inches.

This 10-minute ink sketch is a study for a larger painting to come. 

There is just something really satisfying about doing a quick sketch in ink. Artists must learn to draw without erasing, and ink sketching forces that practice. A quick ink sketch records an artist's first impressions of a subject. My next study of the boy and his dog will be a small watercolor painting. I'll share it in a few days. In the meantime, I am back to commissions and other projects. 

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

SandBoxer Portrait

13010. SOLD

for the benefit of Legacy Boxer Rescue in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. 

SAND BOXER • watercolor and ink • 5x7 inches
on 140# Arches cp paper
© Vernita Bridges Hoyt 2013

animal, dog art, pet portrait, illustration

I'm painting as fast as I can but not fast enough. This painting is of Dexter, a white boxer who is deaf ... but Dexter doesn't know it. Dexter acts as though he could hear. Dexter loves a sandbox. When I saw this kiddy pool filled with sand, I thought "what a great idea!" I bet my Thor boy would love that too.  I took a little artistic license and changed the background a bit, simplified the plastic pool design, but with the portrait I remained true to Dexter's look. 

This technique used in Dexter's portrait is an illustration style of watercolor wash and ink line.

Tonight I'll be on to the next boxer portrait on my list.

~

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

A Peanut for Boxer Rescue

13008. SOLD

All is well that ends well!

This is how the painting ended ... 

PEANUT 

watercolor on 140# Arches cp paper 

6x8 inches 

... and this is how it began.

I'm on a mission. Continuing through February, my small painting studies will be of Boxers (painted with owners' permission). I'll be donating my artist's fee (less shipping cost) to boxer rescue. I'm calling this my Art Helping Boxers fundraiser.

As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings. 
V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Bono, sketchbook portrait of Boxer Dog

13007. SOLD 
Sale of this painting was for the benefit of Four Seasons Boxer Rescue in North Carolina.

 boxer, dog, watercolor, ink, wash and line, animal art, realism, artist Vernita Bridges Hoyt

BONO. 5x7 inches. Ink and watercolor on sketchbook paper. Sold and shipped to Luxembourg.



As a child, I was reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings.

V. Bridges Hoyt — painting the sauce of Texas. 

Chef Dachsie says Happy Thanksgiving Week!

We are fast coming to Thanksgiving, so what better way to say Happy Thanksgiving than through Chef Dachsie, an oil painting from a few years ago that sold to benefit a Dachshund rescue.

A little good news:
My Chef Dachsie Thanksgiving card was selected as Design of the Day at Greeting Card Universe on November 12. You can see a large version of the card and the inside verse here.

Chef Dachsie has been my best greeting card seller. If you like the card, please click Like or Favorite underneath the card description at Greeting Card Universe. There will be no obligation for your doing that. Thanks!

Thanks for following my Texas Sauce Art Life.
V. Bridges Hoyt

As a child, I was constantly reprimanded for daydreaming. Today my daydreams morph into paintings. —Vernita Bridges Hoyt

Bailey Boxer Pet Portrait

BAILEY BOXER, watercolor, 10x8 inches.

Click image to view larger detail.

Last night I placed the final brush stroke on the painting of Bailey Boxer. Bailey took some time since I painted her in 15 or 20 minute increments over more than a month. Bailey is the second "Pay It Forward" promised painting I've completed from my list made almost two years ago. My next painting off this list will be a sunflower. As I said, these paintings are typically slow since I paint them in found minutes.

The painting of Bailey began with a freehand graphite sketch. Creating freehand allows me to capture the subject's personality. Besides, I enjoy the challenge of striking a good likeness through my own hand. Maybe you thought that all works of art are created freehand. They are not.  Many artists follow the practice of tracing a photograph to place not only the contour lines but also the color markings, shadow and light markings on their paper or canvas before filling in the areas with paint. That is just another method that is used to create paintings in today's busy world. To each his own methods. "Different strokes for different folks." In the case of artists, we can take that quote literally. [need a smiley face here]

These small paintings and bits and pieces I have been showing you in my last posts have basically been warmups before I could get back to painting portrait commissions. Finding my muse after Dad's death in May has been difficult. Two weeks ago I was at the funeral of my Aunt Mollie. Last Friday I said goodbye to my good friend and loyal companion Border Collie Brooke as she crossed over the rainbow bridge. With the completion of Bailey Boxer, I do feel ready to paint portraits again.