Figure Workshop with Cathy Bird

Finally a 4 day workshop on the figure. Very intense. So much work! I was absolutely exhausted at the end of the days. These are a few of the final products. All in oil.

"Voluptuous Woman"

I love painting and drawing large women. This one is about 30 x 30

All day pose.

"The Three faces of Eve"

about 30 x 22

No her name wasn't Eve. The day had us doing 3 poses of the same person in 3 different outfits in 3 different poses. Each pose was around 30 - 45 minutes. She would do the poses and then do them again, then again = 9 sittings. Had no idea how I was going to compose this as I was doing the first pass at each pose. You may not see it all real clearly here. With all of these - when the time was up it was up. There is lots left not fully resolved thus I don't consider any of these finished. Just thought I would share.

"Barefooted Bride"

about 18 x 15

This was an all day pose so there was lots of time to develop it, but still not enough. I was pleased with the outcome on this one.

The final day had us doing eleven 15 minute poses. All depicting strong emotion. I did them in pencil.

Non shown here.

Aug, 6, 2012

"The Seductive Stairway", 9 x 12ish, oil on panel

I see this stairway every time I go to Manor Park to see the Highland cattle grazing. It is down near the small lake where the swans and the other water fowl are. I won't tell you what is at the top of the stairs -  that's your choice.

"Longwool Couple", 8 x 10, oil on panel
SOLD

These are Wesleydale Longwool sheep. I found them at the Kent County show and got to meet their owners and eventually ended up at their farm to take lots of reference photos. Their wool is absolutely beautiful and of course I got 2 fleeces to process and spin. The bonus for me was the visit with the lady  afterwards. She is a really good artist so we had lots in common.

"Lost in the Field". 10 x 8, oil on panel, done solely with 3 sticks.

This painting is the result of a painting challenge that I came upon through Facebook. It was fun. Not quite like a palette knife painting but close. I had to make friends with the sticks because they were not uniform or flat. One stick did get a little bit of a sanding though.

Gypsy Horse Journal Feature

"Nibbling" 9 x 12, oil on panel

I just found out that I DID make the feature artist in Gypsy Horse Magazine. It is called "Behind the Easel with Eileen Kling McConkey" 4 pages!. I am very excited. Check it out. I could not get the magazine cover onto my blog but this photo is the first one in the article.

http://issuu.com/hypmagazine1/docs/ghj_spring_summer_2012

Back on the Pallet Again

"Mama's Horns", 8 x 10, oil on linen
SOLD

"Grazing in the Corner of the Park"

8 x 10, oil on panel

It has been a while since I have painted. A trip home to Ohio and other involvements took centre stage for a while. I am a bit more on track right now but am distracted a bit by a beautiful batch of Wensleydale Longwool sheep's fleece begging to be processed and spun into wool. Watch for a painting or two of these amazing sheep.

Tearnden Farm

"Tearnden Farm"

12 x 9, oil on panel

This 17th century barn in amazing inside and out. It is the site for the upcoming Kent Affordable Art Show put on by the Malling Rotary Club in June. I am helping to organize this show and of course I will be showing in it too. If this painting is not sold by then, it will be up for raffle with all of the proceeds going to Eradicate Polio Worldwide.

On an artistic level, I am enjoying adding a bit more boldness to the coloring.

The Path to Ryarsh

The Path to Ryarsh

12 x 9, oil on panel

I am learning more about color and loving it. Still lots more to learn but I am having fun with it.

This picture of my painting has a new watermark on it. I came across picmonkey.com where you can dp all sorts of photo editing. So, if I remember, I will be adding this to all of my posts from now on.

A Landscape

Lone Tree

9 x 12, oil on panel

I was taking a one hour walk that turned into two because I get turned around. Along the way I saw this tree. It's shape stood out against the starkly simple landscape. I actually enjoyed painting this landscape - and I have to say that the 'landscape' does not usually pull me to paint it. In fact, I have started another one that I am enjoying as well. They just don't take the kind of extreme concentration that the figures and animals do. If I get the file resizing down right I will be entering  it into an online art competition on composition.

"Connection"

"Connection"

8 x 10, oil on linen panel

I love this painting. I loved taking the photos for it. It was on a farm with about 50 horses all around. The owner here, Suzanne, is a neighbor of mine and she runs the boarding business at her parent's farm, a 10 minute's walk from where I live. I am so fortunate to be where I am. If I could do my life over again it sure would have horse owning in it. 

To date, I have done 5 paintings of Millie. She is so stunning. On this photo shoot day I was so moved by her and about being surrounded by so many other horses that tears dribbled out of my eyes - several times. When I die and go wherever it is that one goes, there will be lots and lots of animals there and I will be able to kiss and cuddle them all for eternity..

More inspiration from our walks

"Casting Shadows", 5 x 7, oil on panel
SOLD

What is it about long shadows that is so intriguing? I guess that it is because it puts more drama into sunlight. It breaks up the visual space into so many cool abstract pieces. I am working on several 

5 x 7s gearing up for summer shows. Wouldn't it be nice if I just had to keep doing loads of them because they were sold. That would be a nice problem to have.

"Red Weeds", 5 x 7, oil on panel

Another one with those rickety fences that are so prevalent here and that have such character. I have another 5 x 7 in the works with one of them in it. You will see it soon.

More Gypsy Horses

"Nibbling", 9 x 12, oil on linen panel

(C) Eileen McConkey 2012 

Once again this one shows how much I am drawn to the dramatic light and the close-up and different poses. I think I do the close-ups because I really would love to be eating that closely with them. I want to be touching them so I guess that I want others to as well. It helps me to have a more complete experience of them.

"In Mama's Shadow", 9 x 12, oil on linen panel

(C) Eileen McConkey 2012 

This one is not a close-up but I was really struck by the way the sunlight seemed to pervade all parts of the scene - even into the shadows, thus the lack of stark contrasts. I just don't see how gypsy horses and highland cattle can see with all of that hair in their faces.

I have joined an on-line group on Facebook called Equine Artists. There are some pretty amazing artists there - some mediocre ones too I must say. I am always pushing to be above the mediocre ones. Sometimes I am better and sometimes I wonder. Such is the psychological life of an artist - at least me as an artist.

Sheep and Mountains. Trees and Shadows

A Walk in the Mountains of Peru

9 x 12, oil on panel

My daughter's friend Anna does beautiful things in the world for other people.  Along the way she traveled to Peru and allowed me to use a photo of this scene as reference for this painting. I very seldom use other peoples photos but I am happy to have used this one. Once again, there is something about butts that is fascinating to me. This is actually a painting that I sanded down and started again. I don't recall if I had posted the first version but if I did, and you want to bother finding it in the old posts, you will see that there is quite an improvement.

Late Afternoon Shadows

100cm x 100 cm,  oil on canvas

I started painting a non-objective abstract here. I haven't done an abstract in maybe a year or so and I wanted to dive back into that pool. But the call of the oils and the call of the representational subject matter was too strong so it came down to this. I must say, it did feel really good to be working big again. Too bad my storage limitations does not allow for lots of the bigger ones. I suppose I could sell more of them and then I would not have to worry about storage.

There are some wonderful things about England that I love, and the paths is one of them. Plugging in my love for the dramatic and there you have it. 

Holy Cow! It's growing.

The hits are growing every day for my video. It is fun to keep track of it. 

In the meantime I just keep painting and trying to get the word out. Getting a few "Shares" in FACEBOOK that help. I'll be looking for music to go with horses soon if anyone has any suggestions...

Holy Cow! It's Here! .... on YouTube!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xdZryp31V4&context=C3ee85f6ADOEgsToPDskKalRIjsZW3oyyBEyAbSBAU

Exclusively on my Blog (for now).       My first attempt at a video.
 Lots of work. Lots of fun. It's a good thing that I really like the song cause I sure did hear it enough times as I was editing this.  I already have ideas on how to do the next one better. Enjoy. 

Coming soon to a computer near you - Holy Cow!

Coming soon - HOLY COW! The video.

I have spent a good part of the last 5 days working on my first video. I got on a free video making program called Videopad. It has taken 5 days so far, partly because I have never done this before and partly because of some of the glitches in the program (at least the free version of it). I have a new respect for film editors that's for sure.

So hopefully some time today or tomorrow I will be posting the results. Let me know if there are problems  with opening it.

If this one is successful then be watching for more themed videos in my video portfolio. And of course, if it works please pass it on.    :-)

Struck by Sunlight

Struck by Sunlight

8 x 10, oil on linen panel

This one was more of a struggle than I thought it would be after my other painting with a sunlit fence just fell into place. I plan on doing a few more of this kind of fence hit by sunlight. They are all over the place in my area of England and have such cool character, especially when they have some age on them.

And, as usual, the painting is much better than the photo.

I have made a concerted effort to increase my FaceBook friends and to get more people to like my 'page'. Many of my friends are people I do not know and many of them are other artists. Here are a few of them. From time to time I will add to the list. I really enjoy promoting other artists works. It's the least I can do.
 Enjoy.

Dan McCaw: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000640957580
Guy Garnier:    https://www.facebook.com/guy.garnier
Cody Hooper:https://www.facebook.com/Codyhooperart
Megan Heegin Triantafillou:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1512717322
Dreama Tolle Perry : https://www.facebook.com/DreamaTollePerry
Craig Srebnik: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=624690729&sk=wall

The Finished Painting

ALIGHT

8 x 10

oil on linen panel

This painting was really wonderful to do. It sure had it's challenges but those challenges are teaching me.  I love the unique perspective of this one. I love that it is not identifiable right off the bat. I think I succeeded in capturing the glow of the sunlight as it filtered through this gypsy horse's mane. My love affair with the gypsy horse is not over yet.

A different view

Notan

8 x 10

What is it? - Hint: I love this subject matter.

Phase 2 - adding 1st pass of color.

Can you tell yet?

White Highland Calf

This was the Notan I did based on the photo I took of this Highland Calf . I ended up changing some of the values to make a more dramatic end composition.

White Highland Calf

12 x 9

oil on panel

I am very pleased at how this turned out. 

The low sunbeams helped to create the drama in this lazy, serene moment.

One of the things I enjoy about being an artist and painting representationally is that it is a way for me to have the subject matter that I love to dig deep into my soul and take root so that my experience of them is even more fulfilling. I love this little animal.

English Path #5

English Path #5

7 x 5

Oil on panel
SOLD

I am finding a few themes within my current works - Highland Cattle, Gypsy Horses and English Paths. Each  touch my heart and capture tidbits of what I truly enjoy about my experience living in England.  I find the paths most beautiful with low sunlight beams brushed across them, which is easy to get all day long here in the winter (if the sun is shining) because we are so far north.

Gypsy Horse

"A Bite of Sunshine"

9 x 12, oil on canvas panel

One of the gypsy horses here on the farm. 

Notan

 Trying something new - Notan, the simplest kind. Notan means black and white and in painting one does a sketch making everything in shadow to be black and everything in light to be white.

This is my pencil drawing.

Next, draw the image onto the canvas and paint the black and white. This canvas happened to have a pinkish background so I left it. Now to keep the coloring in mind that would mean darker values in the shadows and lighter values in the light.

The whole notan system has me thinking clearer. I look forward to more exploration of this method.

 Finished painting:

 "Just a Sip"

5 x 7

Oil on canvas

SOLD

Another Walk. Another Painting

Misty Morning

5 x 7, Oil on Panel

I take lots of walks around West Malling. I really do appreciate this part of England. When I don't forget my camera I can get loads of great paintng subjects. This was one of them.

"Scrambled Eggs Maker"

each canvas is 2 1/2" square

Framed in one, 4-holed frame

I have painted from the reference photo before but had lots of fun cropping it up to these bits. I think that may paint from other already used references too. I learn more each time I do it.

"My Cows Love the Shade"

24 x 30cm

oil on panel

SOLD

So often when I take my walk up to the park to see the Highland Cattle there I find them napping under the trees. I slowly work my way into their midst so as not to startle them and to let them know that I am a friend. If I could, I would actually go up and give them a big cuddle but I know that they would not put up with that so I have to just use my imagination and pretend that I do.

"Falling Fence"

3 x 5

Oil on panel

SOLD

The autumn sun shows at a lower and lower angle as the year gets old. This makes for some great photo opps and painting references. There are lots of these rickety old fences around in this part of England. You will see more paintings of some of them one of these days. Working this small not only gets a painting done faster but ends up teaching me more and more about painting in oils.

Cascade at St. Mary's Abbey

The Cascade at St. Mary's Abbey

24 x 30cm

Oil on panel

This painting is an iconic image in West Malling where I live. 218 years ago Turner also painted this. I love knowing that as I walk the road from my house to the village, I am walking in his footsteps. And doing the same view of the water just gives me tingles.