Cooper

A week or two ago I posted a Work In Progress paint-wash of Cooper and talked about meeting this handsome Lab in the Post Office parking lot.  Cooper was taking in the cool air and had his head out the car window enjoying the day.  I stopped and started talking to Cooper and his owner.  I found out that Cooper has training in search and rescue work and loves doing his job.  He is a delight and I have enjoyed painting this very special dog.  Meeting Cooper has made for, "A Painting Day".

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Star Momma

The painting today is of a momma cow that caught my eye as I was driving into town one day.  Her markings were just as painted, one big star on her forehead.  You can see she is taking a look back at me and who knows what she was thinking but she was patient and let me snap a few photos.  Heading to the post office made for, "A Painting Day".

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Bull Calf

I sometimes wonder at how lucky I am to live in the back country of Sutter Creek, California.  It is very quiet here and you get a sense of what it must of been like before the settling of the area and the Gold Rush era.  There are cattle ranches dotting the hills and mountain sides here in the valley.  My up close neighbor's look pretty much like the calf above.  Black Angus stock thrive here.  Enjoying the neighbors made for, "A Painting Day".

"Bull Calf"-8x10-inches oil/canvas by Ruth Andre SOLD
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Just Blue

Today was one of those days.  I had computer work to catch up with in the morning and I also had a  Zorolla online class featuring Logan Hagege in the afternoon.  I love Logan's work and I was filled with pure joy and anticipation as I watched the hours tick away.  I have a few paintings in process in the studio right now and they all needed a bit more time to dry before the next round of paint so I started a painting totally different from my usual western and animal portraits.  The old truck is called, "Just Blue" due to its look of having better days.  Actually I really love old trucks especially if they still run.  Thinking made for, "A Painting Day".

"Just Blue"-6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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Cayenne a Memory Portrait

Cayenne was born on our farm in Missouri.  She had a hard delivery and from the moment she hit the ground she was into something and everything.  She was a nibbler, a follow-you-around type horse or what I call a people horse.  Her mother, Angel, is the head mare and Cayenne considered herself Head Princess.  We lost Cay a couple of years ago to colic.  We have missed Cay and I have wanted to paint her portrait for sometime but just was not ready to take on the challenge.  Yesterday I started the drawing and today the paint brushed on and as the portrait started to show Cay's personality and her features it was pure joy and sadness all in one.  Having Cayenne in my life has made for, "A Painting Day".

"Cayenne" 8x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre-Gift to my husband Tom
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Desert Spirit

This is the third painting of my Wild Series.  The images are small colorful studies that may later be painted again on much larger canvas'.  It has been fun to experiment with color and I have found that the spirit of the animal comes through with the color change. I will post all three works below so you can see them as a group.  It has been fun and taking another look at color has made for, "A Painting Day".


"Montana Blue 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
"Desert Spirit" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
"Red Horse" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre

Pink Piglet & Diana Moses Botkin Challenge

Today is special due to the fact it is my first post for the Moses Botkin Challenge.  There are 6 artists that participate in the challenge.  The January Challenge was chosen by Sharman Owings to paint something that starts with the letters "p i".  I gave that a bit of thought and came up with Pink Piglet.  I hope you like this little piglet portrait.  She was a lot of fun to paint.  You will find paintings from the other Challenge members below.  Taking on the Challenge made for, "A Painting Day".

"Pink Piglet"-6x6-inches oil/canvas by Ruth Andre Sold
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Diana Moses Botkin
"Pineapple on the Snow" ©
http://dianamosesbotkin.blogspot.com

Robin Cheers
"Old Pickup" © -6x8-inches
http://robincheers.blogspot.com

Vicki Ross
"Apples for Pie" ©  11x14 inches Pastel on Pasteboard
http://www.vickiandrandyrossart.blogspot.com/

Suzanne Berry

"Piggy" © -10x10-inches oil/linen

http://suzanneberry.blogspot.com

Sharman Owings

"Pilsner" © 6x6-inches oil/panel

http://sharmanowingspaintings.blogspot.com

Lace

The painting today was done for a client that commissioned works for her 5 grandchildren.  The client wanted each child to have a horse painting.  Three of the children were girls and one  had red hair so I thought an Appaloosa filly might be just right for the young horse lover.  This is "Lace" a very charming young filly.  My client made for, "A Painting Day".  

"Lace"-6x8-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre Sold

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A Painting Day Shopping Gallery

Red Horse

Today I made every attempt to work on my paintings for the coming Texas Western exhibit but the paint was still wet and a bit sticky on the canvas' so decided to finish a painting for a coming monthly Group Challenge.  I am happy to report I have been invited to join the Diana Moses Botkin Challenge group and we will all be posting this Friday for the January Challenge.  It should be fun to see what each member of the group paints for the challenge.  The theme and our paintings are secret until the day for posting so look for the Challenge post at the end of the week.  I still had some time to spare this afternoon and took the second canvas for the Albuquerque exhibit judging and painted another wild painting with the colors of the Southwest.  This is "Red Horse",  a wild stallion.  My studio was filled with color and it made for, "A Painting Day".

"Red Horse" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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A Painting Day Shopping Gallery

Montana Blue

The studio is buzzing today with several paintings in different stages of completion.  Cooper is waiting patiently for his next coat of color.  I had an idea in my head and just had to give it a try. Sometimes you cannot wait to work efficiently you just go for it.  I wanted to push myself out of my subtle color palette and see what it would be like to paint something a bit wild.  I am experimenting and plan to send this painting on to be judged for a show in Albuquerque.  Going a bit Wild has made for, "A Painting Day".

"Montana Blue"-6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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Cooper Day One-Work In Progress

This is a first day sketch and wash for the painting, "Cooper".  I just got the painting started this afternoon and hope to add the first lay in of color wash tomorrow.  I made the acquaintance of Cooper as I was walking through the post office parking lot.  Cooper had his head out the car window and I was just so taken with this handsome black Labrador Retriever. In the next day or two hopefully you will see the shining coat and "kind eye" that just dazzled me and made me want to paint him.  Meeting Cooper made for, "A Painting Day".

"Cooper" (Work in Progress) 9x12-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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Just For Fun

Photofunia highlighting the painting "Uthyr"

"Uthyr" - 6x6-inches oil canvas

I have been busy in the studio getting canvas' ready and drawings ready for future paintings.  I have been invited to show for the 3rd year at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum for a western exhibit and the deadline is coming up early next month.  Before panic sets in I should have the three new paintings painted, framed and ready to ship but I need to get in the studio and stay in the studio.  I am also entering a small works show in Albuquerque, New Mexico and it is a first for me so I may try something a little different?  The paintings for theses shows call for smaller works but as soon as these paintings are completed I am taking on a larger canvas.  Just for fun I have added a photo to the Photofunia site image and am showing the small 6x6 -inch painting, "Uthyr" in a gallery setting.  The look is large and I love seeing "Uthyr on a much larger canvas.  You can tell I am eagerly awaiting to tackle some larger paintings.  Enjoying studio time is making for, "A Painting Day".

"Uthyr" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre

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Painted Pony

I had some sad news of a horse, "Mare" (Mack's Little Texas) that died on New Year's Day.  The post today is a tribute to "Mare". She in many ways has had a charmed life.  She lived in the prairie lands of Colorado bordering Wyoming.  She was the head mare to a small herd of horses and mules.  Mare was also a beautiful horse that held your gaze when looking out to the pasture.  I painted Mare a few years ago from a reference photo taken by Tori Seavey at Snowy Ridge Ranch.  Tori is a photographer, rancher, leather artists, horse trainer, mom, wife and all around nice person.  Tori has also started a new blog and I think you will find it intriguing to read the day to day activities of ranch life on the plains.  Click HERE for Tori's Blog.  Sadly I say good-bye to Mare.  May she find a new herd to lead in heaven.  Meeting Tori and her herd has made for, "A Painting Day".

 "Painted Pony"-10x10-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre sold
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Happy New Year

Every year I take on writing down a few resolutions for the New Year.  Some get done and some take a few years to process.  I think writing down your goals is a good way to set them in motion.  This year I have one goal that made it to the top of the list and that is to start painting larger works once again.  I have been caught up with the small format day to day blog posts.  It is time to get back to my vision.  The photos below will give you an idea of what painting big looks like in my small 10x12 foot studio.  I am standing on a box in these photos.  The painting in progress is "Mystery" 60x40-inches.  Thinking BIG has made for, "A Painting Day".

Here is the finished painting-"Mystery" 60x40-inches, oil on canvas

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