Inks Lake paintout, 3/31/12

Ronnie Williford, Bruce Tinnin, Evgeny Lubaev, Frank Gabriel

En plein aire

Nothing like being out in a field of flowers on a Spring day!

March Bluebonnets

8"x10" oil on linen panel

Drove up to Marble Falls to see the folks on Saturday. I must have stopped a dozen times to take photos.

After a visit, I left my dog Stella, (too much cactus), and headed back out to paint. This area was in Kingsland just across from The Legends Golf Course down a winding dirt road. It was hard to pick a spot to paint!

Bridges Corral

9"x12" oil 

Got up early on Saturday, St. Paddies Day to meet with the Plein Air Artists group for the first time for a paintout at the Bridges Ranch in Driftwood.

It was cloudy with strong winds and I managed to capture a wee fragment of sky breaking through. Our host, Trisha, informed me that this corral was over 150 years old!

Thanks to the group for allowing an outsider to join them.

After The Rain

8"x10" oil on linen panel

After nearly a week of storms, the rain ceased on Sunday and I loaded up to search for bluebonnets. I trekked to Driftwood where I've seen fields of the purple/blue flower in the past. Alas, no bluebonnets, but I discovered this wonderful spot where the fields were full of yellow flowers and this little puddle of standing water reflecting the sky.

Twin Lakes

8"x10" oil on linen panel

Sunday was warm and breezy, so I decided to paint at the Twin Lakes YMCA in Cedar Park. This is where part of Brushy Creek starts, this little tributary off of the lake.

Rounding The Corner

8"x10" oil on linen panel

After driving around for 2 hours taking photos and mental notes, much to the relief of my dog, Stella, I chose this little shed hiding off the road in the trees at about 4:30. The farmers were out with their tractors and I was a little nervous that I'd have to pack up and get out of the way. It was very breezy and the clouds were flying by. It looks like Spring is on the way and evident in the grass and the shrub near the entrance.

Hutto Stable

8"x10" oil on linen panel

Saturday was a beautiful mid-60's with slight wind and bright skies. I found this stable along with a house and outbuildings that had seen many years of neglect while I was driving down numerous County Roads in the Hutto farmland. It's actually on the other side of the field from my last studio painting, "Stories To Tell".
 

Stories To Tell

18"x24" oil on linen

Just finished this studio painting. Like most of my studio work, I like to take another look after a week of so just be certain I didn't miss anything. This little shack was in the middle of a field in Hutto, Texas overlooking soon to be crops. I imagine it's only time, (and money), before the farmer cuts down the trees and plows over the building.

Still Standing

8"x10" oil on linen panel

This is a cotton gin in Hutto, Texas that now plays host to the occasional farmers market and houses all of Hutto's unissued garbage bins.

Think I'll be coming back for some fresh produce soon.