# Bears, Bluebonnets and Buffalo.



## DonH

This is a journal of my daily pastel work . First a bear:







. Texas Hill country bluebonnets:







A buffalo:


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## chanda95

So do you do both a pastel and a charcoal piece a day? 

I like your pastel work. The bear especially.


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## DonH

Thank you! My current daily average is 4, peaking at eight and a low of one. A few days are all charcoal as the tools travel more easily but I generally try to do both.


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## chanda95

HOLY COW! You are seriously seriously dedicated. KUDOS to you! I am lucky to get my 15 minute sketch in...but my life is a bit on the chaotic side. 

Impressive!


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## DonH

Thanks! Just following a choice I made to do this full time. This one is "A helping hand".


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## DonH

Apples in Pottery


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## PencilMeIn

I love "a helping hand"! That is so beautiful! I admire your dedication and love coming on here to see what you're latest works.


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## DonH

Thanks PMI! Though I have done quite a few sillhouete works, I believe that's my first in pastel. This next painting is, believe it or not, my first commissioned portrait: "Jazzbird"


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## chanda95

I love the use of color in the Jazzbird piece. It's very vibrant. NICE. 

Congrats on getting commission work too!


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## DonH

Thanks! ... this is the pastel version of the same landscapes I did today in Charcoal... "The Bison Herd"


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## DonH

Great Plains Buffalo.


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## DonH

After the Storm.


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## DonH

Kestrel


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## chanda95

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Kestrel! Super nice job on that Don.


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## chanda95

your charcoal and pastel work has a very soft look. I noticed that in your landscape works as well as in your great plains buffalo piece. I like your use of color in "After the Storm..but the kestrel just really stands out.


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## DonH

I had to look at my recent works to see what you meant about "soft"... hadn't really planned it but I do see what you mean, its rather a dreamy style without a great amount of sharp definition. The North American Kestrel work does have more definition as does this next one, a Harris' Hawk. It is from a photo I took of a Falcolner friend's Hawk that recently died about a week after taking the pic.


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## chanda95

Another great piece Don!


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## PencilMeIn

Beautiful!


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## DonH

Thank you Chanda and PencilMeIn! This one is an attempt at a "portrait" of a Pinyon Pine tree in my yard.







And now, back to the dreamy style, lol. This is "Platte River Buffalo"


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## chanda95

You know - I really like the work you do in color. Your charcoal is nice but your color work really seems to "pop".


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## johnbriner

DonH,

If I remember it right, this is the first time I've seen your pastel works because most of your past posts were made from charcoal. These are excellent, by the way. With your currently average of four art pieces per day, you are very productive and I believe you never run out of artistic concepts in mind. I really like "helping hand" and the "kestrel."


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## DonH

Thank you Chanda and John! Its a big world with infinite potential for art. This one came from near here in "A typical Saturday Afternoon"


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## chanda95

Lots of color and lots of movement! Nice! The only thing that throws it off a bit for me is the hind leg - seems a little off but otherwise I love it!


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## Keller

Don,

As I looked through the works you presented I like the ones that are less rigid and more suggestive. They suggest movement within the piece. With movement they create life beyond just the image presented. The last piece on page one "Bison Herd" I liked it the most, the suggestion of cattle in the field, the feel of it being late in the day, the line strokes. It has life to it. Keep going!


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## DonH

Thank you, Keller. You have expressed exactly what I was trying to convey in the Bison Herd. This style has been developing slowly and is where I feel at home.


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## DonH

You have a very keen eye, Chanda! I goofed on the hind leg. I decided to start over and do better. I wasn't really happy with much of the first one and spent about 5 hrs on this one.


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## DonH

This is a plein air painting of my current view to the north. Two super cell thunderstorms march off to the east.


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## DonH

Blacktails in the Snow.


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## DonH

Abandoned barns in a Kansas Wheat Field.


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## DonH

"Fishing".


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## DonH

Utah Paradise.


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## DonH

Arizona Majesty.


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## chanda95

DonH said:


> Arizona Majesty.


LOVE this one Don. It's great!!!


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda! That was an experiment, looks like its successfull! Next, a 21st century homage to Warhol's Campbell's Soup Can.


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## DonH

Hopi Pottery #2.


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## DonH

We got a late spring snow this morning. I couldn't resist some plein air work.


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## chanda95

That's real nice Don! We got a little snow this morning too - too cold. My mare shed off already so she isn't real thrilled. 

You did excellent on all three pieces!


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda! At least the snow melted quickly here.

This is my 300th work since I committed to learn painting on Feb 18th. I am using oil pastels, having only done a few paintings in it. This is the first time I actually enjoyed using them, finding that the medium shines with blending. This is "Blue Flowers", since I am clueless about their name, lol.


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## DonH

That posted twice. So this was to edit the 2nd one out.


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## chanda95

Hard to tell but they look like hyacinths to me. Either way - beautiful!! Congrats on 300 pieces! I admire your dedication and wish I could churn them out like you. My work takes me forever it seems. That's really great!


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## DonH

Thanks so much, Chanda! Your attention to detail in your work amazes me. Some day, I should slow down and put more detail in my own work. Today is grand experimentation day: I learned I can dilute oil pastels in lindseed oil and actually paint it with a brush, or do a wash. I learned I can mix charcoal, chalk pastels and oil pastels in the same painting! Here is the first result, "Break in the Fence"


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## chanda95

ooh - that's nice. It really strikes a cord with me. I love the use of colors. I think your experiment was a huge success!


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## DonH

Thanks! I had so much fun on that one, let's add one more to it. In chalk pastel, oil pastel, charcoal and watercolor, this is "The approaching storm".


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## chanda95

wow. Some of your best work yet (in my opinion). There is a lot of feeling in this piece.


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## DonH

Thank you Chanda! I was rather pleased with that one, myself. Here is one from my foggy memory. I have driven about 1.7 million miles all over North America as a long haul Truck driver. My mind is full of the things I've seen. This is like so many barns in the American West, placed in a typical high country setting. "High Country Barn"


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## DonH

This one is a significant new step for me, composed by plein air painting cottonwoods on my creek, a photo of a neighbor's Paint, and some imagination, this is "The Tracker".


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## PencilMeIn

Wow Don! My computer's been down and what a collection to come back to! I, too, admire your dedication and your works are great! Love the barbed wire ones!


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## chanda95

Glad your computer is back up and running! I KNOW Don cranks out pieces left and right! Its fun to come and see what new piece he has done.


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## DonH

Thanks PencilMeIn and Chanda! I was wondering where you were, PMI, glad you are back! 
I've done several today, but the others were essentially practices for this. I've been studying modern Impressionism, especially that of several current Taos artists. Imressionism, in its purest form is most suited for oil painting, which I will pursue one day. For now, I've adapted it to chalk pastel as best I can. This is "Aspen Fall"


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## chanda95

I like that a lot Don. I think because it looks like here in the fall. My favorite time of year is fall and watching the aspens changing.


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## DonH

No Aspens within 100 mi of here. 
This one is .. hmm don't have a title for it. Lol.


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## chanda95

Wow Don..That is a very unique piece! I like it. It feels like a mix of spanish and oriental (does that make sense?). I don't know how you did that but it's neat.


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## DonH

Thank you , Chanda! Its just a work from my imagination, I didn't really set out to do anything in particular. You gave me the idea to try again, and see what happens. This is portrait # 14.


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## DonH

Portrait #15.


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## chanda95

DonH said:


> Thank you , Chanda! Its just a work from my imagination, I didn't really set out to do anything in particular. You gave me the idea to try again, and see what happens. This is portrait # 14.


I really like this one. Very typical colors used around these parts. You could sell it in a heartbeat here!


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## chanda95

Whatcha got for us today Don??????


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## DonH

Thanks for the input on the Senorita! Today I had to do some business at a local feedlot. I noticed a cowboy's Mexican saddle. Here it is.


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## DonH

It is springtime here on the Tesesquite. New life is appearing everywhere. About 5 of these baby Cottontails are hopping around my home.


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## PencilMeIn

The saddle is awesome! Great attention to the details!


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## chanda95

The saddle IS really nice Don!!


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## DonH

The saddle was a challenge, but I learned a lot by doing it. Thank you PencilMeIn and Chanda!
This next one started as a study of a Taos Artist's painting, then I morphed it a bit with my own Ideas. "Morning Sunshine". 8 x 12.


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## chanda95

Don, this is absolutely lovely!!!! The colors are gorgeous, the subject matter is perfect. You have really outdone yourself.


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## DonH

I appreciate that so much, Chanda. I never dreamed of getting this far in a little under three months. 
I heard of an artist who has painted one pond 500 times. I'm not that crazy, but I'm going to study Pinyon trees here "en plein air". This was fun in the high wind today, but here are. Pinyon studies #3







. And #4.


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## DonH

After experimenting with neo-impressionism, I've noticed that each artist has a different technique. So, on this one, I gave myself permission to create a work out of the blue. Originally with a horrid tree background, I about trashed the painting. However, after a lot of erasing, I slapped up an old adobe wall. It was too plain, so, chilli peppers, a pot and a patch on the wall finished the painting out. "Adobe August"


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## chanda95

More beautiful pieces Don! Really nice. Do you ever go back and look at your very first piece and compare where you are now to then? I can see the improvement every single day. It's astounding.


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## DonH

I appreciate that, Chanda! Yes, I do look at it often. It was an attempt at copying a photograph of three horses. The funny thing is I identify more with it than what I do now. Every morning, I look at what is on my easel, the last work from the night before, always finished. (I seem to have some phobia about leaving any work unfinished before sleeping.) What I see in that first glimpse of the day always astounds me. I don't feel it possible that I, the guy with horrible handwriting and who can't draw squat, did that. But then I start in again. I pick up a piece of pastel chalk and the page becomes a living symphony all over again. It, of course, isn't as easy as that. I, daily, have to make intense effort to achieve some new skill.


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## DonH

Enough talk, lol. Here is "Before Horses". 9 x 12.


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## DonH

Well, "Morning Sunshine" and "Adobe August" both sold, so I'm continuing that series with "Ranch Wedding". Yep I'm being grilled as to just who these women really are. Lol.


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## DonH

"Pretty in Boots".


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## DonH

You know… after doing this one, it looks like a scene from "Grease".


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## chanda95

Ya better stop doing portraits of women Don. Your gonna get in trouble!!!  NICE!

That last one DOES look really Grease like! What do you have for us today??


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## DonH

Trying to stay out of trouble here. This is a Pinyon Jay, similar to the Western Scrub Jay.


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## chanda95

Love it! The Pinyon Jays here are quite a bit more gray in color - not so blue. You have a way with birds Don.


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda! The pinon jays here can have a greyer look, depends on the sunshine. 
I am studying Norman Rockwell now. This is a portrait where I attempt to learn how he colors. "The Gambler".


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## DonH

More portraits. Wild Bill Hickock.







and I don't know who this is.


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## chanda95

The Gambler! Love it! Very nice Don.


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## DonH

Thank you, Chanda! That one gives me hope of actually realizing my goals. 
Here is "A Dusty Ride".


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## chanda95

Nice aura with this one! The only thing I see is that the rider looks a bit stiff. It looks like he is standing in the stirrups as there is very little bend in the leg or the body. But then again probably not everybody is going to see that or care about that. 

Overall though this piece really puts you there..and actually - strange as it may sound - your background also reminds me of when it's fire season here, when the sun sets behind the mountain and a fire is boiling you get that kind of "smoke haze" where everything is visible but really really dream like. 

Another really nice piece.


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## DonH

Chanda, how bout if I say He is riding military style? Lol. Or that he just stood up in the stirrups to see that calf He's chasing? Okay, dangit, ya caught me. I was being lazy in drawing his leg. I can't do that if I want to move to the next level. And yes I though of a grass fire also. (We had a big one near here today from dry lightning.


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## chanda95

DonH said:


> Chanda, how bout if I say He is riding military style? Lol. Or that he just stood up in the stirrups to see that calf He's chasing? Okay, dangit, ya caught me. I was being lazy in drawing his leg. I can't do that if I want to move to the next level. And yes I though of a grass fire also. (We had a big one near here today from dry lightning.


LOL!! Tell ya what. I will buy the standing in the stirrups to see the calf story. The military style?? eh..not so much. It is a very nice piece though and you should be really proud of it!

I don't even want to talk about fire season. We are so dry here that our mountains are like tinderboxes. Gonna be a bad one if we don't get moisture soon.


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## DonH

"Mystery Forest".


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## chanda95

ooooh. I like that one a lot!


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda!

Here is a bit more realism: "Autumn Brilliance".


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## chanda95

WELL DONE!!! Really lovely Don. Beautiful use of colors. Wow. So nice.


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## Blunder

"Mystery Forest" and "Autumn Brilliance" are both well done.

Thank you for posting them. They're teaching me something.


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## DonH

Thank you Chanda and Blunder! I'm still very much a student ,Blunder. Trying to find out what I can do best.

This is "Forest Cathedral".


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## DonH

Rocky Falls.


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## DonH

The Lighthouse- Palo Duro Canyon, Tx.


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## chanda95

They are all great Don but I love Forest Cathedral. You are really cranking out some super nice ones lately. I really think pastels is where it's at for you.


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda. I do feel at home in pastel work. 
I'm headed over to restock the first gallery and set up in a new one. I just heard they are having a Route 66 convention next weekend in the area of the first one, so I whipped these three out for it. "Cadillac Ranch".







. "Cadillac Ranch II".







. "The Blue Swallow".


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## chanda95

Those ought to do well. Particularly the Blue Swallow. Route 66 people (if they are anything like they are here) are prone to snap stuff like that up in a heartbeat. NICE! Good luck with it all and let us know how it goes. I take it you are selling pieces if you are having to go and re-stock?


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## DonH

Sold 2. Here is my 2nd showing at the Panhandle Arts Center Gallery.


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## PencilMeIn

Love the forest ones, Don, and "the Lighthouse" I couldn't stop looking at it. I see it's in the gallery, should sell easy.


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## DonH

Little time for art these days, but I forced myself to sit for a few minutes to paint this scene, "Rough seas on a Sunny Day".


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## chanda95

That is quite the departure for you and I like this one. It is dreamy yet the sun seems blazing hot. Really a neat piece.


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## DonH

Thanks Pencilmein for the encouragement! Thank you Chanda. The inspiration for the Sea scene was, oddly enough, Van Gogh's Starry Night. I know, there is no direct connection, but within an hour of viewing it again, this style of a sun popped in my head, and I created a scene to showcase it. So the sun is the centerpiece. Good job spotting that fact!


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## DonH

"A Ray of Light". 14 x 17 on Wallis Pastel Paper.







.


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## DonH

A better photo of the painting.


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## chanda95

That is really pretty and serene Don. Its one of those pictures that you can put yourself into - Smell the damp earth and watch the leaves fall off the tree.


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## DonH

That's the idea Chanda. Terrible drought here, I guess this is my excapism. Thanks.
100 posts in one thread! I hope we don't. Break the site!
This one continues the forest theme, entirely imaginary, its called "Greenwood Path".


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## chanda95

Yup - It's bad here too. We haven't had significant moisture (any really) in a LONG time. Dug down 2 feet the other day - not a drop of moisture in the soil. We are in bad bad shape. 

Been dealing with the smoke from those Arizona fires too. That's horrible. Worried its gonna happen here because our oh so wonderful Forest Service hasn't done much thinning and there are some pretty gnarly places on those mountains right now. Scary. 

The new piece is gorgeous. You know - Some of your work would be great in a fantasy novel...This looks like an enchanted forest.


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda! We get the smoke too, even worse with the Los Alamos fire. I am a volunteer firefighter, its been a horrible season.

This is one of my favorite views, the Organ Mountains at sunset.


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## chanda95

Looks like a Van Gogh sky to me!!! Seen those bare mountains many a time..


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## DonH

You got it! It was supposed to look like his skies.


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## chanda95

I really like it Don. The colors are awesome and it just draws you into it.


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## DonH

Thanks! That one was from memory. This one was yet another experiment, where I started furiously drawing on a blank page, without a plan, letting it simply develop. At some point, I had to shift to conscious finishing. 1 hr 15 min to complete, this is "Transitions".


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## PencilMeIn

> where I started furiously drawing on a blank page, without a plan, letting it simply develop.


I so envy your creativity, Don. I need to take some lessons from you.


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## DonH

Thank you Pencilmein! Your work is highly creative and I envy you! How bout that?

I was introduced today as a landscape artist. After thinking about it, I did this. Call it "Sunshine" or "Girl enjoying the landscape".


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## chanda95

There is a certain feel to this piece that I like. 

ok..bear with me on this but again its how my mind works....I can see this same picture clear as day but added in her standing by a stretch of blacktop with the same lonely background you have here. Its a neat piece and again you always seem to stretch yourself and draw just about anything..


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## DonH

Thank you, Chanda. It was not well received otherwise, that's the way it goes. I did have the feeling something else was needed, a stretch of blacktop might do it.


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## DonH

Taking what I've learned from recent lessons, mixing it with my style and here is "Spring Snow".


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## DonH

Here is my setup as I painted Spring Snow liv at the gallery where I exhibit. A few people were entertained by my first ever attempt at painting in public.


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## chanda95

I am very impressed Don. Thats beautiful. So glad to see you posting new works again. How long did this take you?


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## DonH

Thanks Chanda! It took a little over two hours. When I'm in the groove, everything just clicks. I've been invited to do another one here tomorrow.


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## PencilMeIn

> It took a little over two hours.


I just want you to know I hate you for that, lol! Another great one and love the gallery pic. Did it make you nervous to have people watching you?


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## DonH

Lol, PMI! Actually it was fun doing it with an audience. Well I took some more time on it today, if that will make you feel better. Upgrades in light and coloring.


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## DonH

One more update. Some color added for spring effect.


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## DonH

"A Lifetime of Roping". Monochrome Burnt Umber. 14 x 17 (live sketch of a neighbor.)


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## chanda95

Nice! That looks really neat Don.


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## liang

Thanks, for sharing this information. Nice posting go ahead.


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## Michael Graves

Woooow, loving it Don!


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## DonH

Thanks Michael!


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