MOOSE - KRYSTAL

Gary Keimig recently began a monthly wildlife art challenge called Wilderness Art Challenge. He launched it in March with a reference photo of a bighorn sheep. Last month, it was a Shira moose traipsing through a meadow.......
Not being one to pass up an opportunity to paint a Shira moose traipsing through a meadow, I painted the one below with acrylics on a 5 x 7 canvasboard.

Sometimes Free is the Best Price There Is

Next door to my little studio gallery here in Burnet, is a older, established gallery/gift shop called ArtHaus. It is owned and run by a former German beauty queen...Heike Yost. Heike sponsors many workshops and instruction courses...particularly for the younger artists. From paints to clay modeling to scrapbooking, Heike does it all. Helping her from time to time is a young lady named Krystal Cates. Krystal has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. She rides the KARTS bus into Burnet twice a week, arriving at Arthaus about an hour before it opens. I'm always up and open, so Krystal comes to my shop to visit and spoil my dogs, Pokey and TacoBelle, with lavish attention.

Recently, the family dog of many years, Greta, passed away. A constant companion to her father, Greta's parting was a big blow to him. Krystal asked if I could paint a portrait of Greta that she could give to him. The photo she gave me wasn't too good...very little definition. I did the 8x10 acrylic below. I didn't charge anything, of course, but I guess I got lucky on the likeness, because I was met with tears of joy and praise from her and her Momma....and a gigantic piece of the best chocolate cake I've ever had. A million dollars couldn't buy those marvelous expressions of gratitude.

The Windows to the Words April Challenge, "Flower Power" wound up with some remarkable submissions...including ones from Canada, Russia, The Phillippines, and India. You can view them, like this lotus bloom from Faith Te of The Phillippines. by clicking HERE


Cya down the road....James