LARGEST PAINTING EVER

"Santa Elena Canyon" 48" x 60" oil

This is my first attempt at a really large painting.
It is 48" x 60" and was painted from a field sketch
and a few reference photos. Santa Elena is one
of our state's most famous canyons. I have not
taken a float trip into the canyon but I've heard it
is quite the ride.

The challenge in painting the canyon as a plein air
piece and in the studio was lighting the canyon.
The only light came from reflected lights coming
off the wall of the right canyon wall and the sky. There
was no direct light anywhere in the canyon.

Photography was useless. Everything was black.
My plein air sketch saved me because I had
captured the light and remembered it when I finally
got around to producing the studio piece.

MORE BIG BEND

" Big Bend Washout" 9" x 12" oil

Can't seem to get enough of Big Bend. Got to admit
the place impressed me. This gulley is typical of
the ones running throughout the park. After a ten hour
drive I had just entered the park about an hour
before sundown. The gulley was catching the late
afternoon sun and the mountains had started turning
various shades of blue and purple. There are no
mountains in north Texas where I live. The scene was
was surreal and definitely worth the paint time.

PORT A PAINT-OUT

Along with fellow artists David Moreland Bates, LaNell Arndt,
Roy Murray and Lynn Dicky, I participated in the first annual
paint-out sponsored by Port A Gallery. The event included three
days of painting in and around the historic fishing village, harbor
and jetties. There was a Quick Draw event and my painting
"Port A Harbor" won the competition.

Port A Gallery put on a successful and heavily attended artists
reception and show. Gallery owners Rick and Cameron Pratt
put on a great event and I look forward to going back next year.



Painting the jetties

Port A Gallery owners Rick and Cameron Pratt
next to their fully restored MG




Rick announces the start of the Quick Draw
with a bagpipe tune. The bagpipes could be
heard throughout the harbor as he drove around
in the convertible MG




"Captain D" 8" x 10" oil on linen


Rick Pratt, David Moreland Bates and me



Rick Pratt and me at the opening

NEW BOOK by Bob Rohm

"The Painterly Approach" by Bob Rohm

Bob and I have painted together for about four years.
We've painted all over Texas and Colorado. I can tell
you from my own personal experiences with Bob, he is
the "go-to-guy" whenever I have questions about
painting, especially plein air painting outdoors. Bob is a
master craftsman, excellent communicator and knows
how to paint with the best of them.


There are certain kinds of people I like to paint with.
If you want to get up before the sun comes up to
catch a good morning painting, paint throughout the
day out of fear of missing something good and then
catch that last ray of light as it disappears over the
horizon...then give me a call. We should go paint. Bob's
that kind of guy and I enjoy the heck out of
painting with him


He has a gentle way of telling me I just painted a dog
without making me feel like crap and if I have any
questions about turps, varnishes, painting surfaces,
freight companies or framing...he's got the answer.


Me and Bob painting in Big Bend National Park

Nuff about Bob more about his book. Published
by North Light Books, "The Painterly Approach"
is an excellent how-to experience written in a
straight forward, easy to understand "workshop"
style. If you are new to painting this is the book
for you. If you are a seasoned professional with
years of outdoor and studio painting under your
belt...this is the book for you.

Bob paints in oils, oil pastels and acrylic and handles
each medium expertly. The book is full of large
color plates so you can see the brush strokes
and painting surfaces. He discusses color theory,
design, types of brushes, mediums, painting
surfaces and much more. I can't say
enough...you gotta have it.

To order the book go to Bob's website or your
nearest book retailer.

NEW WORK

"Mission San Juan" 11" x 14" oil on canvas

Its been awhile since my last blog. Major computer viruses
killed my computer so it has taken some time to get things
back to normal. But here I am with some new work and new
ideas for the blog.

I grew up in San Antonio, Texas which is the center of all
things in Texas history. My grandparents home was a historic
stagecoach stop north of town. I am a descendant of Quanah
Parker who was the last Comanche chief to fight against the U.S.
and who signed the peace agreements between the Comanches
and the United States. That's a long-winded way of saying I
have roots to San Antonio.

My work is shown in Nanette Richardson Gallery in San Antonio
and it provides me the opportunity to paint one of my favorite
subjects, the missions. There are five missions in all, the most
famous being the Alamo. Mission San Juan, pictured above,
is one of the remote missions. I painted Mission San Juan
early one morning en plein air. Enjoy!

BIG BEND

"Boquillas Early Morning" 20" x 24" oil

Last Spring the Outdoor Painters Society held a
five-day paintout at Big Bend National Park. I
had never been to Big Bend, much less painted there.
The first morning Bob Rohm, Chase Almond, Fred Hulser
and I took the hike into Boquillas Canyon where I
produced a good 11" x 14" sketch. This is the
studio version produced from my sketch.

We were in the canyon for about two hours.
There is an older gentleman who lives in a hut
across the river. He serenades visitors to the
canyon and his wonderful tenor melodies echoed through
the canyon as we painted. On the way out of the canyon
our morning singer met us on the trail to accept
donations. It all added up to a good morning paintout
and my first trip into the canyon.

PAINTING WITH FRIENDS

(Left to right) Rusty Jones, Bob Rohm,
Bruce Peil and David Mooreland Bates

One of the great joys of plein air painting is painting
with a group of friends. Several years ago I joined
an organization dedicated to painting outdoors,
the Outdoor Painters Society. Almost every month
we paint at different locations and each Fall we take
an extended painting trip to Colorado, New Mexico
or Arizona.

Most trips I paint with the three characters pictured
above. We typically share the expense of a cabin and
food. Each day we gather and show our work and at
the end of the week we invite all the other artists
who have painted with us during the week to meet
for a show-and-tell.

I also paint with John Cook, Kaye Franklin,
Fran Ellisor, Beverly Boren, Chase Almond and others.
I cherish my time and friendship with this great
group of friends. We are all talented, professional
painters who share the love of the outdoors and
painting on location. I wouldn't
trade our time together for anything.

Trout Pool

"Trout Pool" 8" x 15" oil on canvas
(Available at Collectors Covey)

I've always felt artists must paint what they know and are
passionate about. Other than my family, painting, fishing and
golf are my passions. They are more than simple interests
that occupy my time. If I'm not painting I want to be fishing
or playing golf. All three vocations require a level of skill
to be successful and all three require practice...lots of it...to
become proficient.

Today's painting depicts a trout pool I came across while on
a painting trip in Colorado. As is the case quite often, nice rainbows
were rising all morning while I stood under the pine trees
painting. Unfortunately for me, I had not packed any fishing
gear that day. On the one hand I was joyful to be painting. On the
other, the fisherman in me was at the peak of frustration all
day as I watched rise after rise. Note to self...always pack fishing
gear when painting near good fish water.

Yosemite Falls

"Bridalveil Falls" 11" x 14" oil

This painting was done from our family
vacation to Yosemite National Park. Bridalveil
is the first set of waterfalls you see upon
entering the park. A short walk through the
bigleaf maple trees brings you to the base of this
600 foot waterfall where you can sit in the mist
and cool off from the summer heat.

McKinney Ranch

"McKinney Ranch" 9" x 12" SOLD

This plein air painting was produced during the
Plein Air Texas paintout last April and sold at the show
held at Southwest Gallery. This abandoned barn sits about
100 yards off a small country road near Frisco. Old barns
like this one make for an interesting subject
because it makes you think about the history and the
lives that have passed throught it.

Why build it here? Who built it and how long ago
was it erected? What was life like back then?
These kind of thoughts occupy my mind as I spend
an hour or two capturing the structure in paint on a
9" x 12" piece of canvas.

Getting Started

This is my first blog. I have no idea what I'm doing or where this is going so it should be quite a ride. I know I want to share more of my art with a wider audience and get feedback on my work. I also want to share my travels, my thoughts and my progess as an artist.

In the days to come I will complete my profile and publish my new work. I haven't figured out how to link my blog to my website, but I have sought help from people who know more than me about these things so that will happen soon as well. Until then feel free to visit me at www.rustyjonesstudio.com.

Later.