I'M BAAAAAAAACK!

A very nasty virus worm known as "Blaster" infected my computer two weeks ago. It essentially brings all computer operations to a dead stop and wipes out most anything that's important. So I had to wipe off the hard drive and reinstall all new software. Talk about a major pain in the behind. Did some research on "Blaster" and lucky to say that the 18 year old little twerp that invented it is in jail.

Now it is time to get back into the swing of things so I'm starting off with a new Ebay auction item.














"Stonewall Creek" 8" x 10" oil/linen

SOLD on Ebay!

This painting was done along Loop 1 outside of the Lady Bird Johnson Park near Stonewall, Texas. There's a brief two week period each Fall when the trees turn brownish red right before losing their leaves for winter. For those of us who paint Texas regularly the color shift is a signal that we can finally put away all of the green paint we have been using the last five months and start using some ochre, oranges and yellows before ending the year with a bunch of gray on our palette.

Loop 1 is one of my favorite places to paint because of the farmhouses, old churches and barns that dot the road. You can always see deer and wild turkey roaming about too. And when lunchtime hits the best BBQ in Texas is only a few minutes away. If things go South and it is obvious that painting is not going to be a good way to spend the day, a short drive into Fredericksburg means stops at Whistle Pik and Insight Galleries for some much needed inspiration.

SOUTHWEST ART CHARITY EVENT

Gallery Director, Bob Malefant presents "San Miguel Alley" to Fiona Nicholson. Gallery manager, Melissa Butler looks on.

Last weekend I had the good fortune of participating in the Southwest Gallery Summer Festival charity event and had a blast. The two-day event included several artists doing demos...me included, music and dancers. There was something happening somewhere in the gallery the whole time. It made for a very entertaining two days and has to be the most unique opportunity I have ever had to meet collectors and artists.

In front of my wall preparing for my demo.

Demo time.

(Photo courtesy of Carolyn Cobb.)

Fiona Nicholson with new painting.

(Photo courtesy of David Schultz)

"SA River Bridge" 12" x 12" oil/linen

This painting of a bridge on the San Antonio River was my Saturday demo.

"Vail Snow Day" 12" x 12" oil/linen

This snow painting was my Sunday demo. Its been a long time since I've painted a snow scene so this was fun. Thanks again to Southwest Gallery for allowing me to participate. Funds raised from the event went to the Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society.

INSPIRATIONAL PAINTING

"Ray Hubbard Revisited" 30" x 40" oil/linen

This past weekend my in-laws celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Family and friends gathered at Southfork Ranch where many of you will recognize as the location for the long running TV series "Dallas". That's right, the place where JR got shot. We got to tour the home used in the series and the museum that contains lots of props and photos from the show. The important part of the evening was spent celebrating two very special people who have achieved a marriage milestone fewer and fewer marriages are able to make these days. Alan and Mary are an inspiration to me and my family and all they come in contact with. We are very lucky to have them in our lives.

Alan and Mary built a new home in McKinney a little over a year ago. I've been looking at the spot over the fireplace as the perfect location for a large landscape and have been looking for just the right one to do. I did a landscape similar to this one for my three-man show last April and they really liked that one. Not wanting to do the same painting again I changed the time of day and the atmospheric feeling of this one. I presented the new painting to Alan and Mary at the anniversary party last Saturday night. They were very pleased and I am so happy for them.

ITS DEMO TIME

I will be doing a demos next weekend (Aug. 6, 7) at Southwest Gallery during the Summer Art Festival. This is charitable fund raiser for the Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society and proceeds from the raffle will go to the DAPS. Gallery artists have donated their work to help raise money and you can help by purchasing raffle tickets which enters you in a chance to win one of the donated paintings.
















About a dozen artists will be on hand both days doing demos in different parts of the gallery. I will be doing a demo each day and 100% of the proceeds from my demos will go directly to DAPS. This is a terrific opportunity to watch several demos in a single day and raise money for a worthy cause. Other artists whose work will be in the raffle and may be doing demos include Jonathon Hardesty, Fran Di Giacomo, Clinton Boyles, Tony Bass, Mary Kay Krell, Bob Hogan, Lynwood Bennett, John Austin Hanna, Laura Lewis, Manuel Garza, George Kovach, Ann Hardy, Paul Walden, Kay Walton, Mark Whitmarsh and Tony Saladino.

For more information go to swgallery.com.

EBAY AUCTION #6

"Copper, Gold and Green" 8" x 10" oil/canvas

Click here to bid

This still life is the latest Ebay auction offering starting today. It will be available for about a week. I've added a small bonus for those purchasing a painting from my Ebay store. In addition to the painting and at no additional cost I'm including a table easel. No reason to stick the painting on a shelf until your frame arrives. Throw it on the easel and display it immediately.
















I display paintings like this all the time in my studio. It provides me the opportunity to glance at a painting as I move about the studio and usually if there are any problems with the painting they will jump out at me. I am always looking for trouble spots in a painting which is why I will finish a painting then immediately put it in a closet or turn it around so I don't see it for a while, usually two weeks. Then when I look at it again problems will glare at me and I can fix them.

By displaying them on the easel I want to see if the painting will grow on me...an artist-to-painting bonding experience if you will... and if it does I will be sad to see it go. No tears mind you, but sadness for sure. That's why I really enjoy watching a collector make the connection to the art because I know how they feel.

EBAY AUCTION #5

"Farmhouse" 8" x 10" oil/canvas

Click here to bid

I painted this farmhouse en plein air about six months before it was demolished to make room for a new store and gas station. It was so typical of the farmhouses of the area with the stone walls and tin roof plus the red barn to the side of the house was a killer on its own.
I just couldn't get a good view of the barn from the highway where I had pulled off to do the painting. I can't tell you how many people honked at me as they drove by at 70 miles per hour plus. As if honking was going to inspire me to do a better painting or maybe they were just hoping I would flinch and totally screw up. Either way I showed them a thing or two by completing the little booger in spite of all the racket.

This painting will be on Ebay for a week then it is gone forever. I've sold the last two paintings so I'm hoping for the three-pete. The problem is going to be when paintings don't sell. I've made a promise to myself that at the end of the year I'm going to take all of the non-selling Ebay paintings and destroy them. I have time to think this one over. I'll get back to you on that.

EBAY AUCTION #4

"Day's Done" 8" x 10" oil/linen

Click here to bid

"Day's Done" is my fourth Ebay auction offering. Spurred on by recent sales success on Ebay I am going to continue offering a new painting each week until the end of the year. Then when I sit down to make plans for 2012 I'll decide if the program will continue. I gotta say watching the auction is a little addictive.














"Colorado Hillside" sold on Ebay last week. Watching the bids come in was a lot of fun and I'm sure the painting will make the collector very happy.