I have always enjoyed teaching, especially children, to draw and paint. It is doubly rewarding to teach your own children or grandchildren. The other day my six-year-old granddaughter, Pee Wee (Joy is her real name) asked me if she could try oil painting. I got her set up and she picked out a photo from my reference box.

She is a very good listener and loves to learn. I think she did a fabulous job painting the water. It is hard to believe this painting was done by a six year old. She has some real natural talent--I can't wait to see what she does with it!

If you agree and would like to encourage her, please make a remark on my blog.

Well, I've decided to call this Rattler Wrangler by popular demand. Whew, this was a longer than usual session, because I have set myself a goal of one painting per week. Believe it or not, it's very doable for me--I just have to discipline myself and not check my email or answer the phone until I get my studio time in.

I really enjoyed painting the grasses. Some of you are familiar with my technique of putting on paint, then rubbing and brushing with a paper towel to get some tonal qualities going. Then I use a flat brush on edge to lightly stroke on individual grass. Sometimes I also use the edge of a pallet knife.

My next project is a collection of smaller 18x9 pieces I am producing for a gallery. They will all be figurative pieces.
                                                                            Faye Taylor - Western Artist

I'm starting to work the background which is too prominent at this point. I just wanted to get some values in and will be pushing it back in a later session. My subjects face still needs a little work, but that will likely be one of the last things I work on. Next session I should have all the canvas covered. I am hoping to get the job done in one or two more sessions.
                                                                                      Faye Taylor - Western Artist

Well, another couple of hours working on this and he has a face and hands, all of which need more work, but it's getting there. I did work all over, but unless you look closely you probably won't notice. It's been fun doing this one ecause this fellow is the ranch manager who took me out on my one and only gather--so far. He's really a great, hard-working guy. He definitely has my respect.

This drawing took about three hours to get right. It's much more time consuming, at least for me, to draw an entire figure because a lot of adjustments have to take place to get it just right. If the drawing is off the entire painting will suffer.

I would like to enlist your help in choosing a name for this one. Some options I came up with are Rattler Eradicator, Snake in the Grass, Rattler Wrangler. Please give me your ideas.

This rancher was after a rattler that no one else saw on a cattle drive, but the rancher was such a practiced observer that he noticed the cows shy away and saw the tail sticking up out of the grass just before the snake scooted under a fallen log.

He didn't get that snake that day, but the snake's days are numbered.

Really made some headway on this painting. Funny story. I had this painting sitting on my easel and my pallet, which is a waxed paper pad was there loaded with oil paints. My studio is a converted upstairs bedroom on the same floor as my grandkids' overnight room. I put my three-year old grandson, Buddy, down for a nap. He has never ventured into my studio which is usually locked. This time I forgot to lock it!

When I went up to check on him, he was out of bed holding his hands up saying, "Icky, icky." He had sneaked into my studio and finger painted in my pallet! His hands were covered in paint. Of course, knowing that some oil paints are somewhat toxic, I rushed him down to the sink and gave him a good scrubbing. Then I began wiping paint handprints from surfaces in my studio. Miraculously, he hadn't touched the painting, but my plein air umbrella is covered in little hand prints and looks very cool. I am planning to frame the finger painting as his first painting.

Note to self, "Always secure the studio when Buddy is around!"

I am so excited I can barely breathe! The CM Russell Auction has accepted my "Burnin' Daylight" painting. The Russell Auction is the biggest show I've ever gotten into, and I will be in good company with Bill Anton, Tim Cox, and many other big-name western artists. It is held mid-March 2010 and Ken and I are planning to attend.

For those interested in visiting their website it's: www.cmrauction.com