Teaching Note 3/1/13 Flowers

Teaching Notes by KMcElwaine 2/27/13

5,139 "Likes" 1,564 Comments on Facebook Valentines Day

5,139 "Likes" 1,564 Comments on Facebook Valentines Day! Yes I', telling the truth, visit University of Texas Facebook page you can see it for your self. I was a bit amazed and made a few of the comments myself. I have been telling my friends on the train and on the bus for years that if I am ever famous and if I meet my goal of my art increasing in value - you will be glad that you bought one of these funny looking longhorns.
Painting a Whimsical Longhorn has given me opportunity to watch the most amazing things happen.
A Texas Longhorn Cattleman, 6 ft tall, boot straps and hat stood in front of me laughing and declared that "With that painting you could bring a smile to any face" Now this was in the middle of our Texas drought and this cattleman had a lot on his mind.  I have had many responses to my Whimsical Longhorn and all have included a smile!

If you would like one I'll paint one for you or visit Sue Patrick A great Austin Store at 5222 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756 or call and tell them Kathleen said Hi, 512-452-7701 they will have an original "Whimsical Longhorn" by KMcElwaine for you.
To learn more about me or send me a comment please visit my web site www.kmcelwaine.com
I invite you to "like" my Kathleen McElwaine - Artist Facebook page if you would like to keep up with me.

2012 a Year of being about my Business of Art

It has been a truly amazing year.  2012 I was actively becoming a business.  A business of being an artist.
 Every month I received custom orders that I had not directly solicited, telling me that word of mouth was indeed my best advertiser and I was growing.
I worked hard at creating new art, Art that pleased me and let me play with my art supplies.
I got to teach on Mondays 9:30 to 3:00 accept for lunch time when I get to make friends with my wonderful art students that I can not get enough of!
I was invited to do some public speaking, usually around the subject of "being an artist" and that fits right in with all my other goals. I love public speaking and I promise to WOW the attendees.
I signed a contract for the benefit of KMcElwaine- Artist DBA/Original Texas Whimsey with Leslie Moore, USA Made Wholesale. In no time at all she was calling on the business's that I had already established sales and she brought me 8 new stores with lots of new business.
I licensed 10 more images.

I put my Watercolor Lap Easel into production with the help of Ira at Jerry's Artarama.

My art is available in more forms such as - Fabric, T-Shirts,  Canvas,  Aluminum,  Wood,  Acrylic,  Paper,  Pillows, Tote Bags, Quilters squares.

You can find my art in Gift Shops in Texas in the following towns - Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Johnson City, Kerrville, Nocona, Austin, Dripping Springs, Georgetown, Round Rock and this list is growing daily.

In Oklahoma - Tulsa and Broken Arrow

My www.buspaintings.etsy.com On Line Store stays busy.
My art is also being found and purchased at Fine Art America

I get to continue to actively participate with my community and with many not for profit groups with my art.

I'm facilitating an adult Sunday School class at Leander Presbyterian Church and getting to participate with a lot of Christ centered Holy Spirit centered growth. Praise Jesus!

This list might not seem so impressive but to me it is fulfillment of my hopes and dreams for me as an artist and helps daily towards my goal of having my art in every home.

If you ask why I have that goal - it is because my art seems to cause people to smile. Children, Teens, Adults, and Older Adults smile, sometimes they even laugh and we all need more of that - so getting it in front of everyone is my goal.

Some days I get up and catch the train or bus as I did for so many years to say Hi to my friends and to give myself what is now down time just being creative and drawing from the joy that I see in the faces around me when they watch me paint.

Thank you for helping me to have this wonderful year as a Full Time Artist.
 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

This is a painting I did for my grandson of his  band. The name of the group is "Time Till Then", I assume it is in reference to the rapture of Christ Body, I did the painting so that we could all visualize this wonderful event. I pray that each of you know Christ and if you don't know Him - that you are actively seeking to know Him. He wants to know you very much and that is my prayer.

When you give...you give so much more than you know

             

The art of living...and BuyNow

Buy Now this link will take you to my ETSY Store. This print is 11 x 24 other sizes are available.

The commercial art industry gives opportunity to many processes unfamiliar to the studio artist and this year I set out to learn new processes.This print was made by using 6 different watercolor paintings.  I find the opportunities endless. 

I am always happy to teach my students how to do the things I learn, so remember when you have a question or want to learn something new my art class is come when you can pay when you come. 

Gallery Direct tells me - Our canvas prints are not treated or coated. Instead, we use latex inks and a specially designed canvas that allows the canvas to be placed in direct sunlight without fading and exposure to moisture without affecting the inks. The latex inks consist of a liquid vehicle, which is primarily but not entirely water, pigments and microscopic latex polymer particles, which act as the binder. The water acts as a carrier fluid to keep the ink in liquid form for jetting, and once the ink has been applied, the water is evaporated. We use forced drying in the form of heat to speed up the process. This is basically the same process used for large outdoor signs (billboards). Our materials and equipment are different to create artwork (more colors, higher resolutions, etc), but we use the same concepts they use to produce outdoor signs.

On being an artist...not just doing art.

My desire to draw and paint has given me many wonderful experiences and I want to share with you one of my favorites that I treasure in my heart. My mom has always loved to watch me paint. I suspect this is true because as a child if she saw me painting or drawing she saw a smile on my face and she knew I was not in trouble, two rare things in my life as a child. Now my mom is in a care center and she has been placed on Hospice, meaning we don't expect her to be with us much longer.

When I go see my mom she knows me, not sure why because my family that is with her a lot don't get to experience this all the time but I do. Mother sometimes asked me if I am going to paint. I get my Watercolor Lap Easel out and I paint with her and she watches. One of mothers friends at the center painted in oils before coming to the center and I usually ask her if she wants to paint. Her stroke won't allow for much response but she lets me know she would like to, I put the waterbrush in her hands and we make a few early paint marks together...the color is stimulating to both of us. I usually then set out to make something out of the marks. This is when the wheelchair travelers start showing up and filling the spaces around us. I have done many paintings like this that I have later sold in my on - line store on ETSY, www.buspaintings.etsy.com. One time I had not brought my Watercolor Lap easel in with me so I improvised with a marker I found and an ink pen.

 I must admit, even I was impressed.

The painting I did titled Together We Stand needed a lot of planning so I painted from my imagination each of the longhorns I thought I would do for the line up - just working out the size color shape. 

These are a couple of the ones I painted with Mother watching. Then when I came back to Texas I cut each one of the longhorns out and laid them out to find the layout I wanted to paint for Together We Stand. (click on the links and you will see more of my art.)

I'm thankful for each of these experiences, I'm thankful that I can share my love for doing art with others easier with my Watercolor Lap Easel and I'm thankful for you. 

I hope you enjoyed my art. I have lots of art that fits the $20.00 and under price point you might need for a small gift and know when you buy prints or original art from me - you are giving a true gift created out of love.

You can always BUY NOW from www.buspaintings.etsy.com or from Fine Art America.

Larry Kilgore April 13, 1927 November 1, 2012

I came to Tulsa for a fast trip to visit my folks. On our last day of our visit, Thursday November 1st, 2012, the day we had planned to return to Texas, we came by to see mother in the care center and daddy in his apartment for short visit before hitting the road back. I enjoyed a very nice hour visit with my dad as he ate his breakfast and then by his side at his favorite chair.Robert and I left and while sitting i

n the car planning a new route back to Texas I received a call from my sister telling me that daddy had died. 

Daddy had not been ill, my mother is on Hospice and we are in process of preparing our hearts for her death but daddy no, we expected him to be around helping to care for mother.

My father a very special man with lots of character told me over a year ago that he was planning on dying before our mother. I, of course did not like his comment and I told him. My comment-daddy, mother needs you why would you want to go first? His comment - if your mother goes first she would get to heaven, get busy and never look for me. If I go first I will look for her everyday. We know daddy is in heaven, horse saddled and keeping an eye out for mother, his partner and love of his life for 65 years.
I am very thankful for you.

Larry was born in Tucson, AZ on April 13, 1927. He spent the first 5 years on a farm in Southeast MO. At the age of 6 his family relocated to Tulsa. It was here that he found his passion in the rodeo, getting his start calf roping at the age of 13. Two years later he met the love of his life, Patricia Mitchell. After graduating from Tulsa Central H.S. and serving in the U.S. Navy, Larry enrolled at Oklahoma A&M College (OSU) in the fall of 1946. While at Oklahoma A&M he was a founding member of the school’s rodeo team. On September 6, 1947 he married Patsy. They were later blessed with three beautiful daughters. In 1967 Larry took over the family business, Dick Bardon’s Pawn Shop. Larry’s fondness of horses led him to participate in the American Quarter Horse Association, and Tulsa Round Up Club, as well as serving as Ring Steward at the Tulsa State Fair and the World Championship Quarter Horse Show. In 1986 he closed the doors of Dick Bardon’s to spend the rest of his time being a cowboy on his beloved 20 acres, “Therapy Hill”. Larry is survived by his loving wife Patsy, three daughters Judy (Don) Priebe, Kathleen (Rev. Robert) McElwaine, Laura Jean Faith; 7 grandchildren, 11 great-grand children and a multitude of extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Helen Skinner and son in-law Tom Faith. With a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, Larry never met a stranger - ever being the gentleman’s gentleman. A memorial service celebrating Larry’s life will be held at 11:00am, Wednesday, November 7, at University Village. In lieu of flowers, monetary donations may be sent to University Village Trust (memo line “Employee Christmas Fund”), 8555 South Lewis, Tulsa, 74137. This obituary was published in the Tulsa World on 11/4/2012.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/ourlives/article.aspx?subjectid=426&articleid=20121104_Ob_obsl_8824603

Now it is time for me to get back to the business of living my life to the fullest without my dad in the picture, I am reflecting on what a large part of my art career daddy has been. I never did a painting with out planning the time I could show it to him and I often thought, would I continue painting when I could no longer share it with him? Well, now is the time that question will be answered. 

Things that Tug at your Heart

Often the things that catch your eye are right in front of you. so that you might ponder a moment and allow the voice that is catching your heart become louder. by Kathleen McElwaine

Christmas gifts - custom painting for you, please contact me with your images and questions. Water color or oil, small 5 x 7 or X Large, I have you in mind.Click here to Contact Kathleen

Art by Kathleen McElwaine is available for purchase by visiting my www.Buspaintings.etsy.com on line store.
Click here to Shop for Art Prints

Telling some of my story

 I have been drawing animals since I was a toddler because I could stay out of trouble when I was drawing, simple truth.

Growing up on a quarter horse ranch, a dad that worked cattle horse back, rodeo-ed and was a ring steward for the AQHA Worsld Champion Junior Show, I had lots of opportunity to be around animals, I know animals, I can paint them from memory, from my imagination and from life.  Most childhood memories start with an image in my mind of me balancing on the top 2x12 in the barn, thinking I could not grow much taller because I would bump my head if I did, drawing the horse or cow in the stall and telling all my secrets to the attentive ear that I watched twitch around in response to my voice. I love being around Oreo because of this memory. Cowboy Craig told me one day that Oreo likes being around me too, this is good for both of us.

 When I paint dogs for people, I find that I'm thinking about how good the dog is for people, they need us, they do everything in their power to care for us and it seems that our dogs make us better people. Hence, the saying "My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog thinks I am".

 I painted this painting of butterfly a long time ago, but I recently read about an artist that did a show that he put a box in that he called art that was a sealed plexiglass box with thousands of butterflies, well it was not very long before all the butterflies were dead. This made me very sad - I hate ugly.
I decided to offer this for sale again as prints and share that not one butterfly was harmed in the making of this art.  That is the way it should be.

 When I drive by a longhorn pasture and people are taking pictures of the longhorns, I always think about what the longhorns might be thinking, and often give names to my longhorn paintings this way.
A Texas Welcome, I'm The Champion, Stands Alone to mention a few of the titles.

 Longhorns are smart, they are over-comers, regular cows are not either one of these. I have helped my dad do so many things that I would rather not tell you about just trying to get a cow in a position that they could be cared for, this does not happen with longhorns. Texans can be proud of the Longhorn, another reason I paint them.

 Sometimes I paint a flower out of my imagination. Thanks for looking at my art. I have great news that will start letting me paint a lot again.  I signed a contract with USA Wholesale and will now have my art made available to gift shops all across the Great State of Texas. I can stay home and teach painting and do art...this is good.
I will be offering more of my original art from my Buspaintings Etsy Store and I will continue to be at the Farmers Market at Lakeline Mall and Trunk shows. Can't wait to see you and paint something just for you!
Kathleen