ARC Salon Finalist!

I am happy to say that I have been selected as an ARC (Art Renewal Center) Salon Finalist! I submitted five paintings and won't know until next month when the competition winners are announced which one(s) were chosen as finalists.

So, here are the five..wonder which one(s)?  Do you have a favorite?

Autumn Sunrise, Lennox Woods

18 x 24

Dusk-Edge of the Woods

18 x 24

Summer Song

25 x 21

Autumn-Pecan Bayou

40 x 30

Morning Light

24 x 30

Work in progress

I am working on a couple of larger pieces in the studio. This is an underpainting I did this week, 36 x 48. Down the road from us our neighbor Rick has a gorgeous grove of huge old white oaks that I walk through pretty much everyday. We have some big beauties on our property too, but he has more and in morning light they are magnificent . The small pond (or "pool" as they are called here in NE Texas) is actually elsewhere on Rick's land, but I "moved" it.

New Headers!

My friend and student Phoebe Chidester just designed two new headers for my email newsletters. I wanted some designs that were specific to various groups that I provide occasional newsletters to. She did a beautiful job- thanks Phoebe!

New Studio Mate?

When we got home from the Florida workshop, a wild kitty has taken up residence in the fenced portion of our backyard. Quickly, she discovered that our three dogs were not willing to share, so she relocated to behind the studio and frame shop. Of course, we started feeding her, and then we named her. She is called Luna. She showed up right around the time of the full moon and also about the time we went on the Luna Moth hunt in Lennox Woods. Plus, she is sort of a silvery color. So, Luna seemed right.

We've been down this road before. At our farm in Florida years ago we ended up with about 13 cats. They were really wild and catching them to neuter them all made us uneasy about trying that again. They all lived to ripe old ages but stayed wild and never forgave us! But, Luna cooperated, readily taking her meals in the pet carrier we put outside the shop.

This week, Steve rigged a spring loaded closure for the door, and voila! Luna was whisked to the vet for shots, spaying, worming and antibiotics for a wound on her hip.

$200 later, she is back home. We decided to put her in the studio until she recovered a bit more. But, now she is letting me pet her and even pick her up so...maybe she's the new studio cat!

Interview in the Studio & an Upcoming Class

Pine Bark Study

This past month, Allen Phillips filmed an interview in the studio for the Lennox Woods Project. So, click on over and take a look!

I have a few spots left in my Field Sketching for Landscape Painters online class which starts May 25. Here's a description of the class:


Working from Nature and direct observation is the time honored way to learn how to paint landscapes. Unfortunately, many aspiring landscape painters miss the essential first step: learning to draw and sketch in the field. If you are unable to draw the landscape you will have a much more difficult time learning to paint it convincingly. Most classes and workshops jump into plein air painting without giving students any tools to make a success of their efforts. This course is designed to give you the tools to draw and sketch in the field with confidence, both improving your plein air paintings and leading to better, finished work in the studio.

Topics covered will include:

~drawing materials and techniques
~a history of field sketching and study of examples of 19th century field sketches (drawings, watercolors and oils)
~how to do close studies of elements in Nature, value studies and thumbnails sketches
~how to use field sketching to gather reference material for studio work (and eliminating your dependence on the camera!).
~how to use field sketching to aid in working from memory and imagination




Here's the link for information and registration.

Time Warp

Winter Morning

18 x 14

This is another painting I have been working on for a while. Its all green and spring outside now but I love the fact that I can reach back and recreate a morning full of winter mist and soft earthy color harmonies.

Here are a few details.

Finally done!

Autumn Arrangement

20 x 16

This is one I have been working on for a while now! Click on over to the Lennox Woods blog to read about the process.

Luna Moths at Lennox Woods

This past Wednesday evening we had an enchanting time at Lennox Woods in search of the elusive luna moths. Click on over and check it out!

Florida Workshop Wrap Up

So, here is a shot of the workshop group on our last day (photo credit: Tony De Furio). It was a great group and I think we all worked hard and had fun. Photo credits below: Karen Rose, Mallory Marshall.

Me- holding forth

Teaching indirect painting techniques is always a challenge in such a short period of time. I also wanted to make sure that I encouraged the class to work from life and especially to use drawing and observation as tools for studio work. We went out to sketch several different times and students returned to certain spots on their own when they felt they needed additional information for the work we were doing in the studio. This method of working in the field, training visual memory and using drawing as a primary field sketching tool was new to some. Those who had studied with me before in either online classes or workshops were more familiar with it and encouraged the others to embrace this way of working.

Little Everglades Ranch provided an endless source of inspiration- huge trees, ponds and lakes, beautiful morning mist, clouds and big skies, cows, horses, and all sorts of wildlife

And there was time for a little fishing. Steve had a great time!

Back Home

Morning Light- Spring

10 x 12

We got home last night from Florida. It was a wonderful 10 days and a great workshop! I'll have more photos and more to share about that in a few days.

While we were gone spring sprang here in northeast Texas. The painting above is a little clump of trees I pass every day on my morning walk and I am looking forward to seeing it again tomorrow morning. Then to the studio to unpack and get back to work. On Wednesday evening we have an entomologist taking us on a search for luna moths in Lennox Woods!

Spring Break

Spring's Promise

20 x 20

I'm taking a short break from the Lennox Woods project. Tomorrow we head for Florida where I will be teaching a workshop next week at Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City. Steve and I lived in this part of Florida for many years, and of course, I was born and raised in Florida, so we are coming home. It will be a good group of 14 students, some who have taken classes or workshops before and several who haven't. We'll have fun and work hard.

My next workshop is this summer, in the beautiful San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. As long time readers know, I have participated in the Telluride Plein Air show for the last seven years which is held over the July 4th holiday. This year I'll be teaching right after the show at the Aha Haa School of Art. This is a gorgeous location and the school will provide great facilities for the class. Here's the link for more information and to register.

Studio Visit & Interview With Paula Tillman

In late February, Paula Kornye Tillman, owner of Galerie Kornye West in Ft. Worth, and her gallery assistant Kelli Cotten traveled to northeast Texas for a studio visit to see work in progress for Lennox Woods and to see the Woods for themselves. Click on over to the Lennox Woods blog for an interview with Paula and to read more about it!

Summer Intern

Late Autumn-Pecan Bayou

40 x 29.5

I am hoping to find a summer intern this year to help in the studio during the month of August. The internship would last from two weeks to a month and lodging would be provided. Duties would include help with cataloging and organizing archives and current work for the Lennox Woods project (good computer skills required), preparing panels, framing, and helping with printmaking editions, and general studio assistance. The intern would have an opportunity to observe me at work either drawing or painting as well as the daily operation of a working artist's studio.

Interested parties should contact me at deborahmparis at gmail dot com.

Moon Attended by Jupiter & Venus

15 x 10

A few weeks ago Steve and I were driving to a nearby small town for a concert. It was my favorite time of day and as we drove the sun slid out of sight and the glow just above the horizon transitioned into the night sky above. I noticed that in the western sky the crescent moon was accompanied by a bright star quite near it. Venus hovered just above the horizon.

Later I did a little research and found that this month the "classical planets" - those that can be seen with the naked eye- are all visible in the night skies at this time. So, this is Jupiter and Venus, attending the moon as she begins her descent. Mercury is also visible in the southwestern sky this month and look for Mars and Saturn in the eastern sky.

I painted this little painting from memory this week.

Little Everglades Ranch Workshop

I have just one spot left in this workshop which begins on March 26. Little Everglades Ranch is a beautiful pristine slice of "Old Florida" and a wonderful location for this class.

This five day class will focus on both work in the field and studio time, using sketches and studies to produce paintings in the studio. We will learn about indirect painting techniques like glazing , scumbles and velaturas which create luminosity and atmosphere in your works, study the works of past masters, learn about how to design more compelling finished works, and how a limited palette and and close value ranges can create a strong mood in your work.

Just one spot left. Join us for a fantastic week in Florida!

Here is the link for information and registration.

http://deborahparisonlineclasses.blogspot.com/p/workshops.html