Well, we are still here...

My husband, John, is having an end of the world potluck today at work. Wanting to do something different, I made this cake for it. Considering  the fact that I do not bake, it turned out ok.

I could not find any black baking paper, so I ps'd the background to hide the cutting board. I can tell you now that I will not eat sugar again for a very very long time!

Here's to another millennium! 

Happy Holidays

A day at the beach

Ok, I have not fallen off the face of the earth, but some days it feels like it. My friends think that I have forsaken them, and my collectors think I have gone to the islands and stopped painting. It is not the case. We have been mired in repairs, paperwork associated with moving out of state, meetings, and building an arena and barn for our horses that are arriving on Christmas Eve.

I woke up on Sunday and told my husband that I need a day of "want to" and not "have to". So we packed up the dogs and went to the dog beach in Ocean Beach. It was the perfect day to replenish my soul and balance me out. The dogs had a great time and slept the rest of the day.

I am meeting with the fence company today to arrange the corrals, and finishing unpacking my studio while working on two commissions. Be patient with me, I will catch up soon. And who knows?...after Friday, it might not matter. :)

 Little dogs need help out of the car.

 Zoe thinks the water is just too cold.

 Dakota and Bella have a good romp down the sand.

After we were tuckered out, we stopped at a sushi bar for lunch. It was a great day!

This is a vanity painting. It is for my 2015 calendar for Legacy publishing, but I had to put my hubby and horse in it. This is John and my beautiful boy, Cadillac. The horses are moving here on Christmas Eve and better be ready for quite the shock. It snowed 12 inches in Minnesota a few days ago and it is in the 70's here. I think they are going to like the change.
This is "No Snow Days at the Ranch" Pastel

The new calendars are here!

My new 2013 Home on the Range Calendar is ready for orders and will be shipped and to you before Christmas. I have a very limited supply and have already sold 1/2 of my stock to pre-orders. These calendars are produced by the Legacy company and it is a heavy stock paper with brass grommets.

Cost is 15.00 plus 3.00 shipping and handling. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the animal rescues that are housing pets for displaced families of Sandy.

You can paypal payment to the account Foxrunstudio@aol.com
or you can send a check/MO to
Foxrun Studio
PO Box 3211
Ramona, CA 92065

You can email me at Foxrunstudio@aol.com as well.

Thank you for your support.

Moving and other problems...

Due to a glitch in the system, our old phone does not forward and we are only seeing a fraction of our mail. So I thought I would post my new info here.

Foxrun Studio
PO Box 3211
Ramona, CA 92065
Studio: 706-705-6426

We are all moved in and living out of boxes for a while. The most common statement in our home used to be, I love you...No, no (enter dog name), What's for dinner, etc. Now it is "Have you seen...? Where is...? Did we unpack...? You get the idea.

The new house is lovely and putting it together is going to be the fun part. I will post pictures as we pull it all together and I get the studio back up and running.

In the meantime here is our backyard and where we spend our evenings.

This is the sunset we see almost every night.

I will be back soon and start posting more regularly.

It has been a busy month!

A Good Day's Work- Pastel

Are You Coming? Pastel

Bathing Beauty-Pastel

Jodi and Jasper- Pastel

Sold

 I have been madly painting the last two months. Commissions and licensing work have kept me busy for a while now. I have not said anything yet, but we are moving out of Minnesota and to San Diego next month. We have had our house on the market for a while and have purchased a house in CA. My days are interrupted with showings, keeping the house clean and uncluttered, and getting the cat and dogs out while people take a look at the house. It has been an exciting and exhausting time. So I am madly working to get as much done before we pack up and leave as it will take a while to get my studio up and going when we get settled in. I will update our progress as we know more.

An eagle dropped in yesterday. I will certainly miss this daily sighting around here when we move.

Little bit farther along.

Newest

The latest on the easel.

Bathing Beauty, Pastel

Being asked to be in an UK magazine (Wildscape) is such an honor. This is my WIP (Work in Progress for them) I think the eyes of an animal is the most important part of a painting, so I chose to do a tiger.

I hope you like it. It is pastel.

All done. This was hard, frustrating and fun. 

5x7, oil

LIVE RELIEF SCULPTURE - I've seen this type of traditional artwork in Rajasthan many times. But this is the best I've ever seen. The camel's owner literally shaves down delicately into the outer layer of camel hair/fur. This is one of those traditional art forms of ancient India still in practice today. Incredible.

This was written by a Facebook friend David Rankin, I think it is beautiful.

A dear friend of mine got married at the San Francisco Court House and this is a gift to her to give to another couple that got married the same day. She took the photo and it is the toughest and most fun commission I have ever done. It is 5x7 inches so I am working with brushes that I had to cut down to do the detail. Whew...are my eyes tired! There are miles to go on this one.

Three of a Kind, Pastel, 18x24 3200.00

 Best Seats in the House, Pastel, 9x12, 900.

 Horse Crazy, 9x12, Pastel 850.00

 Snowbound, Pastel, 850.00

WIP Old Fashioned

This is close to being done, but I need to finish the bird and clean it up.

Old Fashioned, Oil on board, 11x14

This is what happens when I handle power tools. I was hedge trimming and well, did something stupid. I ended up in the ER and had to get stitches. It is not catastrophic and I still have all my digits, but most importantly, it is not my painting hand. I am really angry with myself, but I will get over it.

I am back now...

I have been away from my easel for three weeks now. I had a wonderful show in San Dimas despite being blindsided by one of the worst migraines I have ever had at the show. We stayed to look for a new home in San Diego, but we are not moving soon. So now I am back and ready to work...between planting a garden and flowers that is. I am terribly behind in the 60/60 challenge but did these today...

Pepper 1 and Pepper 2, oil on board

3x3 and 4x4

I recently went to an antique store here in Elk River, and found many little amazing treasures tucked in corners. When I find myself in a slump for ideas, I go to all different places for inspiration. This amazing place is three stories and filled with all kinds of things. I saw this cabinet full of tea cups and this painting came to my mind. It was a LOT of work, but I had a great time doing it. The peonies are from my garden from last year, I can grow mold, but not much else. But, I do have a green thumb with my peonies, mostly because the more you leave them alone, the better they do.

This is Tea Time,  12x18, Oil on board.

Just a quick funny...

Not to offend anyone, but we hear all of these questions (except 7) at every show.

Inspiration

I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it really hard to show up at work. In other words, sometimes I "phone it in". I woke up this morning and turned on GMA, like every day, and they started talking about Dancing With the Stars and I grabbed the remote. (No offense to the DWTS fans, but I don't think this is news). I went to CBS and saw this story about a paraplegic man who is a painter and it moved me so much that I decided to turn off the TV, go to my studio, stop whining and making excuses, and get to work. I got more done today than I have done in a while. God bless this man and his struggle. I will think of him every time I feel uninspired, or tired, or bored....I will do the work, and I will do my best. If you can, watch his story, it is well worth it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7404806n&tag=strip%3Ftag%3Dfacebook

I can not grow weeds, but I can grow orchids. I am sure because the more you ignore them, the better they do. This is my latest in the 60/60- #21, 22, 23...still 4 behind.

Focused

I can not express more, as an artist, how sometimes paintings come easily, fast, and almost paint themselves. Then there are the ones you struggle through, fight, and push through. This was one one of them, and I don't know why. It is simple, a wolf, soft light, good reference...so why did it come so hard to me? I am still not completely happy with it, but after showing it to several artists and assured that it is a good painting I decided to sign it and put it to bed.

I have talked about the art police (the ones that tell you to stop painting, you are done)  in previous posts, and this is a perfect example. Sometimes we "over  think" "over paint" and drive ourselves crazy. I am the first person to say to my friends that they need to breathe, relax, let it happen.  But I am horrible at taking my own advice. 

On a side note,  this is a wolf named Pup. I get along with every animal I meet, but this wolf hated me from the moment I walked into his enclosure. I don't know why. Maybe it was because I smelled like my dogs, who knows? He bit me twice and tore my pant leg. We had to have two people stand by me while I photographed him because I was really afraid of him. But on a high note, I got really good reference of him stalking me.

One more soap box

I really do not like to get political on my blog or postings, but I can not hold my tongue on this one. What sick mind thought of this, and what sick person would buy one. Here is a description of what it is:

Filled with colored water, each 7-centimeter long key ring encapsulated either one Brazil turtle or two small kingfish, and is filled with “nutrient rich” water, by which vendors claim allow the animals to live for several months. Unfortunately, after your few months are up, you have a carcass key chain.However, no need to worry as rumor has it that nothing goes to waste – the cadavers are heated in the microwave for 15 seconds and eaten while enjoying an ice cold beer.These adorable little gifts, which are typically sold at subway and train stations, are protected by law and, according to said law, are not considered animal abuse.

What are we doing?

Western Art Collector

I just got my copy of Western Art Collector and was thrilled to see that I got a full page image of my work on the article about the San Dimas Festival of Western Art. The festival is April 27-29th of April, if you are in the area, please drop by and see the amazing art that is in this show.

Inspiration...what a blessing

Every now and then I stumble on something, or some one sends me a link, that reminds me that regardless of all we have been through, we are the authors of our own destiny. I shared the video of Susan Boyle some time ago, and here is another. This is Sung-Bong, a homeless man who dared to dream a dream. I hope it inspires you like it did me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ46Ot4_lLo&feature=related

Day 10 Orange You Glad?

This is "Orange You Glad?", Oil on board

# 9 Kiss Me Three Times

Kiss Me Three Times, Oil on board

My husband walked in the door and saw bags of kisses all over the kitchen counter. He asked what this was all about and he thought we were trying to eat healthier. I responded that I meant to paint them, he shrugged and said, "Well, it is ok then. Can we eat them?"  My life is so rough!

# 8 Kiss Me Twice

Kiss Me Twice, Oil

#7 Kiss Me Once

Kiss Me Once, 4x3 1/4, Oil

I am entering the chocolate phase. (yay!)

Spring is here...early

I had to share. A few days ago, the dogs were slushing through almost a foot of snow. Yesterday the temps went into the 60's. It was just too beautiful not to get out and walk. It was however, very muddy and wet, so our shorties got pretty dirty. This has been the warmest winter since we moved here.

Day 5 and 6 of the 60/60

Quail, 3x4, Oil on board

Escapee, 4x2 1/4, Oil on Board

Day 4

Lobster 5x7 Oil on board

60/60 #3

Salsa! #3 5x5 Oil

You can purchase this on my other blog http://victoriawilsonschultz.blogspot.com/

Day 1 and 2

My first entry for the 60/60

Cheers  5x7 pastel

sold

Day 2

Salsa! 7" x 4" Oil on board

You can purchase the paintings I do on my other blog at

http://victoriawilsonschultz.blogspot.com/