Finishing a portrait of Great Grandfather..

Been hard at it again as usual. It's been a few weeks since I started it, and about to finish it at last. I want to get a few printed so I can hand them out to my siblings at Xmas. Hopefully they will enjoy the addition to their homes.

I also found another Owl photo from a fellow NAPP member, who gave me permission to paint it. I have started that painting and will add it along with the Elk toward the 7 clan series paintings.

When the shadows are long

It is like a God given emotion the way a painting unfolds. When I start a painting sometimes things don't come to me all at once, but as it takes on a life of it's own I can see how I want it to finish.

This is a first of a seven painting set I have started, with the 7 clans of the Otoe Missioura.

The Elk Clan is a large clan in our tribe, and has large families. When I think about Elk or the Deer family, I think about when they move. It is only when the shadows are long. Like early morning or late evening just before dark, they will move out into clearings to graze. Usually Deer hunters will be up in their stands before the sun comes out to try and catch a big buck moving. One of their best defenses is a fog, with long shadows, making them very hard to see. This is what I felt when painting this. Hope you like it.

Good friend of mine lost his wife..

Recently a good friend of mine I work with lost his wife after a lengthly sickness, that people are still puzzling over. Her blood pressure had fallen way off to where her finger tips began to turn black from lack of circulation. She had kidney failure too and was put on dialysis. It sounds pretty much typical in a lot of respects, but she was only 29 years old. My friend Luis is only 30. It makes you wonder why? But then again it is not our place to ask why, just pray for understanding. There always is something good that comes from something bad. We may not see it right away, but we will.
My friend asked me if I would do a portrait of her. I said of course I will. I just finished it after one of my fellow NAPP members was kind enough to make some wooden frames for it. I think the end result turned out very nice. I think my friend will be happy to have it hanging in his home. Thanks for looking..

My friend, I have known all of my life.. I finally got a chance to capture him in a photo and was able to paint him. Actually I did a watercolor brush stroke. I think it turned out pretty good..

Robbie Robertson is the best of Native American musicans in my book..

Tatanka by Airo and Brule Last Buffalo Hunt..

Spirit Messenger

When you start a painting, and take a few steps forward, and realize it isn't what you had expected, you go back and start over. This is how it has been for me, take 2 steps forward and 3 steps back!
It was getting old and frustrating, but now it is starting to take on a life of it's own. It has been about 3 months in the making of this painting.

I went into NAPP and asked the membership for their critique for anything that I may have overlooked, or just didn't see, and this is the end result. I am very happy with this.
Let me talk about the painting just a little bit to shed some light on everything, for those of you that may be wondering. Among some Native American tribes, the "Hoot Owl" is respected and left alone, because of it's spiritual powers. I learned my lessons growing up on the Otoe rez here in Oklahoma. My Grandmother was Owl clan, also a shaman or healer. She knew Mother Nature like a giant pharmacy. She always knew what to use and how to prepare it. She was very gifted.
People would come from everywhere to see her. She never took money as payment, she only took 4 different material things as payment. She only followed the "old way". So when I paint a "Hoot Owl" painting I have to always remember my Grandmother. Thanks for looking..

Cancun is awesome!

This is Sunday, and we arrived last night around 11 pm from our ride home from the airport. Our flight was delayed for a couple of hours putting us home later than we were hoping for. All in all it was well worth it though.

My wife and I had never been to Cancun before, so we really didn't know what to expect. We flew down there last Wednesday, and was at our Hotel the Riu Cancun around 1pm. After a brief settling time, we went down to talk to one of the tour guides, and decided to go see the Mayan Ruins Chichen Itza. The ancient pyramids and in a nut shell, "It's well worth the trip"! We left our Hotel at 720am on a bus. Rode to a meeting place, where we changed buses to get on the one that drove us to Chichen Itza. It was about a 2 hour bus ride. We had a continental breakfast on the bus. Before getting to Chichen Itza, we stopped at a place where a big hole in the gound was. The tour guide said we could go swimming there if we wanted too, but my wife and I decided not too. Instead we opted for just taking pictures.

The Yucatan peninsula has no rivers or running water on the surface. Everything is underground. I guess when the Mayan found the big holes where the water was, it was like finding Gold. They stayed there, and built their cities. After the brief time there, we went on to a restaurant, for some lunch which was included in our package on the tour. The local Mayan descendants entertained us with some music and dance. I was able to get in few pictures while they were performing.

When we finally arrived at Chichen Itza, and after our brief tour with the guide which was very educational in learning how these ancient people lived, fought, sacrificed, and then their downfall. The pictures we took are just totally amazing! This trip did exceed our expectations.

The Hotel we stayed at the Riu Cancun I would recommend to anyone wanting to travel there sometime. The food is included in your package. So we went to the buffet everyday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All you can eat all the time can be rough on a person if your not careful! ;)

The swimming beach is magnificent, the sand if very soft, the air was nice, and the sound of the waves at night from our balcony was hypnotic to the sound. Making sleep very restful. The color of the ocean was turquoise blue.

Portrait of my Sister n Law

Another happy Friday night.

I just finished another portrait. This
time it's one of my sister in law, who lives in Germany. She is a very attractive lady, who makes for a good model to paint.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did painting it.

I really liked how this picture finished and thought I would post it. Hope you like it.

Feb 27th

I just finished another contest picture for Worth, but I will wait til the contest starts before I will post it. I want a fair playing ground! ;) and here it is! Lot's of fun making this one.

2nd Owl painting

My 2nd painting of a "Hoot Owl", at my wifes request.