Hannah-completed

This is the finished drawing of my daughter, Hannah.

I hope to do a few more pencil drawings in the next few

days.

It is cold outside, and the three cats are wanting to

come inside. They can see me at my drawing desk

through the window, and when they see me get up,

they go and line up at the back door. That's Huey,

Dewey, and Louie, from right to left.

www.peapatchgallery.com
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Back to Basics

There is nothing more basic in art than drawing with a
pencil. It was my first love, and I still enjoy its simplicity.
I have been enjoying doing some pencil drawings just for
fun. This is my daughter, Hannah, when she was about
3. (she is 24 now). I guess the end of another year has made
me sentimental. And I thought if I had drawn my friend's
child, I should draw my own!

I recalled a song I know about getting back to basics, and
the lyrics are perfect for a new year, too.

"We need to get back to the basics of Life:
a heart that is pure, and a love that is blind;
a faith that is fervently grounded in Christ;
a hope that endures for all time."

I don't know everything the new year will hold,
but these are good goals to start with. I hope to
work on them, as well as some artwork in the coming
days.

Happy New Year! sheltongail@hotmail.com

Portrait of Mattie Claire

I have been taking a break from my artwork,
but certainly haven't been resting! As any woman
knows, we "do" Christmas. Between the shopping,
wrapping, decorating, grocery shopping, cleaning,
cooking, and entertaining, I haven't exactly had a
minute to myself. But we all had a great time, and
celebrated the Savior's birth well.
I have been working on this portrait of my good
friend's little girl, Mattie Claire, for a few days.
It is just in pencil, which I love to work in. Her
hair is done mostly with an eraser. This is the second
drawing I have done of her; they own the first one,
a gift from her husband for Mother's Day. I wanted
to do this one to use as a competition piece in some
shows I have coming soon.

I have to take some work over to the gallery in
Natchitoches, LA on Saturday because I am the
featured artist for the month of January. You can
check out their website:natchitochesartguild.org

For info on children's portraits, email me:
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Jonquils in December

This is another Christmas gift for someone.
This is her favorite flower, and her sister
had me paint them for her.
I love flowers. They are just remarkable,
and there are so many varieties. They
are just one more reminder of how awesome
God's creation really is.
For info on commission work: portraits of
children, animals, houses and buildings, etc
www.peapatchgallery.com
sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Time to Sign

I just got back from spending a couple of days in

the little town of Boerne, Texas. I was selected

to draw their annual Christmas Festival Poster,

and I went out there to make an appearance,

and sign some posters.

Boerne is a small town about 30 miles north of

San Antonio. I grew up in San Antonio, and had

been to Boerne several times. They have really

worked hard on their historic downtown, and

today, it is a charming and wonderful place.

Those of you who follow this blog will remember

that I worked on the poster for a couple of weeks.

I spent most of Friday meeting and greeting the

merchants up and down Main Street and signing

their posters. And then Friday evening, I signed

some more in the Gazebo in the park. It was a

lot of fun, and I made a lot of contacts.

Those other photos are of Main Street, and a

little string ensemble playing along the street.

I am holding a poster, and resting my hand!

For more information, you can go to their

website: www.ahillcountrychristmas.com

(My website: peapatchgallery.com has been

down for a couple of days, but the problem

has been addressed, and they assure me it

will be back in a couple of days...sorry for

the confusion. Please try it again in the

near future!!)

sheltongail@hotmail.com

a little tweeking...

I thought I was finished with this portrait,
but decided to tweek some more. I darkened
the shirt, and the background, and worked on
his features a little more. I think the likeness
is pretty good, and I hope they will like it.

I am going to Boerne this weekend to sign the
poster that I did for them. You can see the
finished poster at:www.ahillcountrychristmas.com
It should be a lot of fun, will keep you posted.

for info on all kinds of portraits:
www.peapatchgallery.com

Another Christmas present...

Finished with this portrait...this one is for
the grandparents.
I have a few more to do...

Portrait-early stage

I started on this portrait of this little boy tonight.
Someone asked me once where I start. I almost
always start with the eyes, because if the eyes
are not right, then the whole thing will not work.
I like drawing the eyes; the expression is usually
captured in them. "Windows to the soul"...
This little boy has some beautiful brown eyes. I will
continue on him tomorrow.

You can see my finished poster for the town of
Boerne's Christmas festival on their website:
www.ahillcountrychristmas.com

Pansy's Dog completed

This is the finished drawing for Pansy. She wants
to give it to her husband for Christmas. He was
very attached to this little dog, and it passed away
earlier this year. I hope he will like it.

for info on portraits: www.peapatchgallery.com
or email me: sheltongail@hotmail.com

Pansy's Dog

This is Pansy's dog who also passed away recently.
I will be finished with this drawing sometime
tomorrow.

I've never been much of a dog person. I have
always had cats, though. And I have grown very
attached to some of them. Pets can really become
a part of the family. Right now we have 3 cats
that I got as kittens. They are all brothers and
they are named Huey, Dewey, and Louie. They
are hilarious, and keep me entertained.

For information on portraits: pet, house, or
children...go to the website:
www.peapatchgallery.com
or email me:
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Maddie Finished

I am finished with Maddie, and will start on
another pet tomorrow. Hope you like it,
Terri!

Cocker Spaniel-Maddie

Started drawing Maddie this weekend. She
died recently, and the owner wanted a
portrait of her. I will be finished with this
drawing soon.

for info on pet portraits:
www.peapatchgallery.com
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Final House

This is the last house for this client in
Atlanta, Georgia. They have been
fun to do, and I hope they will make
people really happy this Christmas.

Now I have a couple of pet portraits
to do, so I will change gears, and start
on those. I do them in colored pencil,
so it will be a whole different technique.

For information on either house or pet
portraits, as well as children's portraits,
go to the website: www.peapatchgallery.com
or email me: sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Day of thanks

We have been sending out a photo Christmas
card for years, and it has been our tradition to
take the photo on Thanksgiving day.
We usually have to set up the tripod, and
I have to run and get in the photo.
(this has led to some episodes of
laughter from time to time) This year
however, my daughter's boyfriend was
with us, and he had the honors of taking
our picture.
I am very thankful for these two people.
My husband and I have been married for
29 years, and it just gets better and better.
My daughter is a delight, and the joy of my
life.
I hope you had time today to pause and
be thankful for your blessings. God has
indeed richly blessed us as I hope He has
blessed you. Happy Thanksgiving!

More Houses....

Two more houses...almost done.

Just one more for this client...

I see the light at the end of the

tunnel.

(May not draw tomorrow; may

be too full of turkey and pumpkin

pie).

House Painter

These are a couple of the finished house

portraits. They are coming along; have

four done, and four to go.

I have a couple of pet portraits to do

after I finish these houses. Still have

some time if you are interested in

something for Christmas this year.

Let me know asap!

Info on portraits:

www.peapatchgallery.com

More houses....

Been inking all day...my hand is tired! Two

more houses done, and waiting to be painted.

I will probably paint them tomorrow.

stay tuned...

At home, drawing homes

Still recuperating, still drawing these homes.
This is the second one. Nice house, will be
pretty when painted. I am drawing several
before I paint them.
For information on house portraits:
www.peapatchgallery.com or email me
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Surgery

On Monday, I had surgery (hysterectomy). It was
my first real experience in a hospital in a long time
(my daughter is 24...). I did ok, but it was all a
little bizarre. I learned all about pain meds;
some are good, and some are too much!
I learned all about nurses; some are good,
and some are too much!
I am at home recuperating now,
and glad it is all over. I am feeling stronger
every day, and should be all better before long.

Will be working on houses soon....

No Place like Home....

I am back from the LSU game...what
a rout! It was lots of fun; great food,
good time.
I have started these houses I have to
do for Christmas gifts for people. This
is a modest little house, and I have
finished most of the ink, and now I
will watercolor it. This client has
7 homes she wants done. So there
will be a lot of happy family members
this Christmas!
For info on house portraits, you can
check out the website:
www.peapatchgallery.com

Mission Accomplished

Well, the "Palms to Pines" show is officially

open. We had our annual downtown

Christmas Open House on Thursday nite.

We had huge crowds, and a very successful

evening. I sold 4 of the paintings, and one

print. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

The carolers are a group of men from our

First Baptist choir, (my husband is the one in

the jeans), and they strolled all around town

singing carols. They sounded terrific, and added

such a flair to the event.

Our dessert contest was a hit, too. Martha

Jordan's Cheesecake Delight won the $100,

and now we will prepare it once a month for

the next year in the cafe.

All of the dealers did well, too. We had some

record sales, and we were all very pleased.

I am glad it is over!! It is always so much work!,

but well worth it.

I am off to the LSU game today, and will be

home again tomorrow. I am still working on

house portraits, and will have some finished

soon.

Boerne received the finished poster, and they

are pleased as well.

Life is good. To God be the glory.

sheltongail@hotmail.com www.peapatchgallery.com

Having a ball..

It is neccessary every now and then to

create some art that is not exactly "fine

art". I have been painting these glass

ornaments for the "Palms to Pines" show

opening on Thursday. These are the

flamingo ornaments, and I also did some

with a beach scene, a mountain scene,

some seashells, and some moose!

Anyway, they were lots of fun, and I hope

to sell a bunch on Thursday. Then, I will

start on the house and pet portraits...

flamingo ornaments available at the

Pea Patch gallery: 2 sizes $12, and $15

sheltongail@hotmail.com

www.peapatchgallery.com

"In the Pink"

This is the other demo painting I did for the group

yesterday. It is watercolor on a 9 x 12 canvas.

I added some permanent black pen, and some

colored pencil.

I love flamingos. I like to photograph them at

zoos, and I have taken pictures of them all over

the nation. I watched some at the Audubon zoo

in New Orleans build their tall mud nests, and

sit on their single large egg.

In our little town, there is a group that uses the

tacky plastic pink flamingos to raise money.

They put a whole flock of them in your yard

overnight, and then you have to pay them

money to have them removed. The best part

is that you can specify whose house they go to!

"In the Pink" orig watercolor on canvas 9x12 $50.00

www.peapatchgallery.com sheltongail@hotmail.com

Watercolor on Canvas demo

Today I drove to Shreveport, LA to do a demonstration

of watercolor on canvas for the Shreveport Art Club. It

was so much fun. There were about 30 there, and I

did two paintings in two hours (not fully completed),

but it gave them the inspiration to want to try some

watercolor on this new surface. I painted this parrot,

and then a flamingo which I will post tomorrow.

Watercolor on canvas is a great new thing. I do the pen

and ink drawing first, and then wet the canvas, and do the

wet-into-wet washes first. As it dries, I add a lot more

pigment so it will be intense. I enjoy adding lots of

mixed media on top of the paint; in this case, some

colored pencil, pastel, and tulip slick puffy paint!

The painting will be added to the Key West section

of the "Palms to Pines" art show opening Thursday.

"Polly Who?" original wc on canvas 16 x 20 $200.00

Home Sweet Homes

I do a lot of house portraits, especially
for Christmas gifts. These are just 3
of the 8 I have to do right now. I do
them in pen and ink, and then hand
watercolor them. Most of them are
either 8 x 10, or 11 x 14.
I will start on these tomorrow night.
And I will post the results as I go.

We are getting ready for our big
Christmas Open House this
Thursday night. All the downtown
shops stay open, and serve refreshments,
have specials, etc. We do a dessert
contest every year; the customers
sample and vote for their favorite.
The winner gets $100, and we fix
their dessert in our cafe once a month
for the next year. I can taste the
sugar already!

Info on House Portraits:
www.peapatchgallery.com
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Poster Complete

This is the finished poster for the city of
Boerne. It is drawn in pencil first; then
drawn in pen and ink, and then painted
with watercolor. The snowflakes are
done with acrylic. I will send it off to them
on Monday.

I have 8 house portraits to do for people for
Christmas, and one pet portrait! So I will
be working on them for the next several
weeks. Keep you posted.

sheltongail@hotmail.com
www.peapatchgallery.com

Boerne in Color

Just a color option on the poster design.
Will paint once approved. keep you posted...

Pen and Ink poster-finished

I haven't been posting everyday because I have
been working on this piece. This is the finished
pen and ink part of the poster for the Boerne
Christmas festival. It is fairly large, 17 x 21, and it
has taken me several days to finish all the ink
work. Now I will run several copies and do some
color schemes that will be approved, and then I
will do the final painting on the poster. It will be
a challenge because they want it to portray the
festival at night, so that the lights on the buildings
will show up!? In watercolor, there is no white
paint...so I am not sure how I am going to pull it
off. I think I can do the lights in colored pencil;
it is waxy and will resist the watercolor. So there
will be some glow saved around the image.
We'll see!!

I tried tonight to view the new website that is
posting the Last Supper by Leonardo. My little
computer was not able to bring up a clear image,
unless there is something I don't know to do.
If anyone knows, let me know.
I went to Italy over a year ago, and visited Venice,
Florence, and Rome. I was able to paint on location
in all three cities, and my show last Christmas at the
gallery included all the work from the Italy trip.
I may start posting some of that work during this
Christmas season. From now till then, I will be doing
lots of commission portraits for gifts.

Thanks for viewing. I sold two of the Alaska pieces
this week, before the show even opened. One of the
customers was from England, and she bought a moose.
You never know....

cross hatch city

When you draw with pen and ink, you make
a series of small lines that build up to make
the values of light and dark. If you cross
them over each other, it is known as
cross-hatch. If you use small dots,
it is called stipple. I will be using lots
of pen and ink techniques on this poster
for the city of Boerne. I just started the pen
and ink tonight...I have been drawing it off
with pencil first. Will take me several
nights to finish this.

I have been hanging the "Palms to Pines"
show at the gallery in preparation for
our annual downtown Christmas Open
House. The show will open that night
(our biggest crowds of the year). It is
shaping up. Feels good to see it all come
together.
www.peapatchgallery.com
sheltongail@hotmail.con

Portrait-3 Siblings

I finished this portrait this evening.
They are very cute little kids.
The client wanted them done in regular
pencil, and then tinted with colored
pencil.

Will be working on the poster from
now on...!

Boy #1

I've started on these children. too cute... I love the
freckles on this one.
more as I go.....

For information on portraits of children, pets, or
homes, please visit the website:
www.peapatchgallery.com
of email me:
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Lots of kids

Today was a day filled with children. At the
gallery, we had a children's photographer set
up to take Halloween costume portraits. We
had some pirates, a mermaid, a couple of
pumpkins, and some tears and some smiles.
We also had Sarah who does ceramic plates
with designs made from children's feet and
hand prints. The children have to put their
feet in some wet glaze and step on the plates,
and then she uses that to make the design:
reindeer, butterflies, frogs, etc. You just have
to see them to understand. I don't know her
website, but I will post it.
I was teaching in the studio, and we could hear
lots of activity in the front of the building. I think
it was enjoyed by all.

Staying in the children mode, I have to do this
portrait of these siblings. I am starting it tonight,
and will post as I make some progress.

Finished Portrait

I believe this is the finished portrait of Scotty.
I hope his family likes it. I will be working on
the poster for the Christmas festival for the
next few days.

(If you are interested in a children's portrait,
you can check the website for examples and
prices:www.peapatchgallery.com)

More Scotty

I have been working on this

drawing of Scotty all day

today. I have redone his

features several times

(thank goodness for

erasers) I think I have the

likeness well now, and I

will work on the background

and his clothing next.

Should be finished

tomorrow.

I am doing a presentation tomorrow at a

church in Natchitoches, LA. Several

years ago, I had done a series of artwork

with a teacup theme...a kind of "my cup

runneth over" show. A good friend was

helping with a women's tea down in New

Orleans, and she asked me to come and

speak to the group, and my "teacup ministry"

was born. I give an inspirational talk about

dealing with adversity, and sell my art

and t-shirts, etc. God has really blessed this

ministry; I have spoken to large and small

groups all over the state in the last several years.

If you are interested in me addressing your

group, you can email me.

sheltongail@hotmail.com www.peapatchgallery.com

Scotty

I do a few children's

portraits. I can't say

that I enjoy doing

them; I enjoy them

when they are finished

and I can present

them to the client

and they are pleased.

The drawings themselves

are never easy.

Anyone that does

portraits knows that

unless you have it

exactly right, it will not look

like them. And you can't always

put your finger on what isn't

right.

I had a woman and her parents come in the gallery the other day with a little girl about 3, and a boy in a wheelchair about 13. The boy was unresponsive, and obviously severly handicapped.

They had an envelope with them, and she wanted me to do a children's portrait. She pulled out a photo of a little boy in a huge black cowboy hat. She went on to explain that it was Scotty, her son, before the accident. And it was one of the only photos she had of him at that time. I was heartbroken, and certainly agreed to do it.

This is part of the drawing of Scotty that I have just started.

Scotty original colored pencil SOLD

Poster Sketch #2

This is a more finished sketch for the
Christmas poster for Boerne. This
is what I spent most of my weekend
doing. After a few changes, I will
draw the final one in ink, and then
watercolor it, and add a border.
I think it will turn out nicely, and
captures the feeling of the little
town. I will attend the festival one
weekend and sign some of the
posters, and meet and greet.
Should be a lot of fun.

Boerne Christmas sketch NFS

Finished Horses

It is a beautiful fall day here in Louisiana. It is
cool and crisp, and clear.
I finished these horses this afternoon. They were
fun to draw. I do a lot of animal portraits, and I
always enjoy doing them.
I am looking out the window onto the back porch
and patio. Our three young cats, Huey, Dewey,
and Louie, are sleeping on the picnic table. Their
fur is fluffed up because of the chill in the air.

I will be working on the poster for the Boerne
Christmas festival the rest of the weekend.

Finished Horses commission-sold 11 x 14

Things to do...

I have several commission pieces to do
for clients for Christmas gifts. This is
one of a mare and colt. This is the second
drawing I have done of this horse for this
couple. They were pleased with the first
one, and this is a different colt, and they
wanted another drawing. This is just the
start...it will take me several nights to
finish it.

www.peapatchgallery.com
sheltongail@hotmail.com

Christmas poster sketch 1

At the art show in San Antonio, I met a man that
was interested in me doing the Christmas poster
for the town of Boerne, TX. I met with him in
the quaint little town, took some photos, and am
in the process of completing some sketches for him.
This is one that I picture in layers featuring some
of the elements of the event.
You can find out more about their wonderful
extravaganza at www.ahillcountrychristmas.com
I will keep you posted on my progress.

On the road home again!

I have

finished the

show in San

Antonio; it

went well;

made some

sales and

some contacts,

saw some

family and

old friends....

it was good.

On the way over, I stopped at this fruit stand somewhere

near Brenham, Texas. They had a whole wagon of

pumpkins out front that caught my eye, so I stopped and

took some pictures. I did this painting while I was in

San Antonio.

I drove all the way home today...it's about an 8-9 hour

drive. The weather was beautiful, and the ride smooth.

Thanks to all the family and friends that came out and

supported me! I appreciate all the help from my brother

and sister-in-law...they were troupers.

It's good to be home.