"Plan Now for Valentine's Day"

OK, Christmas is over. I have survived the rush of trying to complete all the commissions that came my way, squeeze in a few projects for those I love, and maintain house and home during the whole time. I am glad to have a few days to rest before getting back into the routine of things.

Our youngest son got married last Sunday and it was a great pleasure to be in Arizona for that.

I am now taking orders for charcoal portraits or oil paintings for Valentine's Day. Check out the portraits I am posting today and get your order in soon.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Portrait

I've gotten permission to post one of the Christmas portraits. It makes it a little difficult to post about my artwork when so much of it right now is for Christmas. Thank you for your patience as we get through this season. I miss getting to post my artwork more often.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Long Business Meeting

I didn't get to do any art today, except for a very small sketch in the business meeting I was at all day. I really miss it when I can't do some artwork each day. It really is a joy to me. Tomorrow I plan to get quite a bit done.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

"Watch Your Step"

Today I took a break from the charcoal portraits to paint a cat portrait. It was fun to get back into the oil paints and the likeness is coming along very nicely.

I am going to post another pen and ink drawing I did a while back. It's called "Watch Your Step." A white-throated pack rat is walking across a very prickly cholla cactus. These pack rats make their homes at the base of this kind of cactus. They are very safe there because other animals learn quite fast that there are thousands of very sharp needles on this cactus. It is amazing how these rats can learn to crawl all over these plants without getting stuck.

Let's remember to be extra thankful this week. Saturday evening, we were driving home from another town and there stood a deer in the middle of the road. I hit the brakes and swerved to the right to give her extra room. She turned and ran to the right, so I swerved left. Her hind leg hit our front right bumper. Fortunately, there was no damage to the car and we hope the deer suffered only a sore leg from it all. We are very thankful for Heavenly Father's blessing in this incident.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Know the Model

Finished another portrait yesterday. I still need to adjust a couple of shadows on it, but the likeness is definitely there. This one seemed easier to do and maybe that was because I know the model so well. I can't wait to post these portraits on my blog for you to see.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Discouragement/Encouragement

Have you noticed that I have not been posting very many blogs lately? Having the analytical mind that I do, I started trying to figure out why I seem to have a difficult time blogging. It was so much fun when I began and now it's almost drudgery. I think I have figured it out, though. I got some negative comments about my blog from some people that mean a lot to me. It was very discouraging. But you know what? I need to overcome discouragement like this. My art is important to me and it brings me joy. It is wonderful to be able to write about this gift, too.

I want to thank all of you who sent those wonderful comments in your emails about my recent awards. You really lift my spirits.

I have finished another portrait today. It may need a little adjustment here or there, but it is almost totally done. On to the next one!

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Best of Show

Wednesday was a very hectic day for me. I had to go to San Angelo to take three paintings to the San Angelo Art Club Best in Realism show. I entered "Peek-a-Boo", "Singin' & Dancin'", and my trompe l'oiel, "Jan Verschoor - War Hero." As soon as I got home I had to pick up the kids from school and take them to Sweetwater for a couple of appointments that they had. From there we went to our Wednesday night church meetings. Then my husband and I had a church leadership meeting. By the time we got home it was after 10:00 p.m.

Yesterday, I went to Lubbock with three of my friends. We got back just in time for the kids to get home from school. We made a trip to the library and then watched a couple of movies we checked out from there.

Today, I spent all afternoon in my craft room working on portraits. When the kids got home from school, I came back over to the house to spend some time with them. I checked the phone for messages and had one new one. It was from the San Angelo Art Club. I received the Best of Show award for "Jan Verschoor - War Hero" and "Honorable Mention" for "Peek-a-Boo." Each artist at this show can only receive one major award and an honorable mention award. The lady that informed me of my awards said that the judges really liked "Peek-a-Boo" a lot. But because I had won "Best of Show", I could only get "Honorable Mention" for "Peek-a-Boo." I am quite thrilled with the awards. I feel very blessed.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Portraits Today

Today I had planned to work on portraits all day. Then life got in the way. For a while it looked like I might not get to do any artwork. But Heavenly Father is so good and He helped me get organized and work on two portraits. One is almost finished and the other is off to a very good start. I love getting to create these portraits. They can be something to cherish for a lifetime.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Rain Bird Gallery

Tomorrow I take my paintings to Blanco, Texas to the Rain Bird Gallery. It is exciting to get the honor of gallery representation at this stage of my life.

I finished "Brindle Longhorn" yesterday, so I will post this painting today. The coloring on this bull was quite complicated, but it was great to conquer the challenge.

So many of you took advantage of my October pricing special. I will be busy for quite a while keeping up with all the orders for portraits. Next week will find me busy in my studio with charcoal all over my hands, but it will be fun to draw all the beautiful pictures I have received.

I will be out of town through the weekend, so I won't get to post again until Monday.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

Art Shows and Galleries

Where has this week gone!? I have worked on my art almost every day and I don't know how I neglected posting to my blog.

I had a challenge last week. One of the charcoal portraits I was working on was really giving me a hard time. I had purchased some new charcoal sticks and I used a harder grade of charcoal for the under tones. When I tried to erase the highlights, there were spots all over that wouldn't erase. A woman doesn't want spots on her face and arms. I decided to make a sample of the different grades of the charcoal sticks and what they look like erased. I taped off squares on the paper I use for my portraits. After toning each square with the different grades of charcoal, I erased some spots on each one. This way I could see how each one acts and I won't make the same mistake again.

I have almost finished my longhorn painting. I am heading to Blanco at the end of this week and I need to have this painting finished by that time.

Saturday, I drove over to Hobbs, New Mexico to pick up my art from the Llano Estacado Art Association Fall Open Art Show there. As I was gathering my things, the lady who was overseeing things came over and shared with me. She had been present at the critique given by Grace Knox, who was the juror for the show. She told me that Grace had said something to the effect that my painting, "Peek-a-Boo" was perfect. She couldn't see anything to change about it. I was thrilled!

Next week I will enter another art show in San Angelo, Texas. The show is called "Best in Realism" and I think I have some paintings that certainly fall in that category.

Hopefully, I will post the final product of "Longhorn" tomorrow. The bull looks pretty good and the grass is coming along nicely, but I have to totally rework the sky. I was experimenting with color and it just didn't work. The sky needs some clouds and a little more excitement to complement the bull.

If you have put off ordering your artwork, please remember that there are just a couple of days left before we are into November. Place your orders now so you can take advantage of some very economical pricing.

Kindest regards,
Nancy Verschoor

nancyverschoor@toast2.net
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)