"Expressions from the Soul" artwork by Vonnie Kohn, Texas artist, oil paintings, Phillips 66 station, Cowboy

"Fill 'Er Up"

"Portrait of a Cowboy"

"Fill 'Er Up" is a 1920's Phillip's 66 station that we discovered in Atoka, Oklahoma. At present, it is the home of the local Chamber of Commerce. The gas pump was known as a gravity feed pump...oil on canvas..18x24"

"Portrait of a Cowboy"..oil on canvas..20x20" is of a local cowboy living near Weatherford, Tx. He is the real deal! I'm told he always wears a bandana..seems this is his trademark.


I am honored to announce that I have had 4 artworks selected for the "Expressions from the Soul" juried art exhibition at the Doss Heritage & Culture Center in Weatherford, Texas. "Fill 'Er Up" is a 1920's Phillip's 66 station that we discovered in Atoka, Oklahoma. At present, it is the home of the local Chamber of Commerce. The gas pump was known as a gravity feed pump.

The "Expressions from the Soul" exhibit, in its 4th year, brings together more than 50 top regional artists dedicated to representing the varied styles of artwork found in Texas. The show will be held October 24, 2012-February 3rd, 2013. Weatherford is about 20 minutes west of Ft. Worth, Texas. If you are in the area or need more information, please call 817-599-6168 or www.dosscenter.org. The Doss Heritage is a beautiful museum dedicated to preserving the historical significance of the West.

If you are interested in these works, please contact me at:  www.vonniekohn.com or dosscenter.org.

Thank you for looking!

God's Handiwork, landscape, oil painting by Vonnie Kohn

 "God' Handiwork"

oil on canvas

18 x 24"

It's been awhile since I have posted on my blog. I've been fortunate to do some plein air painting through the summer, although we've had record high temperatures here in Texas. When traveling, it is not wise to advertise, so I find it more advisable to post after returning home.  Our state is known for its beautiful sunsets. Luckily this image was very local for me...in my back yard. Even with drought conditions, we have had clouds rolling in from time to time.Noticing the beautiful light touching the clouds, I quickly set up my portable easel in the back yard. Painting "en plein air" requires fast observation as the light changes about every 15 seconds. My emphasis in the painting was concerned with placement of color and correct values in the horizon of the trees. The camera cannot capture the darker shadows accurately..it translates as black in the image. Plein air is the most effective manner of painting to record true color. Evidently the painting was a success...it received an award in the Weatherford Peach Festival Fine Art Show, 2012!

If interested in this painting, please contact me at:

www.vonniekohn.com

http://vonniekohn-artist.blogspot.com

Spanish Daggers, The Cove, Plein Air, Oil Paintings, Landscapes by Vonnie Kohn

"The Cove"

"Spanish Daggers"

May was a very busy month! Lately I've had several opportunities for painting "en plein aire"-a term which means painting in an outdoor setting. Sounds romantic, eh? In Texas, artists have to endure the elements of insects, heat, sudden spring storms, and prickly pears or cacti as they hike into remote areas to find beauty. Such was this trip. I was participating in Arte de los Brazos, a juried art competition at "Possum Kingdom" Lake, an area that survived wildfires involving hundreds of acres the previous year with a substantial loss of homes. This place has evolved into a resort community with retirees from corporate life escaping the large cities of Dallas and Ft. Worth. I was curious to see if "beauty had emerged from ashes." So it had. 

When I go on a plein air outing, I travel very light, carrying an 8 x 10" pochade box, some 9 x 12" wood panels, a set of water soluable oils, a paint thinner & a small amount of medium. Oh, yes, a couple of brushes, although my fingers have been known to "double" as a painting device. The morning had rained, delaying our party of about 15 painters. We headed out as soon as the clouds broke.

 In "The Cove", my goal was to capture the fast moving overcast clouds before blue sky completely covered the area-fifteen minutes later! There is an area of burnt ridges in the distant background. The sun was trying to break into the scene with a glow on the mesquite tree in the foreground. I had to paint quickly to capture the fleeting light.

"Spanish Daggers" was a term given to the yucca plant in the early days. It is amazing how our planet can renew itself when devastation has happened. This was originally intended to be the underpainting for additional layers, but became an impressionist painting itself as the colors emerged. The redder trees in the background behind the yucca stalks were burned-out post oak trees still standing. Juxtaposing the green yuccas in front of their red counterparts complemented the hardy plants. Yellow wildflowers completed the composition. "Beauty for Ashes," don't you agree?

These are available for inquiry...if interested, please contact me @ 

www.vonniekohn.com

Thank you for looking!

Arte de los Brazos, art show & sale, Plein Aire Paint Out, with Vonnie Kohn

 I am honored to be one of the participating artists in the Arte de los Brazos Art Show & Sale at Possum Kingdom Lake. This is a community that survived record breaking fire storms last year. The dates are April 14-22, 2012.

There will be a Plein Aire Paint-Out on Friday, (9 am-4:30 pm) and Saturday (9 am-noon), April 20-21.Other events include wine tasting events,  Cork and Canvas Painting Party (April 19, 6:30 pm), and Presentation of Awards, April 14, Noon.

 For information, please contact:

PK Chamber of Commerce

362 N FM 2353

Graford, Tx. 76449

PossumKingdomLake.com

I have these 3 entries listed with the show. You are invited to share a delightful evening with Award Winning Artists in this Third Annual event.

I will be entering the Plein Aire Paint-Out on Friday. It promises to be a fun event for everyone. Bring your umbrella and sun tan lotion!

Western Artists of America Show, Corsicana, Tx, April-May 2012

Pearce Museum, Corsicana, Tx.

Ready for some really outstanding Western Art? 

 I was able to attend a wonderful day-filled art seminar in Corsicana, Texas last Friday (Mar29) with Karen McLain from Apache Wells, Arizona. Sheila Cottrell, another artist,  presented an informative lecture with images of the late James Reynolds(member of CAA). Jack Muir, sculptor & foundry owner of the Kalispell Art Casting (Montana), presented a slideshow and lecture of the art of Lost Wax Sculpture. There was a varied representation of paintings and sculpture in both Contemporary and Historical genre.

Karen and another friend, Carolyn Hawley, were participating artists in this show, which also featured artists from Texas, California, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and even Massachusetts!
 

Karen McLain (left) and Vonnie

Carolyn Hawley 

Corsicana, known as the home of the Collin St. Bakery, famous for it fruitcakes, and Navarro College, a part of the Texas A & M University, is located about 50 miles south of Dallas, just off the I-45.  It's an easy day trip to view artwork of more than 75 top Western artists (by invitation only) from the Western Artists of America. All art will remain on display at the Pearce Museum until May 12, 2012.

The Civil War Art Gallery and Museum is an added bonus to the admission price to the show. This collection boasts the largest documentation of letters of the enlisted men in the state.

For additional information you may contact the Pearce Museum at:

www.pearcecollections.us

903-875-7642

3100 W. Collin Street

Corsicana, Tx. 75110

Equine Expo Show with Weatherford Art Association, Vonnie Kohn

Whew! What a busy November it's been. A trio of members from our art guild (Karon Richardson, Julie Lawther, and myself) hosted a booth at the Teskey's Equine Expo in Weatherford, Texas early this month. In Texas, we are experiencing an unseasonal heat in the month of November. My "summer tan" came a little late during this show..aka, "boiled lobster" status. We had much fun, good sales, and a raffle which was a fund raiser for our art group. It included 3 (excited) winners for a Christmas ornament with a painted horse (or small pet) of the owner. There was also a re-enactment group (with a jail) next to our booth & a Country/ Western band to provide entertainment. I was careful not to get some time in "jail." What a good day for sharing our art with others.

"Bringin' Em In" by Vonnie Kohn, contemporary western art, equine, cowboys

"Bringin' Em In"

8 x 16

Oil, framed

$ 125

While visiting a Texas ranch a few weeks ago, I happened to witness a couple of cowboys herding several horses in from the "back forty." These were horses that had been on the range for a few weeks. There's something exciting about watching a herd of horses running full speed, with thundering hooves across the pasture, their manes flying in the breeze. In time, they would be tamed down to work as the cowhorses they were meant to be.

Paypal & checks accepted. If interested, please contact:   

http://www.vonniekohn.com/

http://vonniekohn-artist.blogspot.com/

Thank you for looking!

Presentation of Portrait to Museum, "Native Son"



January was another busy month in my calendar! Parker County Today, a monthly magazine whose founder & editors were part of the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, featured an interesting article in their January issue, entitled "Native Son." It described the portrait of S. W. T. Lanham, former governor of Texas during the years of 1902-07. The local chapter the Sons of Confederate Veterans of Weatherford, Tx commissioned me to do a portrait of him during 2010. The painting was presented to the Doss Heritage Center on January 25, 2011. Doss Heritage & Culture Center is a  museum featuring the history of Parker County, west of  Dallas-Ft. Worth. The following is an excerpt of the article:

"NATIVE SON" by Phil Riddle

For a small town, Weatherford has made quiet an impact in a number of arenas. Mary Martin (Peter Pan) and Larry Hagman are famous actors from the Parker County seat. Former House Speaker Jim Wright got his political start as mayor of Weatherford. And cattlemen Charles Goodnight & Oliver Loving both had ties to this North Texas town. Those people & their contributions are important says Jerry Walden, warning against forgetting another hometown son who made a name for himself. That would be Samuel W. T. Lanham, former Governor of Texas who called Weatherford home.

Walden, commander of the local Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp bearing Lanham's name, decided folks in the former governor's home territory should be reminded of his accomplishments as the state's chief executive. So he commissioned a painting of Lanham, which will be displayed at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center. "I wanted to do something to give back to the community," Walden said.

Walden said the portrait, painted by well-known artist, Vonnie Kohn, will be on loan to the Doss Center, but will also be displayed on a rotation basis to area banks. Kohn, the artist, researched decades of portraits & photos to come up with a composite age-correct portrait of Lanham during his tenure in office at Austin. The traditional portrait included a ghost image of the capital in the background  displaying the American Flag and the Flag of the Lone Star State.

Gov. S.W.T. Lanham of Tx, Confederate soldier, portrait by Vonnie Kohn

This is a posthumous commission that I have been working on for some time. Mr. S.W.T. Lanham was a governor of Texas during the late 1800's. His 2-story mansion which sits on an entire city block is located in Weatherford, Texas. He was involved in many legislative areas in the state, including the organizing of the University of Texas. As a former Confederate soldier, he was highly esteemed by the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Weatherford. This painting will be presented to the Chapter this week at their monthly meeting. The second image is a close-up of his face. ....oil on canvas/ 24 x 30...Sold

"The Real Doll"-portrait of French, German dolls with "the real doll"

I have been painting furiously for an upcoming fine art show at the Dutch Art Gallery in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area of Texas. The dates are Nov 1st-Dec 31st. I would like to invite all to come and enjoy. Note that one of my paintings (right) will be in the show. This painting had it's moments! The trick was to paint the eyes of the dolls to look like glass, while the "real doll" had human eyes. A couple of times I had to paint out the eyes & start over...not an easy feat, considering that the colors in gouache are not easily duplicated! Also, I could only paint one doll a day...so this was not one of those "painting-a-day" moments...


Gouache, 14 x 18, custom framed to 24 x 30 (If interested in glicees or note cards, http://www.vonniekohn.com/)


On another note, did you notice a new website listed in the upper right corner.. http://www.contemporaryfineartinternational.com/ ? This is a 'sister' website to the Artists of Texas. I am fortunate to be listed among this wonderful group. Please check them out.

Musings of a work-in-progress

It has been awhile since my last posting, however, I have been busy with a posthumous portrait commission of Gov. S.W.T. Lanham, a Confederate general during the civil war. He was also one of the governors of Texas who was one of the founding fathers of the University of Texas, and a long list of other contributions to our great state. I will post a work-in-progress soon. It is a larger work..24 x 30..and being painted in oil on triple primed canvas. I normally paint the negative space first, but started this as a demonstration for one of my art classes to instruct in the process of value painting of flesh tones. Now I have the challenge of adding the background & adjusting the flesh tones that are influenced by their surroundings...arghhhh!

On another note, I have also become a member of a fine organization called "The Artists of Texas". You will find them at http://artistsoftexas.org Please visit this site and enjoy the works of other great artists too.

"Autumn Crossing"

Texas has been spectacular with the changing of Fall foliage this year. Here is a commissioned painting I have completed for the holidays. A Vaquero (Spanish cowboy) & his compadre are attempting to cross the Paluxy River. While his friend is still finding a path in the swift current, the Vaquero is pausing to take in the beauty of his surroundings.

Original (sold)

Canvas Transfer (18 x 24- $350)..note cards available (4 /$10)

If interested, contact me at www.vonniekohn.com

"Art in the Garden '09"..I've been accepted!

I've just been notified that I've been accepted into "Art in the Garden 2009" at the Ft. Worth Botanic Garden (Ft. Worth, Tx). The show will be held in the Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center on September 11-13, 2009. This artwork is posted on July 27, 2008 in this blog. I was honored to learn that the juror was very impressed with "The DeGolyer View". He has had many credentials, among them, a staff member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Washington, D.C. If you are in the vicinity of the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, please attend this noteworthy show.

"Signs of Spring"

It's nearly the season for painting in "plein air"-a term the French used to painting outside. Here in Texas the bluebonnets are in their seed pods waiting to burst forth and announce the arrival of Spring! It is also the season designated as a sign of "new life." This beautiful Arabian, belonging to one of my friends, has just experienced a sign of new life with her son, "Prophet." Can you smell the flowers yet?

12x16..oil on canvas..available (framed)
http://www.vonniekohn.com

" Bluebonnet Spring"

The state flower of Texas is the bluebonnet. In mid-late spring, these flowers grow in mass profusion in North and Central Texas. There are many places to see these fields of intense "cobalt blue" flowers and regions that host designated tours. There are many artists who focus their paintings on just this genre. I always delight to go to Fredericksburg during this time & paint these flowers in plein air. Needless to say, this is not the time of the year for this, but I hope you will enjoy this painting of an abandoned German farm whose fields were abundantly growing with Texas bluebonnets.

16 x 20..oil on canvas..(sold)