Susan Neese McKinney Ramblings

"Cry me a River!"...............just kidding.    Although disappointed, "Summertime", "Summertime", 36"x 48", Oil didn't get into the airport show this summer.   Bummer!    Now what?   At least I will have time to let it set a while and see if it needs any other touches.    In the meantime I'm looking forward to a trip to Atlanta, GA for the Portrait Society conference next week.   And  also to stop by Billy's (my bro) in Birmingham.   I've never been to an art conference before, so I'm hoping to learn a lot and to meet some wonderful artists that I admire.    I'll probably post some photos of the conference on my Facebook page as it progresses.    Here is another version of "Summertime",  although I touched it up a little more since this photo.  

Large canvases.    Wow!   It's a learning experience from the get-go.......  I've done only a few larger works over the years.......but it's like starting all over again.   I knew this "Big Show" at the Springfield-Branson National Airport, (Missouri) was coming up, so when I found a good deal on some larger canvases I figured it was meant to be................ It's kind of a gamble to paint large, like this, as most of my small galleries don't have room for "BIG".    But the Sky Gallery at the airport is such a great venue to display art, I'm always excited at the chance to hang my paintings there.    I changed my mind on the subject to paint 4 times, then remembered I had this great reference of granddaughter, Taylor Ann, at the Stockton Lake swim beach.     The decor at the airport is water and fish......so this fits in perfectly.    My first version was too stiff legged, so I had to redo her stance.   The new version is more corre

Palo Verde tree in bloom. Prickly Pear blooms.  I had a great 8 days in Arizona, and a couple in California last week, visiting family and friends.   My sister and I took my Mom to her 70th Peoria High School class reunion.   How about that!   We all enjoyed seeing her friends and all our relatives that also graduated there.    In between visiting I did sneek away for a few photos.   The Palo Verde trees were showing off their best after having some recent rains.   The valley of the sun has the most fabulous landscaping all through out the area.    The best looking freeways I've ever seen.    I hope to go back sometime for  some serious plein air painting.    Here are 3 photos I took. Cactus Flower