Look, but Don't Touch was included in the 35th Annual Art Exhibition and Sale at the Museum of Western Art from September 15th through October 31st. It sold during "The Party" and is now at its new home.
I painted this piece specifically for submission to this event. When I came across the call for entry, I had just been taking photos of the lovely cactus blooms in my well patch. I was chomping at the bit to start a new painting and was so intrigued by those bright colors. I worked with my usual limited palette, building layers of paint to get those rich tones. I worked in the studio, but often walked out to the garden to study the cactus, make sketches, and take other reference photos. I never before realized how much prickly pear needles look like pointy zip ties! I hope that the finished piece captures the brilliant colors, as well as the contrast between the delicate blooms and the rugged cactus pads and needles.
This particular prickly pear came from my dad's ranch in Jack County, Texas. Rick, my husband, always wanted a cactus bed in our yard. He, our son Quinten, and I restored an old well house on our property and built a three foot rock wall into the hill next to it - that's the rocks you see in the painting. We decided that the top of that wall was the perfect place for cactus - mostly because it's too far to water easily. I dug this beauty up from the ranch and brought it home. It has bloomed faithfully every spring and is never fazed by drought or freeze. A true, tough Texan!
Look, but Don't Touch was included in the 35th Annual Art Exhibition and Sale at the Museum of Western Art from September 15th through October 31st. It sold during "The Party" and is now at its new home.
I painted this piece specifically for submission to this event. When I came across the call for entry, I had just been taking photos of the lovely cactus blooms in my well patch. I was chomping at the bit to start a new painting and was so intrigued by those bright colors. I worked with my usual limited palette, building layers of paint to get those rich tones. I worked in the studio, but often walked out to the garden to study the cactus, make sketches, and take other reference photos. I never before realized how much prickly pear needles look like pointy zip ties! I hope that the finished piece captures the brilliant colors, as well as the contrast between the delicate blooms and the rugged cactus pads and needles.
This particular prickly pear came from my dad's ranch in Jack County, Texas. Rick, my husband, always wanted a cactus bed in our yard. He, our son Quinten, and I restored an old well house on our property and built a three foot rock wall into the hill next to it - that's the rocks you see in the painting. We decided that the top of that wall was the perfect place for cactus - mostly because it's too far to water easily. I dug this beauty up from the ranch and brought it home. It has bloomed faithfully every spring and is never fazed by drought or freeze. A true, tough Texan!