July 1st 2018

Canigou 1, oil on panel, 9x12", detail

Canigou 2, oil on panel, 9x12"

After a great trip, I am glad to be back with my husband and Gabriel. Misha and Kylie came to visit this weekend which was a treat!
I started a series of palette knife paintings from memory of Mount Canigou, the mountain, for us when we lived in the South of France.

Canigou 3, oil on canvas board, 10x14"

 My first attempts were to put as much information on the canvas as possible. I was filming the process, as the paintings 2 and 3 were pre-sold with their video. With Canigou 3, the computer ran out of charge and there was no way to continue filming, even after I plugged it in. My schedule was busy, I had just an hour or two to work, in order for the painting to be dry in time for my departure. I got frustrated and decided to sit back and see what this painting still needed. The more I looked, the more I became convinced that Canigou 3 was finished.

Canigou 6, oil on panel, 9x12", in progress

 Canigou 6 is a result of too much linseed oil and gamsol on the panel at the start. I had the intention of painting an image that captured just the essence, "a poem instead of a novel" as Jim McDonald calls it. I will just keep trying...

Walking in the forests around Nijmegen

 It was so relaxing to walk for hours in the forests we used to walk in with our parents, when we were little, my brother and I. My real brother was at work, but I had my "adopted brother and sister" and/or their dog with me.

Madame de Pompadour, by  M. Quentin de La Tour, pastel, detail

In the Louvre I saw an impressive pastel exhibit, it helped me realize that there are way more historic pastel portraits than I had any idea of. This beautiful, huge portrait, which I had always assumed was in oil, is one of them.

May-June 2018

Statue from the Wild Souls exhibit from the Baltics in the Orsay 

 One of the beautiful paintings and statues I saw in the Orsay in Paris.

Study of a poppy field close to Aix-en-Provence, watercolor

 I knew poppy fields only from Monet's paintings. This year there are poppies everywhere.
It was a wonderful surprise arriving in the area of Aix.

A study of Serrabonne, oil

 Serrabonne was a favorite spot of my father. I had not returned there in many years. I used waterbased oil paint for the study.

Karine's Cat, watercolor

Spring 2018

Barbara's Huey, watercolor on arches,  8 x 10"

This pet portrait was painted for my friend, Barbara. We both have a cat named Huey. The decorations are from a favorite rug.

Mission San Jose Cat 1, watercolor and marker, 6 x 8"

Mission San Jose Cat found a home during the Say Si Silent Auction.

Impression, oil on canvas, 9 x 12"

Impressions and Cool Morning at the River were painted during my lesson using palette knife and paint brush.

Cool morning at the River, 9 x 12"

The Starving Artist's Show in La Villita, (San Antonio) was well attended this year in spite of the cold weather. I had a good show and enjoyed meeting new customers.

In April my cat art is on display at South Alamode,
my pencil portraits are at Four Kings together with landscapes by Maren Philips.
The large tree paintings are at FLOAT.

I hope you have some time to enjoy spring.

January 2018

I started taking lessons in oil painting using a palette knife with Jim McDonald. I have had two lessons so far and what is interesting to me is that Jim paints landscapes from memory. It is very relaxing to me to learn to create art in a very different way. Jim has a zen way of approaching painting. I look forward to my lesson each month as a treat.

My first attempt turned out a little dark. I consider that I painted it by myself. Jim did show me how he works on another canvas and he gave me advice along the way. I made the decisions, however, and did the painting. My favorite part is the green sky. (I remember that Edward Povey once advised me to paint a sky green and at the time, I just could not bring myself to do it. It is a few years later and I can see the benefit.) I believe, there is something more I can do on this and I will keep you posted...

Coming into View

The second attempt is a painting where we took turns painting, discussing what was happening along the way. It was fun!
Now, I am usually not comfortable with anybody working in my painting. Somehow this was a cooperative project from the beginning with each of us coming up with what we could to help bring this landscape into the world.

Morning Mist

December 2017 blog

Beverly's cats, watercolor, 9x12" 

 Beautiful Family,  oil on canvas, 24x30"

Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays
 and a Happy New Year!


Three commissions I have been working on.
Beautiful family is still a work in progress.



The interview is online! http://www.indianavoicejournal.com/2017/12/linda-simone-interviews-artist-vera-von.html?m=0

Our Lady of Vladimir, watercolor on wood, 11x14"

November 2017

I hope my American friends and family had a Happy Thanksgiving!

My Thanksgiving news is that my friend, poet, fellow watercolorist, Linda Simone, did interview me about my tree paintings and that the interview is going to be published in the Nov-Dec 2017 issue of the Indiana Voice Journal. The journal is online at:

https:www.indianavoicejournal.com//
IVJ is on Facebook as Indiana Voice

As of this event, I am putting the tree paintings on my website (www.verasart.com). My portrait paintings were also in my mind when I was answering Linda's questions. Thank you, Linda! Thank you, Indiana Voice Journal, this is a huge encouragement!

Gloria's Garden is a watercolor, I just finished. It was a piece I had fun painting.

Gloria's Garden, watercolor, 9x12"

These pen drawings are of trees in New Zealand. The trees in Albert Park were just awesome. Together with the mountains, hills and lakes of the South Island, these trees were my favorite part of New Zealand.

Snake Tree in Albert Park, pen, 6x8"

Miracle Trees, Albert Park, Auckland, NZ, pen, 6x7"

Rosalie's Mother, Oil on canvas, 18x24"

Rosalie's mother's portrait was a commission for artist, Rosalie Laxton, who was a true patron for me giving me four portraits to paint. Rosalie was an artist herself and a woman I admired for her great attitude and courage. She passed away this fall.

Rosalie, Oil on canvas, 18x24", 2014 started by Rosalie L. and finished by Vera Smith

I am grateful to have had Rosalie in my life as well as the other very dear friends who left this year.

Dog days July 2017

We experienced very high temperatures this July in San Antonio, we had dog days really!

For a few of months, people have started referring to me as the cat lady, not the crazy cat lady, mind. (I am told I don't have enough cats to qualify for the special addition.) It has been impressed upon me that we live in a dog loving world and in spite of that fact, I will continue to dote upon my feline friends. However, I love my dogs and am willing to make some concessions.
After I had been asked repeatedly about dog portraits, I drew and painted three during the last month.

First meet Izzy, a beautiful Belgian Shepherd.

"Izzy," graphite

Then two best friends.

"Dog Pyramid", watercolor and pastel

Last of all: Faith a chihuahua.

"Faith", watercolor
and marker

 Last of all, that is what I thought, but then Bruce came along and needed a portrait as well.

"Bruce", graphite and pastel

My last painting was done by me and Sandy Gray and we imagined instead of researched it.

(Huey, Dewey, Louie Cats" watercolor

Have a safe summer! Stay out of the heat!