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Rita Kirkman Studio - Art News

February 2016

"Three... Five... Seven" (pastel, 30x24 inches)

I slowed down quite a bit in January, but I did manage to get a few commissions done, a lot of paperwork, and this new large painting in what is becoming my "sheep series." So am I done with cows? Probably not... Just taking a little more time to get caught up with life, and concentrating on the most immediate items on my schedule, namely the San Antonio Rodeo (starts this week!) and an all-new workshop next month in Kansas (focusing on the Large Project!)

Read on...

Portraits & Caricatures at the S.A. Rodeo!

Hard to believe this will mark 21 years of drawing portraits at the San Antonio Rodeo! Yep, I started in 1994 sketching 5-minute pastel profiles for $6.99 (including tax! Wow!) I skipped '96 and '97 because of a manager's conference, but came back in '98 and haven't missed a year since.

In 2000 I added front views in color and in sepia, because of a request from Kaman's Art Shoppes, my old employer at the amusement parks, to develop a front view portrait that would be quick and economical in a tourist environment. So I used the rodeo as my testing ground!

rodeo booth 2000

rodeo booth 2006

By 2004 the craft vendors had moved into the Freeman Coliseum (after the completion of the AT&T Center, where the rodeo now takes place.) It was great to be in a more climate controlled building. They gave me a primo corner location on the main floor, right down the stairs from the front entrance - still my location to this day!

rodeo double booth 2011

A few years later I had the opportunity to snag the space next to me and spread out with my pastel paintings and fine art prints. It sure looked nice, but really wasn't the right venue for that sort of thing, so after a couple years I let that space go and went back to my single space just for portrait sketches.

a busy saturday 2009

happy customers 2015

2016 booth almost ready to go!

Last year the exhibit director gave me a happy surprise when she told me we could (finally) start offering caricatures as well as portraits at the booth! (Denied in previous years because of another artist's priority standing.) Guess I've been there long enough now to have earned some standing of my own! ;)

The rodeo grounds open this thursday, Feb 11, at noon! The last day is Sunday, Feb 28. You can find my booth, as always, straight down from the front entrance of the Coliseum.

Visit the S.A. Rodeo website at www.sarodeo.com for hours and more info!

Pastel Workshops

"Castor and Pollux" (pastel, 32x32)

"Dawn of a Texan Dynasty" (pastel, 3x32)

The Large Project

March 12-14, 2016, Ulysses, Kansas

There's more to art than painting small! Catch the high end client with an expensive, masterful work that knocks their socks off!
Creating that one, large, showstopping "Wow" of a painting takes careful planning and strong compositional skills. I will guide you through one large-scale project from the initial planning of the composition to the last strokes, in three full days!

For intermediate to advanced students.

Some spaces still available! For more info CLICK HERE

To register and view supply list visit my workshop page here!

More workshops this year...

March 19 - Georgetown, TX - Demo and mini-workshop for the Central Texas Pastel Society

April 15-17 - Lee's Summit, MO - "Pastel in Miniature" at Gragg Studios

August 1-4 - Little Rock, AR - "Pastel in Miniature" with the Arkansas Pastel Society

September 8-11 - Rockport, TX - "Pastel in Miniature" at the Rockport Art Center

For more info or to register, see my workshop page here!

The PSWC Web Show

"Fairy Rose" (pastel, 9x12 inches)

"Familiar" (pastel, 8x10 inches)

I just today got news that both of my entries to the Pastel Society of the West Coast 2016 Online Membership Exhibition have been accepted!

The show will be featured on the PSWC website as well as on OnlineJuriedShows.com from February 10 through March 10, 2016

Quick Links

My Pastel Website

My Drawings Website

My Daily Painting Blog

My Art Journal

"Cows, Etc." Volume 1

"Cows, Etc." Volume 2

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"You cannot govern the creative impulse; all you can do is to eliminate obstacles and smooth the way for it."

- Kimon Nicolaides

Thanks for reading. Feel free to share! Hope to see you soon,

Rita