Hello, everyone, and sorry to have been silent for a while. About a month ago I had a small stroke that left my painting hand inoperable. There are still health issues to be resolved, but the coordination in my hand is returning and I'm back to creating.
Here is one I've always wanted to do and appropriate for the upcoming holidays...my sense of humor didn't diminish in the brain attack! It's 10'x10" oil pastel on board and is available for $250, a nice present for someone special.

And this one got finished today...it's called "Turn About Is Fair Play". It's 24" x 60", in two panels that are available separately or together. The croc is $350 and the roper is $500. A little hard to see in this small size, but the cowboy has roped the croc around his belly and the crock has grabbed the rope in his jaws to wage real war with the cowboy. Again, a nice present for someone with a sense of humor! Email me, lwmellon@gmail.com, and I'll send you a larger size to see before you buy.

A little more work has been done on the dust, body and cowboy's arms, the bridle and stirrups...can't wait to see what he has roped!

Here is a roping painting I'm working on; it's quite large, about 30"x40" and a ton of fun to do. Now, the question is: what has our cowboy roped? You know, with my strange sense of humor, it's not going to be just a steer! When this one is finished, there will be a companion piece on the left to reveal the catch!

And a little news item: the painting "A Salute to The 2012 Olympic Horses" has sold and will have a new home with a collector in Atlanta.

Sidelines magazine ran a very nice story in this month's issue and I thought I would share it with you!

http://sidelinesnews.com/weekly-featured/art-that-makes-you-smile-louise-mellon.html

The Katydid Combined Driving Event is November 1-4, and they asked me to provide the invitation and poster. This year is their 10th Anniversary and they wanted a celebratory painting...I was delighted to provide this image!

I'm happy to say that "Can I Play, Too?" has been sold to a happy home and new collector in Atlanta, GA!

Here is the final art ready for the Sidelines magazine cover, saluting the American horses that competed at the 2012 London Olympics. I had a lot of fun doing this one, as I always do!

Ahhh...we're getting close to finished, and ahead of my deadline!!! Hooray! A few more layers and it can be deemed finished, pending the magazine's right to suggest changes, which will be done happily. We have three medals around the horse's neck, flying in the wind, as he's carrying the American flag in his mouth. Do notice his hooves are red, white and blue! You know I can't do a piece without a little extra fun thrown in.

Here are more layers added with many more to go. This is really fun!

This is the beginning of a cover for Sidelines magazine honoring all the American horses that competed at the London Olympic Games in London this year. It is being painted in a larger size than necessary to make it easier for me to get the details, and it can then be cropped and reduced to suit the magazine's needs for banner and side information on articles inside. I'm doing it on pastel board in several kinds of oil pastel, with the harder textured ones underneath.
Several of you have asked why I prefer oil pastel: some years ago, I was a passenger in a carriage driving accident in Acadia National Park in Maine. I was thrown head first into a stone wall at high speed and altitude, and, aside from many broken bones and four surgeries, from the brain trauma I went into early onset of Essential Tremor. What this basically means is that my hands shake (very inconvenient for eating soup), and, as an artist who used to do highly detailed work, I had to find another way to create. I can't control a brush very well, so I experimented with oil pastel sticks and ways to brace my hand and arm to paint. It's kind of like using crayons. My technique had to change, but my creative spirit was always there to spur me on. As time goes by, the condition will worsen and I'll have to morph into the next method of handling art materials. As you can imagine with a wake up call like that, life became very precious to me, and I decided that my mission in life, and especially in this recession, is to cheer people up with my art. If you have ever smiled at my strange painting sense of humor, then you have made me very happy and I know I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

I changed a few things and the name, now "The Dump Truck"! I think that says it all!!

Here is "Mr. Peacock Took The Dump Permit As An Invitation"! Finished and ready to give chuckles. Note the little mouse sneaking away from the cat giving itself a bath!

Although it's hard to read here, the sticker on the windshield of the old truck says "City of Phoenix, Dumping License, Permit 70". The regal peacock has chosen the hood of this oxidized, ancient truck to utilize the permit! This piece is almost finished...hooray!

Here is "New Olympic Sport: Show Bull Jumping", about 50"x61", oil pastel. It was started several months ago and is now finished. Do note the lilly pads, frog, fish and buzzard...he's sure that he's going to get a meal out of this one! The look on the rider's face really lets you know how he feels about this adventure!

Here is a new piece started and you'll see the irony and humor as it develops. It's a 24x18" oil pastel on unprimed wood panel. These are the first layers in a harder oil pastel to block in the colors and values. As the layers are added, the oil pastels chosen will be softer and more oily.
I actually saw this peacock on the very old Ford truck years ago when I was living in Arizona and just loved the foil of the flamboyant, beautiful bird against the ancient, worn out truck.

Mindy's portrait is almost finished. What a sweet dog!

Mindy

Here I'm getting more basic layers down and will refine as I go.

I was recently named Dean of Education for the American Academy of Equine Art, and the story is at this link!

http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/050812-mellon-aaea-art--1228718

And, while the portrait of the four frolicking animals is resting, I'm back to working on Mindy, the Basset Hound.

Two little running mice have been added at the bottom right...chaos in the pasture! They need to be emphasized a bit more and then we're about finished!

A new, little cavorting creature has come to play!

Another day or two and this fun portrait will be finished!

A few more tweaks and this portrait will be completed. A little more background, shadows, a check of expressions of mischief, and these frolicking four will be captured for many future smiles!

The painting has rested for a few days to let the oil pastel firm up a bit to be easier to work with. A little extra announcement: I've been named Dean of Education for the American Academy of Equine Art, based in Lexington, KY. My duties will include creating and managing national and international workshops with top equine painters and sculptors. Hope you're having fun watching this painting come along, and keep watching.

Frolicking Four

Since this is a mini-donkey, I've made his legs shorter and given him a bit more attitude. The layers of background are slowly building, and they even have to "dry" a bit before I can work in the same place. Oil pastels never completely dry, and they will remain sticky for years in thick layers, so frequently I have to wait a day or more for the layers to set before adding more. I can't wait to see how this finishes out!

Frolicking Four

Here's the next layer of oil pastel and the playmates are starting to come to life. Much tweaking to do on anatomy and edges, but it's coming along.

Frolicking Four

Here's the progress on this painting of four friends having fun. The oil pastels are a mix of Holbein and Sennelier brands, with the Holbeins being harder in consistency and the Senneliers quite buttery. Both have hard and soft sticks in their line, so sometimes it's a challenge to choose a certain color that I really want to use, but it's too hard and will just scratch through. Lots of problem solving and trade-offs as I go along.

Frolicking Four

Welcome back and here is the next step in this painting. Many layers yet to come!

The Frolicking Four portrait commission

This is a really fun piece to paint! Wonderful animals with so much personality...a real joy to be a part of. More layers have been added with many more to go.

The Frolicking Four portrait commission

Here is the beginning of a family portrait...follow along to see how this 18"x24", oil pastel on gesso board comes to life!

Jonathan Koch

I hope you will visit Jonathan Koch's website, WWW.JONATHANKOCHSTUDIO.COM, and treat yourself to exquisite still life and natural works. I own several of his paintings and am always happy and delighted to come across any of them hanging in my home. Two of his works have been included in a show in South Australia at Peter Walker Fine Art, http://peterwalker.com.au/Realism_2012.html, Realism from the USA and Canada. Several of his works are also available as stunning note cards. We became friends through our mutual love of Corgis, both Pembroke and Cardigan, with dog treats and toys sent coast to coast to each other's canine friends!

Bassett painting 2

Here is the next step in painting this sweet Bassett ...layer upon layer will make this little girl come to life.

New Bassett painting

This is the roughing in for a lovely girl Bassett Hound in Atlanta, GA. The oil pastel is done on top of a wood board panel with many layers of alcohol inks to make a textured background. So much fun!! Keep checking in for the next addition to this painting...and don't worry about the color and glare...believe me, it will change many times, with many layers, to come to completion.

News from Louise

I just found out that three of my pieces, "Love Among Friends", Puppy Pranks: Cover Me...Grandma's Goin' In The Pool!", and The Andalusian", have been juried into  the Caladan Gallery's exhibition, "Creatures: Swim, Crawl, Fly". The exhibition will be posted online from February 1-29 on the gallery's website, www.caladangallery.com.

"Mare Mumblings: Hey! Watch Where You're Swinging That Thing!"

Have you ever wondered what the polo ponies are really thinking? Especially if they have a player who's new to the game?