Category Archives: Just off the Easel

Old Barns

Painting Inspiration: Old barns!

I love old barns, don’t you? They have such character! Now that I live in Northeast Texas, there seems to be quite a few. Even nicer is some aren’t very far away. This little trio cluster of barns wasn’t far from our home and became the basis for my painting titled “Barn  Trio” which is 9×12 and available for purchase direct.

landscape oil painting, painting of old barns by William Hagerman

In Plein Air

When time permits I enjoy painting on location. If you wish to paint landscapes it’s such a valuable learning session because you see so much more than what a photo will show. But when combined with photos for reference, it captures the essence of the scene and becomes more true to life.

Here’s a little on location video showing the start of the painting and the scenery. Enjoy!

Landscape Oil Painting of Bluebonnets at Sunset

Thought I’d share my latest small 8×10 oil painting up for eBay auction of a landscape oil painting of bluebonnets at sunset. The sky in this piece was inspired by a view out the front window of our car. By way of paint, the sky was easily transported to the Texas Hill Country! Or onto my canvas. 🙂

Texas hill country bluebonnet at sunset oil painting by William Byron HagermanClick the image for a larger view.

The eBay auction will begin Sunday June 21, 2020 at 8 pm Central US Time.

To bid, after logging into your eBay account all items for sale can be accessed from my profile page. 

The bidding begins at $59.00

Happy Bidding!

Landscape oil painting with old barns and donkeys

Introducing my latest new landscape oil painting with old barns and donkeys. This scene had a natural composition except the donkeys or burros were added. They were some my brother-in-law had which I photographed. By way of paint tin on the old barn was repaired some. The actual tin on much of the barn looked as if some huge monster tried to eat it. There’s a point where the nostalgia of an old barn moves past that and becomes too junky looking.

Feeling rather glad to finish this painting after not being to paint for a time due to a fall from a ladder and fracturing several ribs. But, thankfully they’re mostly healed and getting back to the easel is now possible.

The title of this painting is “Lunchtime” and is painted on linen canvas under my William Hagerman Signature. 20×30 in size. $4900 (Click image to view larger)

Lunchtime 20x30 realistic landscape oil painting old barns and donkeys by William Hagerman

Lunchtime 20×30 oil by William Hagerman copyright 2020

It’s available direct. If interested contact me and we can discuss.

Hoping that all of my readers and visitors to my blog have been able to weather the storm of this Cornavirus Pandemic. It’s certainly has effected all of us in one way or the other. Best wishes to you during these difficult times.

 

First Realistic Bluebonnet Painting of 2015

Spring Fever is in the air and thankfully I haven’t been bothered yet by allergies so in celebration I’m sharing with you my latest realistic bluebonnet painting of 2015. Click on the image for a larger view.

realistic landscape bluebonnet oil painting by William Hagerman

Spring Perfection 20×24 Oil by William Hagerman copyright 2015 $3600.00

This landscape oil painting was inspired by a location I found on the back roads near Mason, TX.  I thought what could be more perfect than blue skies, white clouds, sunshine, cool water and the ever popular bluebonnets cascading down the hillside? Thus the title: Spring Perfection.

Although Texas has been in a drought for some time, we have had more rains and it looks like it will be shaping up to be a good year for color displays in several parts of the state. So if you’re traveling in Texas here are some links that you might find useful.

Wildflower reports and other info:
http://www.wildflower.org/press/index.php?link=press&id=321These downloadable eBooks have maps for seeing bluebonnets and other flowers.http://www.wildflowerhaven.com/eBooks.aspx

Safe Traveling and wave as you go by!

 

Commissioned Bluebonnet Painting

Since my last post I’ve been quite busy. First I was finishing up and shipping off my largest ever commissioned bluebonnet painting. The size was 36×42. I’ll write about what it took to ship the painting in another post. My new clients were transplanted Texans living in a new state and wanted something to remind them of home as well as compliment the decor of their newly remodeled living space.

The specifics for the job included the need for a subdued sky, a large oak tree, a view of distant hills, bluebonnets and Indian paint brush which was the key color in matching their decor. After doing a preliminary sketch and approved color study I began painting, Happy to say the clients were very well pleased and they sent me a photo of the painting hanging in their living area.

If you’ve wondered about commissioning a painting I invite you to contact me so we can discuss a customized painting just for you to enjoy in your living space!

You can click on the images for a larger view.

Bluebonnet and Indian paint brush oil painting

A 36×42 commissioned painting titled “Hill Country Flowers” by William Hagerman copyright 2014

My painting at its new home!

In other news my alter ego Byron has been at work on two larger paintings available at Folger Gallery in Midland, TX as well as new work for my eBay auction. You can view the new work here along with the new auction pieces or go directly to my eBay profile page to see what’s available.

Thanks for stopping by today!

William “Byron” Hagerman

 

Small Oil Paintings Exhibit and Sale by William Hagerman at Folger Gallery

Well, I’ve been quite busy the past two and a half months preparing for my Small Oil Paintings Exhibit and Sale at Folger Gallery in Midland, TX – May 15, 2014 – 5:30-7:30 PM Central Time.

Below is just one of 10 of the gallery quality art works that will be on display. Who knows I may yet produce a couple of more before the opening! I’m excited about the event. This is my first showing where all the works are the same size (9×12) and framed in the same custom frame style.

Days Gone By 9x12 oil painting by William Hagerman

Days Gone By 9×12 oil painting by William Hagerman $1300.00 copyright 2014

As an update the show was a success resulting in several sales and commissioned work.

Guadalupe “River Elegance” oil painting

In my last post I showed a small plein air painting that I did along the Guadalupe River in central Texas. I utilize a plein air painting as a point of reference for the colors that I saw. Then I use photography to capture details. My goal is not to copy the study verbatim but to use it as a guide in developing a studio painting and using some artistic license with the composition, such as adding a larger boulder and taking out the rather distracting broken limb that looks like a backward letter “C,” that was shown in the study.

Realistic oil painting along the Guadalupe River by William Hagerman

River Elegance 24×30 oil Sold at NanEtte Richardson Fine Art San Antonio, TX

A Bluebonnet Oil Painting titled “Blue Staccato”

Fresh off the easel as of November 19, 2013 is my latest painting called Blue Staccato. This bluebonnet oil painting is available at Folger Gallery in Midland, TX and will be included in their Fall Show Saturday November 23, 2013. Gallery Phone number: (800) 706-0569 (This painting didn’t last long. It SOLD!)

You may click on the image for a larger view.

Blue Staccato by William Hagerman 24x36 oil copyright 2013

If you’re familiar with the term staccato you will know it refers to a musical note that’s quickly and sharply played. I remember playing such notes over the 5 years of piano lessons when I was young. It reminded me of that as I painted all those bluebonnets of playing staccato notes with short quick strokes. I built a rhythm as I painted but was sure to slow down as needed so as not a hit a wrong note so to speak. However, the real musical drama in this painting is in the wonderful back lighting streaming across the scene!

Something I try to avoid in painting bluebonnet scenes is not to make the composition a cliche. What do I mean by that? As an example I’m using the image below from an artist that was prolific in painting bluebonnet scenes. This painting I believe dates back to the 1970’s. I’m not saying anything negative or derogatory, either of the painting or artist. I like the painting, it brings back a little nostalgia from my many back road treks through central Texas. Yet at the same time, I have seen this same basic composition over the years emulated by other painters to the point of excess. Of course if you’re painting bluebonnets growing in the Texas Hill Country then obviously certain elements are going to repeat themselves, such as oak trees, barns, country roads, rolling hills etc.

bluebonnet painting with barn by W.A. Slaughter

I too have painted these very same features as shown in this painting that I did a few years back. It has the oak tree, road, barn, hills etc., but despite that the composition is not what I call typical or a cliche.

bluebonnet painting by William Hagerman

Early on in my painting endeavors a well known artist named Wilson Hurley in a letter to me offered some advice that was true. He said in part that paintings solely done from imagination can become repetitive and weak. Taking that to heart I have tried to find my own voice when dealing with a popular subject such as the state flower of Texas. Therefore I try basing my work on reality by actual observation. The above composition existed and was not solely a product of my imagination. When I first saw this scene the bluebonnets were not there but a field of sheep were. However, I wasn’t in the mood to paint sheep.

Sadly those dirt country roads are getting paved, beautiful old barns are disappearing and being replaced by metal buildings, land is being sold and bought with housing developments altering the terrain and making such scenes a thing of the past. Some years after having photographed this scene I returned to this same area and to the right of the old barn was a brand new metal barn. Ugh. That was several years ago. I wonder if the old barn is still even there?

In a future post I may discuss a little about the technique of painting bluebonnets.

An Old Stone Farmhouse with a Story

My latest off the easel studio painting for October 20, 2013

Old stone farmhouse with chickens and oil painting titled "An Open Door" by William Hagerman copyright 2013

An Open Door 14×28 Oil by William Hagerman copyright 2013

This charming old stone farmhouse was found somewhere in the Texas Hill Country between Llano and Frederiksberg, if I remember. Although it was uninhabited I changed that by providing chickens and the pot of Geraniums. It seems no matter how humble a life, we enjoy things of beauty around us. Plus the little bright spot of red retains our focus around the central part of the painting.

Additionally this painting provides an example of what I wrote in this post on the value of providing a story in a painting or what can be referred to as implied subject matter. This is illustrated by the open door in this painting.

When I saw this scene the door was actually open and I wondered why. I kept it open in the painting because a closed door seemed uninviting. More importantly it allows your own imagination to answer the question of why was the door open. Giving you an added experience in which you can take part. Perhaps someone just set the potted plant out and went back inside the house to retrieve something and was returning, or maybe they just forgot to shut it and no doubt will soon be chasing one of those chickens out of the house!  Yes it’s an old stone farmhouse with a story, but what possible story comes to your mind when you see the open door? Please share your thoughts.

Small Landscape Painting for eBay Auction September 15 – 22, 2013

A Field of Red Flowers is my latest small landscape oil painting for my eBay auction running Sept. 15-22, 2013. The auction starts at 6 PM Pacific Time. To view the listing once it starts you can go here: http://myworld.ebay.com/hagermanart

Hagerman Oil Painting_Field of Red Flowers_ copyright 2013

A friend of ours gave me a few photos from around the Fredericskburg, TX area a beautiful part of the Texas Hill Country. One of them caught my eye of a field of red Indian Fire Wheel or Galaridia’s and decided it would make a nice small landscape painting. However, the manner in which I painted the flowers gives me more of the idea of red poppies which I like. So, I’ll just let the viewer decide which flower they like best, thus the generic flower title of “A Field of Red.” I really liked the vibrancy and the color resonates with the surrounding greens which is the complimentary color of red. I haven’t had opportunity of late to experiment with such vibrant reds so it was a lot of fun.

As an update, I’ve painted a similar composition titled: “Scarlet Pasture,”  based on one of my own photos. However, the flowers were yellow. No problem. This painting will go up on my eBay auction starting Sept. 22, 2013 at 6 PM Pacific Time. The above painting has already generated several bids, so if you miss out, here’s another option. Plus whoever, wins, this would make a great companion piece!

William Hagerman small landscape oil painting titled: "Scarlet Pasture" featuring red poppies

Working with these vivid red colors makes me want to do a larger studio painting featuring these beautiful flowers! Perhaps I will since I’ll soon start on some studio works having had several canvases stretched for me. (I decided to delegate instead of doing it myself to give me a break!) One landscape painting planned will be of an old German farm house. Another painting will feature some old barns I saw out in California. I’ll post them as I get them done. I’ll try to share the stages of the paintings as I progress as well. So check back.

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