Inspiration from Lost Maples

Paul and our British Lab, Phineas

Fall's Reflections

Pond on East Trail at Lost Maples Natural Area

Checking out the Local Foliage!

I'm still thinking about the dazzle of the sun on the canyon's creek and the purple-red haze on the soft, tall grasses along the trails at Lost Maples. There was every shade of autumn there. It was all good. And, it was nature at its best. If you're looking for inspiration, you might consider a day or two at Lost Maples Natural Area near Vanderpool, Texas. It's about an hour and a half's drive northwest from San Antonio. If you go through the small towns of Bandera and Medina along the way, you might also pass by a cowboy walking a buffalo or an apple orchard that stretches into forever. Once you head out of San Antonio and into the Hill Country, the drive won't disappoint you at all. Some of the landscapes are simply breathtaking.

Paul and I went tent camping and hiking at Lost Maples last week with our two dogs, Phineas and Rusty. The weather was so good that we nearly forgot our brutal summer. Cool, dry days and crisp, clear nights that let one see the stars, made me want to pinch myself. It seemed too good to be true! I took the camera with me every time I headed out of the campsite. Inspiration was everywhere I turned. Now, all I need to do is pick, plan, and paint a landscape. I'll let you know later how it goes . . . Happy Trails! ---Cindy

Ain't No Mountain High Enough . . . Painting Mt. Rainier with Pastels

Northern Exposure at Mt. Rainier

Ain't no mountain high enough . . . I can hear Dianna Ross belting out one of my favorite Motown songs on my jamtown player. Listening to music helps me paint. What an equation! Photos + Music + Pastel Paints = Landscape Painting of the North Face of Mt. Rainier. What can I say; it works for me. After my friend Anna returned from a vacation in the state of Washington with photos and journaling, I found out I couldn't resist the sights of the Emmons Vista Park Trail and the north face of Mt. Rainier. Having to postpone traveling for awhile due to lack of funds, I decided to live vicariously through Anna's travels and soak up the northwestern outdoor beauty through her. By the way, thanks, my friend!! I enjoyed painting this vista by underpainting with hard pastels first. Next, I started with the middle ground and then worked on the foreground, and saved the sky for last. I used a combination of my hard, medium, and soft pastels for the last layer while working on the design, shapes, and details of my composition. I created my painting on 12x16 sanded paper. I plan to mat and frame it with either a 14x18 or 16x20 frame.

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please either e-mail or phone me for more details. E-mail: cski02@sbcglobal.net or phone-- 210-522-0706. Happy Trails!!! --Cindy

You're Invited to San Antonio's ARTASTIC!

***** Falling for ART could be the Perfect Answer!!!! *******

Keep Sunday, October 18th OPEN!

You're INVITED

To Attend

ARTASTIC!

A Fine Arts Festival

Presented by

Temple Beth-El Sisterhood

Sunday, October 18, 2009, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Temple Beth-el

211 Belknap Place

San Antonio

FREE ADMISSION
...featuring over 30 artists,
live music,

wine tasting, food and chocolate, too...

Hope you can join me. I'll be located in booth #25 with my ART. I'll have all sizes of original paintings, matted prints, and cards too.

See you soon, Cindy

Art for Sale this Saturday, October 10th

Art for Sale!!!

Shopaholics unite! Braun Station West's Garage Sale is this Saturday, October 10th, from 9:00 till 5:00.

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If you're looking for something different, like something new, new ART, come by my place. I'll be selling my original art via the BSW Garage Sale in matted prints, framed prints, and art cards in my backyard by the alley. My address is 8603 Waldon Heights. Look for a gray brick house at the corner of Queen Hts. and Waldon Hts. If you're coming down Tezel from the clubhouse, turn right onto London Hts. and then take the 2nd left onto Waldon. I'm at the end of the street on the left-hand side. I'll also have some neighborhood sale signs to guide you.

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Plus, if you mention this e-mail, I'll give you a free Art Card! (Your Choice!) Hope to see you this Saturday. Come check out my Art for Sale!

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HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

--Cindy

INSPIRE'S ON FIRE

"emerging artist awards reception"

Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, 6:30 - 10:00 pm

The Terrace at Valero

One Valero Way

After the Rains: SOLD!

Sold! Both of my juried paintings have now gone to good homes. "After the Rains" sold prior to the reception and "Lost Maples" sold at the Inspire's on Fire: Emerging Artists Awards Reception last night at Valero's Gala. One of the gala's events included a Silent Auction while the Art was on display. With the band's music jamming the song "Celebrate Good Times," I noticed a reason to celebrate. My second painting had just been sold through the auction for my asking price. Yeah!

With my husband Paul and my Texas Pastel Society friends, Maria Lopez and Cathy Geib, we managed to have fun and collect accolades as well. The Pastel Medium came through with flying colors for well-deserved awards going to fellow-pastel artists, Maria and Cathy. Way to go, ladies! Gourmet appetizers, fine wines, and a great band also helped contribute to an unforgettable evening. Thank You, Inspire Fine Art Center! We're all looking forward to more good times and inspiration through you.

Early Snow in Ellwood: A New Pastel Painting

Early Snow in Ellwood

First Moment of Snow!

Joy! That's the feeling I had when I experienced my first moment of snow last Thanksgiving! It had been a long time since I'd even seen snow, and here I was feeling it on my face. The moment seemed to stretch into an eternity of slow-moving childhood memories of sled rides, snowball fights, and crisp, bright scenes from the past that came all in a rush of excitement. I grew up with snow in Pennsylvania. But now that I live nearer the equator in San Antonio, Texas, snow is a novelty and a treasure from my past. Since I was visiting my family for Thanksgiving in Ellwood City, PA in 2008, I expected turkey for our big meal, but what I didn't anticipate was a snowfall the day after the holiday. That was a gift!

In my recent painting entitled "Early Snow in Ellwood" I tried to capture the excitement of snow through the lingering warmth of a late autumn in reds and golds, the newness of snow through a diffused palette of light blues and lavenders, and the woodsy landscape from the western Pennsylvania countryside. My completed pastel painting is an 8x10 on pastelbord, and it will soon be listed and available through my online gallery: http://www.cindymorawski.com/.

The changing seasons never disappoint me. The chill in the air, the sudden quiet, and then the first snowflakes as they fall gently from the sky all add up to a delightful moment. Nature provides. See it with fresh eyes and enjoy!

PS: Please write and tell me about your adventures with snow.

--Cindy

Falling for Autumn! New Landscape Paintings

Joy of October

Hardwood's Lost and Found

Door County

Imagine me as Odie, the dog character in the "Garfield" cartoon strip. Drooling, excitedly jumping up and down, very, very happy!! That's me when I think of AUTUMN. It has always been my favorite season and always will be. The cooler temperatures, the vivid tree foliage, the crunch of leaves, the promise of a harvest, and the sweet perfume of a change in the air-- all contribute to my love of Fall. The sheer cheerfulness of a Halloween pumpkin can make me feel like a kid again. Buying gold and claret colored mums for our home's entrance brings magic to my front door. Just the thought of all that trick-or-treat chocolate puts a shiver down my spine. With cooler weather, I can also plan a camping trip to Bastrop or a long hike at Lost Maples Park with Paul and my friends. Plus, although I don't consider myself a TV junkie, I can look forward to the new fall line-up and the end of summer reruns. Yes, the feeling of hope is triumphant for me.

Wanting to take advantage of that manic high I've got going, I can't wait to also get out my art supplies and get some painting started. Although Fall doesn't officially start until September 22nd this year, I wanted to get an early start with some new landscapes. I started in August with my tribute to Door County, Wisconsin, by painting "Joy of October" and "Door County." A couple of years ago, Paul and I visited family in Wisconsin in October. It was an unforgettable trip with lots of photos, food, hikes, and laughter. The natural beauty of Door County took my breath away. The colorful woods, the misty lakes and wetlands, and the small town festivals contributed to my falling in love all over again with Autumn. I based my above paintings on photos I'd taken of scenes from the Northeastern Wisconsin landscapes I viewed and appreciated.

Joy of Autumn and Door County are 8 x 10 landscapes on Ampersand tinted Pastelbord. The still life of Hardwood's Lost and Found is a 5 x 7 on Pastelbord as well. All are ready to hang with completed complimentary matting and framing. Joy of Autumn is already sold, but the others are price-listed online and ready for purchase. So, even if you're not a complete and utter fool for Fall like me, I hope you have a good Autumn. And, if you are from San Antonio, you all deserve some cooler and wetter weather this season!

I'll leave you with an excerpt from Robert Frost in his verse entitled "October."

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all. . .

Release one leaf at break of day,

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Enchant the land with

amethyst,

Slow, slow!

AUTUMN GREETINGS and GOOD WISHES!! --Cindy