Gloria J Zucaro's "Taos Mourner"

I posted this on my Facebook page last week, but for those of you who missed it, I thought I would post it here for Paint Party Friday this week.
My older daughter Lucy and I took a 4 day trip to Sante Fe and Taos, New Mexico a few years ago.  We visited the Taos Adobe while we were there.  There is an area on one side where they have the cemetery. This woman was actually our guide.  She looked so wonderful with her umbrella/parasol and agreed to have her picture taken in front of the cemetery wall.

"Taos Mourner"

10" x 8" Pastel on watercolor paper with 2 coats of Pastel Ground

Be sure to visit the PPF blog and enjoy all the wonderful art.  Get to know the artists, too!  Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Gloria

Gloria J Zucaro's DPW Pig Challenge "Penelope Goes To The Beach"

8"H x 9.5"W Original Pastel Painting on Canson Paper

This item is for auction at the Daily Paintworks site starting bid $50.00 and the money will be donated to The Africa Challenge for starving children presented by Carol & David Marine.

Penelope's beach day started with a reference photo I had taken in 2009 in Fredericksburg, Tx while at a workshop with Cheri Christensen.  She was in a farmyard setting, but I knew where Penelope really wanted to be!

Gloria J Zucaro's Superstition Challenge "Stormy Weather"

9 1/2"H x 11 1/2"W  Pastel on Sanded Paper

$75.00 Unframed  $100.00 Framed with Mat and Glass

$85.00 double matted with Plexi, no Frame

S&H to your ZIP.

This painting will be for auction on the Daily Paintworks website.

dailypaintworks.com. 

I actually finished this painting on Monday last, but then tried something new...spraying it with fixative.  I learned that it definitely darkened it, which can change the values somewhat.  I also learned that if you use charcoal as your black, it blurs out with the moisture.  So after completing all my work this week with painters, plumbers, and carpet cleaners for selling the townhouse, I finally worked on it again to fix values, add highlights and make the black cat a little less of a puddle!  So now I am posting it on The Daily Paintworks site as my entry into last Saturdays challenge which was superstitions.  This one is about never opening an umbrella in the house and black cats crossing under...things??.  I am not really superstitious, however, I am cautious about not stepping on a crack in the sidewalk and possibly breaking my mother's back!!!!  (Step on the crack, break your mother's back!).  I read that only 1 in 20 adults avoid cracks in the pavement...wow...I feel really special, LOL!