Father Christmas #2:

The Cowboy

Now located in Texas again and rekindling my love of the cowboy culture and horses, etc., this subject was my natural choice for a second Christmas painting.  As I worked, I began to enjoy the challenges and envision the series. After I had worked so hard on this character, I did NOT want to put white splotches over it, but I summoned my courage, and I think it actually MADE the piece work. When the painting sold, I did feel a bit of sadness. Confidentially, this has been the most popular Father Christmas, and I believe it is because we Texas gals fall for a handsome cowboy every time.

Father Christmas #3:

The Country Doctor

Thinking back to an earlier era, we know that there must certainly have been special deliveries made by country doctors. Despite knowing that the ladies really loved the handsome cowboy, I didn't want every Father Christmas to be handsome. This one has a belly. Sorry, Ladies.

Father Christmas #4:  

The Fireman

What greater hero might we have than firefighters? Alas, I thought perhaps an image of a burning home might be too painful for some, so the rescue of wildlife seemed best. At this point, this is the only Father Christmas painting that has hues leaning more toward violet. If you're wondering what the script on his helmet is, NP stands for North Pole. VFD is for Volunteer Fire Department. The 5 is ...I forget.

Father Christmas #5:

The Motorcycle Cop

This was an opportunity to pay tribute to our police force, many of whom do spend Christmas Eve answering calls for assistance.  I spent a lot of time working for accuracy in the details, even contacting the Amarillo, Texas, police department maintenance crew to be sure this looked like their Harley-Davidson motorcycles.  They were very cooperative.

Father Christmas #6:

The Football Coach

Americans do love their football games and enjoy attending those events during the holidays. While the coaches are glad to be there as well, it does require the sacrifice of family time at home during the holidays.  The colors, red and black, coordinated with a couple of schools in my family's history and many others across the nation. The numbers match those of my grandsons.

Father Christmas #7:

The Lineman

Think of Christmas Eve without electricity.  No warm home, no glowing Christmas tree, no hot cocoa perhaps. "Who ya gonna call?"

This painting appeals to me as a stronger composition with more mood because of the pale hues toward the bottom and darker, more intense areas at the top, coupled with the strong angular lines.

Father Christmas #8:

The Farmer

Country folks know that if there is trouble--a cow struggling with a difficult birth, a car that has slid into a muddy ditch, a fence blown down--their first call is likely to be to the nearest farm neighbor.

Father Christmas #9:

The  Osprey Pilot

A tribute to our military who certainly do sacrifice time with loved ones in order to protect our nation.  

Bell Helicopter here in Amarillo, Texas, manufactures the Ospreys, and I wanted to recognize them, as well.  I did contact them for details about their product, but they were not nearly as supportive as the police department had been.  To be exact, they refused all of my calls.  I understand.

Father Christmas #10:

Best Dad Ever

Of course, the fact of the matter is that "Santa Claus" is most likely our own parents. My dad was a hero on many levels, but if I could imagine getting the one thing I have longed for all my life, this would be it--a horse.

Father Christmas #11:

The Tow Truck Driver

It's Christmas Eve, you're just a few miles from Grandma's house and a gathering of all your dear ones when you slide straight into a snowbank.  What hero do you most want to see?

I wasn't sure this one would work, yet I felt I had to do it as a nod to some unsung heroes, as most blue collar people are. As I see it, they are the backbone of our nation.

Father Christmas #12:

The Train Engineer

Christmas or not, there are some responsibilities that we expect to continue non-stop. The vintage clothing, etc. seemed more romantic and appealing. With so much dark covering perhaps 3/4 of the work, I had to learn how to deal with a black object so that it wouldn't swallow the viewer's focus. A good lesson for me--nothing is only one color. This is one of my favorite paintings.  

Father Christmas #13:  The Plumber

Here is someone who seldom receives the gratitude he so well deserves. If you had a houseful of guests to celebrate the season and your drains suddenly stopped up, ... 

There is less blue in this piece than in the others, but I like how it works with the greens.  As usual, I use a lot of vintage objects, this time, the wooden toolbox and the old "Woodie" vehicle to romanticize the scene.