tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14918951481340351292011-12-16T11:30:29.749-07:00Thoughts and ramblings of a pencil artist...with an addiction to color!Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.comBlogger1431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-9899428440055942292011-12-16T11:30:00.001-07:002011-12-16T11:30:29.767-07:00

For all my photography fans out there, here is one just for you! Oh so posh Photography is giving away a Nikon D90! Here is the link for those of you who would like to enter, hurry, it expires on the 17th,  and good luck! http://www.ohsoposhphotography.com/blog/?p=5458 "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-12525753878393290192011-11-17T07:22:00.001-07:002011-11-17T08:00:34.691-07:00

Yes, that's me. I will admit it, I am a magpie at heart. Fall has arrived, and with it some much needed rain. We had a lovely light rain well into the night last week, and in the morning, I found all these sparkling jewels, strewn out amongst the weeds, like diamonds and precious gems at a fancy jewelry store. I was so excited!!!  I will admit, I love bling..it's the Magpie in me. Love, love, 

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-17262648998273734482011-11-02T08:35:00.000-07:002011-11-02T08:35:18.114-07:00

As a pencil artist who uses Prismacolor Pencils exclusively, it's always like Christmas when we hear of a new pencil color being released. It kind of takes away the pain and sorrow we feel when they stop producing a favorite well used color for whatever reasons. Some of the new 18 colors added to the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil line are more of the "old friend" variety.  It's so nice to

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-42534446153443997092011-10-16T11:07:00.000-07:002011-10-16T11:07:23.522-07:00

We said good-bye to my Brother in the spring. His passing hit me harder in several different ways than I expected it to.  I came from a family of 7 brothers and sisters.  Bill was the first of us siblings to pass from this world, and his passing has made me feel vulnerable. Something that took me awhile to realize and is just as hard to admit.  Then, while we were on our way to Vegas for a

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-71299895633804995262011-10-01T22:52:00.001-07:002011-10-01T22:54:42.404-07:00

Over the summer.. (did I happen to mention it was a crazy summer?) I was asked by Steve Edwards of Queen Valley Mule Ranch to sculpt a mule head for him. The design would be cast into conchos for his Signature Series Saddles and Belt Buckles.  Here is the finished head, sculpted in Sculpey, cured then shipped to Advanced Castings in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  When it arrived it was digitally

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-33149538582824317922011-09-30T22:32:00.003-07:002011-10-15T17:33:14.203-07:00

Orignially our daughters wedding was scheduled for October, which would be next month.  Somewhere at the beginning of the summer they decided a trip to Vegas sounded much more fun! In May they informed us October was out.. June was in! First came the shopping...  The one below is just for fun.. lol.. but I might see a CP piece prospect in it. Then, with the

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-58744737478535953932011-09-27T10:46:00.003-07:002011-09-27T10:49:52.276-07:00

What a summer.... Much has happened, so I'm way behind on my blog, but life happens and you go on and do the best you can. You might remember the beginning of this piece which was intended for the CPSA Silent Auction in Dallas. I wasn't able to finish it until this week, so it never made it.   But, here it is finished ( might need a couple more tweaks in a few days) finally! "Workday

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-5632403037344308462011-05-17T06:40:00.224-07:002011-05-17T09:57:45.167-07:00

This is going to be a different kind of post for me, sort of. I come from a large family, with 4 sisters and 2 brothers.  We grew up in Tempe & Mesa, Arizona, with the family still residing in the area. (except me? awwww *sniff)  Cruising Main was just a right of passage... true "American Graffiti" style. At least until Mesa passed a law against it, sadly my kids never got to experience that

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-41808935571523132222011-05-10T19:55:00.002-07:002011-05-10T19:58:00.594-07:00

I got to work about 3 hours on this today... it's coming along pretty quickly, all things considered.... I'm still using solvents after several layers of pencil application, then more pencil on top of that.Still a long way to go! "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-26251914308012384502011-05-06T08:57:00.001-07:002011-05-06T09:33:24.152-07:00

I managed a few hours in the studio yesterday........ Oh c'mon admit it... you thought they were going to be brown  ;) "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-31790836042060376722011-05-04T22:38:00.000-07:002011-05-04T22:38:16.832-07:00

My intention was to dive into this CPSA Silent Auction Donation piece quickly, getting it done without to much fuss. Unfortunately, I had to leave town unexpectedly, finally managing to get back to my studio yesterday, then this piece today. In order to speed things up I've taken a brush and odorless mineral spirits to the layers. I don't have to worry about damaging the "paper" because Uart

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-56002903137763549532011-05-02T11:27:00.003-07:002011-05-02T14:31:21.791-07:00

It's always nice to see your name on the list!  My little portrait, Vintage Beauty" was accepted, WHOOT! For those of you waiting for the list of accepted artists for the 2011 International CPSA Exhibition in Dallas this year... here it is! Congratulations to all those accepted :D http://www.cpsa.org/EXHIBITION/19thEXHIBITION/2011_Invited.htm "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-46045460067170690992011-04-26T15:22:00.002-07:002011-04-26T15:22:43.915-07:00

Looks like we're all going to have to wait a little bit longer! http://coloredpencilsociety.blogspot.com/ "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-34894894762660176562011-04-20T20:07:00.000-07:002011-04-20T20:07:45.922-07:00

Lot's going on around here, so I have to get my fanny in gear and get busy. Today I established my underpainting for my "Boots". Those of you who've taken my workshop know what this is and why, eh? 7"x10" on Uart 600, Prismacolor Pencils"Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-11159352395795514662011-04-18T14:57:00.001-07:002011-04-18T15:01:27.144-07:00

Ha!  Western + Cowboy Boots + Venice + Mules = Spaghetti Westerns, right? ( I won't go into how much I dislike those movies though) Right?  Have you all decided I've lost my mind :D.  I've spent the weekend lining up my little ducks in a row. Seems my summer is going to be busy and it's  not even here yet! So how did I come about with the Spaghetti Westerns you ask? Well..... 1. Western =

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-69766329660406371432011-04-13T08:46:00.003-07:002011-04-14T06:25:05.994-07:00

First, I'd like to thank the Memphis Chapter for having me, what a nice group! I really enjoyed my time with you, thank you so much. We started out Saturday with a little power point and a little discussion. Uart was our support so we discussed the pro's and how it's made. (I haven't come across any cons) Uart was a new support for all but one in this group, I think it was a hit! We reviewed

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-66352287187885364202011-04-06T08:38:00.000-07:002011-04-06T08:38:57.086-07:00

Just a little sneak peek at the eye demo we'll be working on Saturday in Memphis. Here is the underpainting and the finished image...3"x4", Prismacolor Pencils on Uart 600. Keep Scribbling! Tj "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-89954514445627782502011-03-30T07:41:00.002-07:002011-03-30T07:45:03.336-07:00

Of course I mean my CPSA entries for the 19th annual International Exhibition  in Dallas this year! My pieces were finished and uploaded to the CaFE' site yesterday.  *Whew* :D.  (ok, so I only had to finish one, the other was an entry from last year) It always seems that the jury process takes so long. I'm thankful it's faster with the CaFE' process though. Still, it seems to drag on... To

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-10458562299908509992011-03-24T19:46:00.002-07:002011-03-30T00:28:26.042-07:00

"Vintage Beauty"  This is a litle 4.5" x 6.5" Prismacolor Pencil portrait done on Uart 600. The lovely model is my daughter (hey, after all those years raising them, I should be allowed, right?)  This is also the image we'll be working on in Memphis! I picked up these vintage furs at an estate sale one day, with the intention of using them as props, eventually. When my daughter came to visit

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-63798449516052495742011-03-09T07:10:00.000-07:002011-03-09T07:10:54.263-07:00

It will be held in Richardson, Texas (Just N. of Dallas)  the middle of July. The deadline is March 31st. Does  everyone have those submissions ready? "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time, or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-28179466749678195342011-02-09T23:36:00.004-07:002011-02-10T07:01:57.153-07:00

This is the continuation from our recent excursion I shared with you here.. http://tonijames.blogspot.com/2011/01/along-cienega-corridor-day-1.html I promised more to come, and here it is! Actually Day 1 was so enjoyable, hubby talked me into a repeat the next morning. No lost arrow to look for this time around, just out to have a fun! The morning was just as beautiful the second day as the first

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-62760190665596579912011-02-05T09:42:00.001-07:002011-02-05T09:44:24.293-07:00

Anyone ever wonder how? I've added a "Tips & How to" tab to my pages, there I've shown you how I do it, if anyone can find it helpful, that's great! Keep Scribbling! Tj "Capturing the spirit of a portrait, the sparkle of a moment in time or the soft sounds of your memories."

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-90447058462929456352011-02-03T09:35:00.002-07:002011-02-03T12:37:01.838-07:00

I know, I know... many of you are enduring much colder temps than this little desert rat is this week, but 7 very dry, clear, windy degrees this morning isn't what I'm used to! In all the time we've lived here our waterlines have never frozen over. First yesterday, again today. Hoping they thaw out this afternoon, but we not expecting to get above 32 degrees today, we'll be lucky if they thaw

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-22651422461736358422011-01-30T09:21:00.001-07:002011-01-30T13:27:06.602-07:00

When we moved to the Tucson area in 2005, our youngest 2 children moved with us. Our 3 adult children stayed behind, where they grew up. Being as we are now a two and a half - three hour drive away, we don't get to see them, or our grandchildren as much as we'd like to.  When the kids come here to visit, it's for all weekend.  For the last few weekends we've had such company. LOVE IT! Here is our

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-5533762380920495992011-01-26T10:40:00.000-07:002011-01-26T10:40:15.836-07:00

This is a little 5x7 images I began as a demo last year. I never thought to title it, because I really didn't figure I'd complete it. Haha..guess I was wrong. It's ok though, I've been wrong before,  I can handle it.  As long as it's not a habit! Prismacolor Pencils on Uart 600.  This is the beginning of my underpainting. Now, with my underpainting complete, I'm free to add color. Skip ahead

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-70119157755287077802011-01-25T08:38:00.001-07:002011-01-25T11:19:27.255-07:00

Last week when my hubby asked if I'd like to go on a hike with my camera (aka look for a lost arrow lol) I said sure! It turned out to be a beautiful day, got some great pictures to share with you! The colors were beautiful, the air was cool the sun was warm, the company was sweet. This was a quick snap... almost had a human figure in it lol. Love the old rusty gate and those colors. I didn't

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-65080287959134961182011-01-23T14:10:00.001-07:002011-01-24T11:21:11.189-07:00

My 5year old grandaughter came to visit for the weekend. She loves to draw too! Her Papa and I gave her a large set of watercolor pencils for Christimas, only she thought they were regular colored pencils. Then, this weekend I showed her how much fun her pencils can be. She was very excited!(and surprised lol) Here are her very first watercolor paintings.  Here is her second WCPencil painting

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-13227448723293431182011-01-16T23:08:00.001-07:002011-01-16T23:14:07.417-07:00

For awhile now I've been lagging on keeping up both of my blogs, this one along with my photography blog. I find that when I'm on a photography kick, the artwork blog lagged and vice-versa. So, it's finally time to merge them together in hopes that one will be easier for me to maintain without letting things get stale around here. All these changes have prompted me to do a little housekeeping,

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-40556890380817473102010-12-16T08:56:00.001-07:002010-12-16T10:26:04.143-07:00

This one will wear a cowboy hat, little boots and wranglers no doubt! He arrived a month early, safe and sound. Here he is with his Daddy, Welcome to the world Stockton! Now...where are those pencils....

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-33721560224791663092010-11-09T07:45:00.000-07:002010-11-09T07:45:55.322-07:00

I know, I know.... I've been awol, I'm sorry. Had a great time in Ohio, but due to the Blogger uploader I won't be sharing any images from the workshop anytime soon. This is Millie again, the week she turned one. This is also the image we worked on Sunday at the workshop. 5x7 Prismacolors on Uart 600.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-27010380087493116992010-11-09T07:26:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.135-07:00

I am not happy with whatever is going on with the Blogger uploader. Used to you could select multiple images to upload, but not anymore. It's one at a time and I'm not diggin it. Here are a handfull of captures from last week, enjoy!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-39149772518255716702010-09-02T21:24:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.138-07:00

These monsoon clouds have brought us a lot of rain this summer.. the mountains have turned green ! Tucson on a stormy evening that gave us no rain. The monsoon will be drawing to a close here before to much longer. I'll be off to capture who knows what after that. I'll be heading north to the pine country for a few days.. and lots of pictures to take. See you when I return!Tj

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-14534374791939047762010-09-02T20:55:00.001-07:002010-09-02T21:00:55.026-07:00

Time seems to be flying by faster than I seem to be going. I'm still busy working on my "Capturing the Human Spirit - Children" workshop, so I haven't taken time to write on my blog, bad me.  The piece I was working on "Open Range" is now sitting aside, waiting on final adjustments. I'll wait until those final tweaks are done, to take the final digi to share. It might be awhile, yet though. In

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-86507930575757551602010-08-12T09:04:00.002-07:002010-08-21T06:28:23.968-07:00

A few changes here and there. Not much longer on this one.. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! After a few tweaks still in order, a few places not quite finished... Whoops.. looking at my post here, how come you notice things like this after you'd published them online? LOL, it's kind of like looking at it in a mirror or upside down. It gives your brain a different perspective being a

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-91360019336725610642010-08-12T08:42:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.141-07:00

All I can say is... WOW! I can't even begin to do this sunset from last week justice. This band of clouds snuck in behind the mountain, I didn't realize it was coming because I had been zoned out working on "Open Range", my current colored pencil WIP. My hubby came home from work and headed outside, so I followed. Wow.. had to go back in and grab my camera, we weren't sure what was going to

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-20402577977045915762010-08-07T17:49:00.000-07:002010-08-07T17:49:04.751-07:00

I started this piece back in 2008! I put it aside to work on other pieces.. and because I'm tying up loose ends.. it's time to tie this one up too. This is from one of the pictures I took at the Artist photo shoot I attended here at the Empire Ranch. ( they filmed John Wayne's "The Cowboys" there among several others) There were 40 invited artists, models, stock etc, from dawn to dusk, one

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-20018013005126606792010-08-07T16:20:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.145-07:00

This one.. was magnificent!! God certainly outdid himself this evening....Ok, so this isn't a pretty cloud.. but he was a little to close for comfort, and no, I wasn't at the zoo. Add caption

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-18058687709567287152010-08-07T16:12:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.147-07:00

Tank is certainly enjoying the giant rain puddle!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-73074290382119739932010-08-07T16:03:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.150-07:00

Well... I've fallen behind yet again!  You know, after awhile these sunsets all start to look the same?

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-4988439578293529922010-07-07T09:52:00.002-07:002010-07-07T09:54:53.515-07:00

I spend our 4th of July Holiday weekend camping with the family in Greer, Arizona. ( BRRRRRRR) I didn't do any art, but I did manage to snag a few photos (around 300 is a few, right?).  Thought I'd share a few here, just because I'm thrilled I captured them,(and I don't have any pencil work to share yet)  lol.. not perfect but it was my first time! These were taken at Sunrise Lake, Greer

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-14496979016116225522010-06-30T12:21:00.000-07:002010-06-30T12:21:44.397-07:00

"Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do. " (quote from The Princess Bride) Because I've been really busy, with ScribbleTalk, studio stuff, learning web design ( grrrr)

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-81819231949459498242010-05-07T17:41:00.000-07:002010-05-07T17:41:24.487-07:00

Believe it or not.. I have finally managed to capture this illusive creature to my satisfaction. It's been a long journey, which was started here   http://tonijames.blogspot.com/2009/06/from-deep-dark-wilds-of-texas.html  as some of you might remember. So without alot of Babble from me (lol) here she is! I really wanted the "deer in the headlights" look, I was told it was a common expression

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-91990632712789117212010-05-02T13:06:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.152-07:00

I'm testing out a new format for my images... thought these spring flowers would be a good place to start.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-19544931480286052462010-04-24T18:39:00.003-07:002010-06-28T23:49:42.350-07:00

It's with heavy heart and hands that I feel I must inform you all of the demise of my little cactus wren. The little wren resided safely for years in a little plastic sleeve nestled safely away in a binder, waiting for the day she could have her final tweaks done and the lovely sunshine brightened on her soft feathers. Always quiet as a mouse and never ever complained, a lovely companion she 

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-62315641418856986772010-04-01T01:21:00.002-07:002010-04-08T07:17:49.681-07:00

I know some of you out there have worked your fingers to the bone finishing up your CPSA entries by the deadline. I know I have been in that same position a time or two myself.  Which made me think of this piece. This was the piece I worked my fanny off to complete, and completed it by the hair of my chinny chin chin too. This piece was not accepted, because my second piece, "Chaps & Chevy's"

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-870700291929919872010-03-29T12:11:00.002-07:002010-03-29T20:39:24.921-07:00

My entries for this year have been finished for awhile, but I put off submitting them, crazy eh?  Today I finally submitted my entries, WHOOT! Glad that's out of the way, now nothing left but the waiting... Good luck to those of you who have also entered, and to those of you still pushing that deadline. You can do it!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-30238574721984623002010-03-10T09:25:00.000-07:002010-03-10T09:25:57.076-07:00

I needed a couple white Prismacolor pencils, so I stopped into *shudders* Michael's of all places...grabbed 5 pencils and waited 20 min in line to pay for them.  When I went to sharpen one I noticed my new Prismacolor pencil was stamped "Mexico".  WHAT??? So of course, I had to shoot my favorite Prismacolor Rep, Shelly Minnis an email, which she did, indeed, confirm that Prismacolor has moved

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-90124735381792227562010-03-01T18:28:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.155-07:00

Last Monday was a typical Monday, a storm blew in, it rained, got cold but no big deal... until about 8pm.Then POOF.. out the lights went! Now, this happens frequently, when the wind blows. Usually a couple hours and the power company has the power back on. ...  But not last Monday. The power was out just about 13 hours. 13 long hours!So out of  boredom someone decided to do homework that wasn't

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-90552372895428770612010-02-18T13:44:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.158-07:00

 Who'd of thought these would turn out so kewl??   The kids were out blowing bubbles and when a few of them started to float away, I grabbed my camera. Now, I'm so glad I did!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-64609100137522133692010-02-18T13:29:00.000-07:002010-02-18T13:29:34.536-07:00

This isn't a new piece, but one that I came across today as I was going thru my files, so I thought I'd share it here, as I'm not ready to post anyting new just yet. This is my first Grandaughter, whom I call Punkies. As you might notice, she liked to help me too, now she preferes her own paper and pencils. 11x14 Strathmore Bristol Vellum, Prismacolor pencils  by changing my image to

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-89906877543985224052010-02-13T12:28:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.161-07:00

Most of the time I am alone when I venture out to shoot some photos, so we thought I could use a partner, one that has better ears and eyes than I do! This is Tank, he is a Queensland Heeler. What a goofball he is. He's about 3months old currently. Ha.. I thought that doofy ear would never stand up, but it has since I took this photo. Yay.   Don't be surprised if you see more images of him as we

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-53912187491385532002010-02-12T14:21:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.163-07:00

Arizona rim country. I love it, as does everyone who grew up or lived in the valley for a summer or more. It's where us "desert rats" escape the searing dry heat of the Valley of the Sun summers.  All one has to do is watch the traffic headed north out of the Phoenix metro area on any Friday when the weather starts to warm  all the way thru the fall.Since we moved to the Tucson area we haven't

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-76422500026009588492010-01-28T23:34:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.166-07:00

Uno...Dos....Tres! Hehe.. ok, that was bad. lol. I watched these grow all summer, I had to do it! It was either that or the Three Amigos.How are you holding up, tired yet? We've still got a ways to go.....I was thinking of heading to the Mogollon Rim are of Arizona for a weekend of camping... would you care to come along?

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-3564928913053623842010-01-28T19:27:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.168-07:00

I'm still behind on this blog... if I didn't take so many pictures this wouldn't happen? Of course I put a question mark there! Well.. anyway put on something comfey, your walking shoes, pack some lunch, your sunscreen, a hat, and might want to pack a coat too.. we could be gone awhile. Here we are in October... Coronado National Forest, Arizona.now.. off we go, back to civilization!These next

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-85178323771618780762010-01-28T16:32:00.004-07:002010-01-28T16:50:00.213-07:00

Hey.. it's still January, I'm not to far behind? I confess, I've been taking more pictures lately than I have been CP work... I'll be updating my photo blog today too! (That's my intention anyway). This was the view outside my front door yesterday afternoon. So, finally here is the commission I started the end of October, and finished right before Christmas. To say this was a challenge

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-20076460136032588412010-01-08T08:26:00.001-07:002010-01-08T08:43:48.405-07:00

Yes, I really am the new President-Elect for my DC! Tomorrow, at the chapter meeting in Phoenix, I'll be giving a mini-workshop. Our current President thought it would be a nice way to get to know everyone and I agreed. I'll be sharing how I work on Uart, it should be fun! Teaching  is on my agenda for 2010, also. A year of changes for me, I'm eager to get started! I can't help it, she's

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-16746393502115222962010-01-04T23:05:00.000-07:002010-01-04T23:05:14.579-07:00

Ha, well the light does shine thru it pretty fast, but alas, it's supposed to be a Black Raspberry PC pencil. It seems to be missing an important part..... hmm what could that be? This is how it came,  from my order that was delivered weeks ago, that I never unpacked. I spent my New Years organizing my pencils, including all my miscellaneous stuff. When I unpacked this "light" one, I found it

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-16889852158775560662010-01-01T10:27:00.000-07:002010-01-01T10:27:51.279-07:00

I'm sorry to have not posted sooner. I had a very intense commission that required all of my time. I will share that project with you shortly but until then... here is another project I was up to last year, and the year before, and before that... and i think before that too! Talk about dragging something out to long...! Mind you.. this was an extreme test on the Pastelbord, I doubt any of you

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-2809984702691558102009-12-03T14:02:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.172-07:00

Our summer monsoon season has always been a favorite of mine. It not only brings cooling rain, but also the wonderful billowing clouds that break up our monotonous blue skies we have in early summer.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-20639082227578279922009-11-09T06:54:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.175-07:00

This Diamondback Rattler decided to come see what I was up to one evening as the sun was setting...

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-83704077340207263372009-11-09T06:44:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.178-07:00

This Gila Monster had most likely been washed out of it's burrow in the flash flood from the night before, common in our monsoon season.  I saw him early one morning, just as he had crossed the wash, so I grabbed my camera and followed him thru the bushes...He really just wants me to go away, and as he dove into some denser brush, I had to call it quits.Thanks for the pictures, until next time...

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-17047840616366164082009-10-26T07:36:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.181-07:00

What a busy summer I've had!I had a new Grandaughter that entered this world a few weeks early, I traveled to Atlanta, Ga. for a week to attend the International CPSA Convention, we also to Lubbock, Texas for a few days, then I moved my studio and after all that and more .........my computer broke!I did manage to continue taking pictures, although I didn't find the time to update this blog.So, as

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-33331223554181457872009-10-05T09:54:00.003-07:002009-10-05T10:00:49.676-07:00

Where has the year gone?I just wanted to let everyone know that I've got a few computer issues currently. Not fun at all! Being without Photoshop to process my raw tiff images or even my photograph jpgs is really frustrating. Not to mention everything else I used daily. So, as I'm resolving those, I'm also working on a graphite commission. When I can, I'll share my WIP (work in progress) but

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-38892791652608281912009-09-02T09:32:00.001-07:002009-09-02T09:33:37.758-07:00

I found a couple of hours yesterday to finish this one up. Whoot! There might be a couple of tweaks I might do but for the most part this is finished. I like using a relatively small palette, this piece is no exception. You might think my strokes are gone, but they aren't. I did allow the face to become more saturated in order for those layers to blend together, but I left outer edges a bit

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-39139620078060725732009-09-01T07:13:00.000-07:002009-09-01T07:13:27.700-07:00

I couldn't help it.. just had to play with those tiny fingers and that cute little baby face.  This started as a discussion on realistic skin tones. Although this portrait isn't quite finished, it got me to thinking... what is a realistic skin tone?  Is it something plain and flesh colored? Ah.. trick question! Everything is effected by the light and color reflected on and around it. The

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-15273158516121180812009-08-26T10:14:00.002-07:002009-09-02T10:02:04.936-07:00

Welcome to the family, little one...!Little Miss Millie waited until I returned home from Atlanta to make her entrance into this world. Such an impatient little one, she arrived 5 1/2 weeks early. However she is home now, doing well and ever so tiny!I have taken out a little mule foal I had started but put away for awhile. I took it back out and will be finishing it up, but I have been just a

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-27919206724886312142009-08-16T22:18:00.000-07:002009-08-16T22:18:59.522-07:00

Here is another ATC I just did this week. He was another model from my photo shoot. Did they have sunglasses back then? I don't know, but I really liked the look. The first image should be actual size. 3.5" x 2.5" Next is a little doodle that went to Atlanta with me, I hear she's very happy in Arkansas! Same ATC size. I've been really busy, revamping my outdated website,(from scratch! eek!) a

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-61591988842568035052009-08-08T14:53:00.000-07:002009-08-08T14:57:13.193-07:00

What a wonderful trip! 7 days of ART and ARTSY friends. Love my family and non-art friends more than they imagine, but sometimes, well, sometimes you need that connection with others that really know what your saying when you mention burnishing, solvents or favorite supports. You know those people who's eyes don't glaze over when you mention lightfast ratings or what's legal..... (color pencil

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-66311665909455821892009-07-21T00:21:00.000-07:002009-07-21T00:30:45.621-07:00

I'm getting ready to attend the CPSA Convention in Atlanta, Ga. Wow, how the time has flown by.. I leave next Monday! Whoa. lol. The Ga District Chapter is hosting an ATC exchange, so I thought I'd join in the fun. I've created these ATC's to take, each of them being 2.3" x 3.5". (The same size as a playing card or a baseball card.)The first one is on Uart 500, the second two are on Bristol

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-81740341741446222152009-07-13T13:38:00.000-07:002009-07-13T13:38:15.969-07:00

I've officially called her finished. Yay! What a relief, Uart 800 is NOT my favorite grit to work on. Have a great week everyone!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-35639476651728858042009-07-05T23:03:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.184-07:00

This little hummingbird visited my studio one morning... he didn't want to leave either.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-62722020541337464782009-07-05T22:51:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.187-07:00

I guess I've been busy with my pencil work... Although I've been taking photos, I haven't updated this blog. *sigh*. I've been debating of combining my art blog with my photo blog, at least that way the updates would be consistant. In theory that works because If I'm in studio, I'm not out shooting photos, and vice versa. Not something I've really decided yet, but I am tossing it around. This

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-72121260635266689892009-06-29T21:23:00.000-07:002009-06-29T21:23:07.016-07:00

Life.. well it just has a way of demanding that you participate. As much as I would rather just be able to lock myself away to finish each piece, it's just not going to happen. Yesterday I finally got back to work on Sunshine.  Finally! Then today I was back at it bright and early. Here is where she is now. I've got my .jpg due July 1, how many days are in this month? lol.. Thanks for

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-87949930484278178732009-06-19T09:14:00.000-07:002009-06-19T09:14:45.385-07:00

I was watching National Geographic the other night, they had a story about a very rare sighting in Texas, did anyone else see it? It seem that in the deep dark under growth of the wilds of Texas, amid the cool night breezes, the chirping of crickets and the soft lowing of the longhorn cattle........Something mysterious has been sighted! This creature has been seen rarely in the daylight hours,

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-76378990512424188562009-06-11T20:38:00.000-07:002009-06-11T20:38:44.174-07:00

Another beautiful day today, and I notice because I'm working plein air for the most part lol. So, here is Sunshine yet again. This digi is from this morning..The one below from around lunch time..and this one this afternoon when I called it a day. I threw a closeup of just the rocks.. ack Eric.. don't be to tuff on me! Rocks .. geeze you do know a rock or two lol. Now her perch is mostly done, I

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-5349961864002930942009-06-10T21:32:00.000-07:002009-06-10T21:42:58.906-07:00

It was a beautiful sunny day in Tucson today! Even nicer on my little side of town where the little higher elevation means it's a bit cooler.. :D So here is Sunshine, as she was this morning after working on her for about an hour. I've got most of my blocking in, so I'm moving into some of my detail now. Notice how much more shape her tiny feet have than they did this morning? As I was

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-47034102751329043382009-06-10T08:07:00.000-07:002009-06-10T11:22:49.883-07:00

I belong to the TCPAA, (Tucson Colored Pencil Artists' Association) which is a group of local colored pencil artist that meet every Tuesday to "work". ( Uh huh.. work being the intent, not necessarily the end result lol. ) This is a group that is not connected with the CPSA, although many members belong to both. We do shows and workshops etc...I admit, I've slacked on my Tuesday attendance. Most

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-67477184876654209612009-06-08T21:31:00.001-07:002009-06-08T21:45:34.550-07:00

Here are a couple more tiny faces I've done, perhaps it's practice makes perfect? No, I think it's knowing your facial planes and structures that makes these tiny faces believable. It's really not about "detail", it's more about what the viewer reads as detail. Both these ladies are around 9" to 10" tall. "Lady in White" , Prismacolor on Wallis Pastel paper.White is never really white, is it? "

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-13545784931918266532009-06-07T20:07:00.000-07:002009-06-07T20:17:39.887-07:00

Saturday was a bust as far as artwork went, what a weekend.. I don't want to repeat it anytime soon! Sunday I did manage a few hours in the studio, so I've got a small update. This one is a little different temperature wise, because I took this digi in the sunlight. Darn if I don't have a fun idea in my head I'm dying to get started on... thanks to a friend and fellow CPer and blogger... lol .

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-14689803740658529232009-06-04T20:44:00.000-07:002009-06-04T21:10:58.416-07:00

Today was a short day in the Studio, but I'm sharing because it keeps me accountable! I was thinking that maybe I should have told you that the reason I removed the background from my reference of Sunshine was two fold. When I took the original picture I had placed her under a large hay barn, in the shade, and she was in front of a building.Second is the obvious, why print what I'm not going to

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-20397442342709688332009-06-03T21:00:00.001-07:002009-06-03T21:36:49.993-07:00

I was asked again this year to donate an original colored pencil piece for the silent auction, to be held at the CPSA International Exhibition in Atlanta, Ga. .jpgs are due in about 3 weeks, so I thought I might want to get going on it, LOL. I couldn't decide on what it was I wanted to do for this piece. I have 3 pieces I could have used, but none of them were quite what I wanted to send. Going

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-10142277813434266042009-05-28T14:36:00.000-07:002009-05-28T21:36:28.267-07:00

I have been to Lubbock, Texas and back! Moved our daughter and her husband back home. Because my studio occupied a detached apartment, I surrendered my space to them *sniff. That's quite ok though because I still have plenty more space...Which I was going to show you... but it seems that I can't post any images at the moment, I keep getting an error notice. So as soon as I get time to get that

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-76430471982878175522009-05-10T23:02:00.000-07:002009-05-10T23:02:53.166-07:00

I've been using a working title for this piece that came more from the inspiration behind these two figurative pieces than anything. The small one is " Heart and Soul of a Woman" and will always remain so. However now that this second piece is close to complete I'm finding I can't quite put my finger on what it is I want her "official" title to convey. It would be really simple to just go with

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-16371753788977517842009-04-17T14:38:00.000-07:002009-05-08T22:23:43.983-07:00

NEVER! Actually, US copyright law says 70 years after an artist dies. Feigning ignorance of copyrights is no excuse. If you call yourself an artist, or even a hobby artist then you SHOULD know this stuff! As artist we should hold ourselves to be responsible both morally and ethically when we create our art. If your unsure of the issue of "copyrights" you should learn it. Research is easy to do.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-37788765726021529292009-04-08T22:57:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.191-07:00

Due to some atmospheric dust in the air, from far away Volcanic eruptions and who knows what else, we are expecting some colorful sunsets these days. Last night I had to rush out to my studio, grab my camera in order to get this shot... ( I really should pay closer attention sometimes)Then this evening, my intention was to get some different types of shots, so hubby and I headed out where we can

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-74976937147316530702009-04-07T07:46:00.000-07:002009-04-22T20:15:26.054-07:00

This is my entry to the International CPSA Exhibition this year. 11"x 14" Prismacolor pencil on Uart 600. I originally submitted two entries, and afterwards I withdrew one of them. Next year.. I'll be one ahead!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-64147172373648608172009-03-31T22:47:00.000-07:002009-03-31T22:48:25.168-07:00

Well... I'm happy to announce my entries are finished and submitted. Now, the best thing to do is forget about it. It takes so long it seems, and I'm not one to dwell on it. Better to occupy myself with other things. Speaking of other things... I can't wait to get out of the studio! I do need a break doing something a little different.... stay tuned!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-46675534637452361992009-03-25T21:46:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.194-07:00

Spring is springing.. the ocotillos are trying to bloom, sparse green leaves are starting to appear. Buds on the prickly pear, and the mesquite trees are turning green.However for me, it's the wild flowers that signal spring. Not the garden flowers.. the wild flowers!My mother was born and raised in Indiana, then moved out here several years before I was born. I remember as a little girl, my

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-47293830218210306952009-03-13T09:12:00.000-07:002009-03-13T09:48:11.217-07:00

Last night was the Artists Reception for the CPSA DC 212 spring show here in Tucson. I must say Arizona has a lot of very fine CP artists and .. my fellow Southern Arizona CP artists are quite an impressive group. My Chaps & Chevy's received an Honorable Mention last night, and I'm very happy!What a nice surprise it was when I looked in my envelope, to find a printed statement from the Jurors.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-35159797111590941672009-03-09T06:44:00.000-07:002009-03-09T06:45:54.905-07:00

I did this quick little study on one of the Uart 800 samples they donated at the Seattle CPSA convention. It's actually only 4"x6". Of course it's not and exact study, I did change a few things. I find his skin tones fascinating as his paintings as a whole. Studying the old masters gives one a whole new thought process when approaching a piece with colored pencil. I highly recommend it!This

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-5787732909861926622009-03-03T06:57:00.000-07:002009-03-03T08:01:10.502-07:00

Also known as Artist Trading Cards, 2.5"x 3.5" . These tiny little original pieces of art are traded and never sold.I participate in a trade once in awhile, not very often due to time. However I love to get my trades in the mail, and I treasure each and every one of them! I thought I'd share some that I have done, just for fun. This little cowboy was done from a picture I took at a local ranch.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-35002700593945056592009-02-17T15:11:00.000-07:002009-03-14T08:33:01.171-07:00

This model is really starting to bore me, so I thought I'd take a break and do a little something fun. I have a friend who mentioned to me that my pencil strokes were "precise". Hahahaha, I was very amused by that comment! My strokes are anything but. I guess you don't normally see them because I obliterate them with my many layers upon layers.For this bit of fun, I thought I'd let loose a bit,

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-35219499922812494322009-02-16T10:09:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.198-07:00

Wow...am I ever behind! We've had a couple snows here in the desert, which lasted just long enough to be fun and different. I know it's just a measly amount for a lot of you, but I enjoy the little bit we do get.

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-19842111087473007522009-01-31T09:58:00.000-07:002009-03-14T08:34:46.758-07:00

Yesterday I recieved notice that I had two pieces accepted into the Spring CPSA Chapter #212 Exhibition:"Pencil Persuasion"Tohono Chul Park, TucsonShow dates: March 12-May 17Artists Reception March 12 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM "The Boys of Summer""Chaps & Chevy's" (she missed the last DC show ;) )If anyone is in the neighborhood.... Tohono Chul Park is a great place to visit, and see the show!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-18683550391743628732009-01-22T08:06:00.000-07:002009-01-22T14:09:24.936-07:00

It seems like I've not been working, but I have. Unfortunately my blog has taken a back seat since the Holidays and I really need to get it caught up. To many pieces in the works, I don't usually have more than 2 WIP's going at one time, this is a bit stressful!Here is one of my current projects. This is the portrait of Sayer I'm working on for a Mentored Portrait project over at ScribbleTalk.We

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-76301859454106642792009-01-16T06:41:00.000-07:002009-01-16T06:48:32.511-07:00

Shootin' the Breeze was honored to have been chosen for the People's Choice Award at the TCPAA winter show held at St Phillips, Murphy Gallery, Tucson, Arizona. Thank you everyone!

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-18485554554068296652008-12-04T07:15:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.202-07:00

Whoops!I've been a bit behind in posting my pictures, so sorry Norma! lol. Actually I'm in the middle of putting together a book full of my pictures, some I've posted here and some you've never seen. However the book images are a larger format, and don't have that goofy © across the middle of  the images ; )My husband had a week "vacation" from work, plus the weekend and the holiday, plus he took

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-84972153923393933542008-12-03T19:15:00.000-07:002008-12-03T19:24:19.419-07:00

I'll be participating with my fellow Tucson CP artists in our winter Exhibition. I'll have "Chaps & Chevy's" and " Shootin' the Breeze" there if anyone is in the neighborhood, and would like to view my, and others CP work this is a wonderful place to do so.Artists reception December 7, 2008 2-4pm.The Tucson Colored Pencil Artist Association Winter ExhibitionSt Phillips in the Hills ChurchMurphey

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-18389881893727366232008-12-03T07:39:00.000-07:002009-01-14T12:30:07.302-07:00

I hope those of you who are here in the U.S., had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I haven't had a whole lot of time to work on her lately, as much as I'd like to. I don't foresee much time for me to work on her in the near future either. Somedays I feel like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland! Here is a new progress shots for you.... now don't say "what has she done"? This is basically the

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491895148134035129.post-73624820170497072942008-11-15T12:03:00.000-07:002011-01-09T20:03:50.205-07:00

I had the privilege of getting up just a little bit earlier than usual one day late last week, to this gorgeous full moon.  I do love early mornings!The next morning I decided to try it again.As the sun rose,  the moon was still high in my sky... cool!As I was outside playing with the sunrise, I thought I'd capture some images from my morning wanderings...this is home.ah.. the gambles quail. We

Toni James ~ Desert Winds Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06860867110287653039noreply@blogger.com4