Tami Booher, Appalachian Nature Painter: Eastern Kentucky Elk

Tami Booher, Appalachian Nature Painter: Eastern Kentucky Elk: Next layer added on and now I am thinking that I would like to get some softer pastels to complete this painting. :) O that means I have t...

Eastern Kentucky Elk

Next layer added on and now I am thinking that I would like to get some softer pastels to complete this painting.  :) O that means I have to go shopping!!! 









The Elk was introduced back into Eastern Kentucky in 1997, this handsome fella had his photo taken in Knott county by Kentucky Photographer Michael Smith. Michael has graciously allowed me to use his photo for a reference so that I can do this painting.
I will be using the alphacolor pastels on a 9"x12" 600 grit Ampersand sanded pastel paper.
Here I have sketched this guy on the pastel paper.

Here is a little back ground on this majestic animal.
Elk once roamed the hills of Kentucky but by the mid 1850’s, none were to be found. In a true partnership effort, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Shikar Safari Club joined forces to bring this magnificent creature back to Kentucky. An aggressive elk re-establishment program ensued. From 1997 to 2002, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife released a total of 1,556 elk that originated from Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, and Utah. Over 100 animals were released at 8 suitable sites in a 16-county elk zone. In 2009, the herd reached the project goal of 10,000 elk.

 Here I have laid in the first layers in the background. I have also worked on laying in the dark areas of the elk.





After working on him a little more, I sprayed to set my first layers of pastel. As you can see it darkens and leaves some spotty areas but that is okay, I now have more tooth to work with and will be covering all of the spotty areas anyway.

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Working in pastel

I have decided that I need to pick up the pastels again and work on becoming a better painter in them. I purchased my first box of pastels in years.  They are student grade Alphacolor and I have to say that I am enjoying them. I am using the Ampersand 600 grit pastel paper, I have the perfect model in my beautiful April. In the first photo is the first initial layer of pastel, I then sprayed it to set, so that I could lay in the next layer, the next two photos are actually of the same layer, one is with a flash and the other without. I prefer the one without the flash as I feel it is truer to the actual painting..

Helping spread Christmas cheer

This is for my Brother, a Marine who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
One of Donald E. Sifford's friends (Travis Kearns) works taking care of Wounded Veterans as well as their families, the hospital is becoming even more filled with Veterans who have not only lost limbs but fighting for their life. We are asking people to just send a note, a card or just a thanks to the following address if you will please share this on your facebook so that we can get as many sent as possible:

ATTN: MCLO
Walter Reed National Medical Center
8901 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD. 20889

A Blessing for the Woods
by Michael S. Glaser
Before I leave, almost without noticing,
before I cross the road and head toward
what I have intentionally postponed—
Let me stop to say a blessing for these woods:
for crows barking and squirrels scampering,
for trees and fungus and multi-colored leaves,
for the way sunlight laces with shadows
through each branch and leaf of tree,
for these paths that take me in,
for these paths that lead me out.

Autumn's Glory

"Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity;
but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance. What man can stand with autumn
on a hilltop and fail to see the span of his world and the meaning of the rolling
hills that reach to the far horizon?
- Hal Borland

My latest painting, it is a 16" x 20" oil on canvas.

Baby announcement :)

I am very happy to announce some good news, my daughter Brandy and her husband Justin, and daughter Caty are expecting a baby boy due in April, her dear husband came up with a wonderful meaningful name for their son;
Zachary which means God has remembered, Alexander which means protector of the people. God has remembered our lost child a couple years ago and has blessed us with another and he will be the protector of his own family one day. "Zachary Alexander Smith"