....stand up and holler!!!

Just have to say, Wow! I love be married to a Texas High School Football Coach!!!


What a season! My Coach, Mike Spradlin, left the University of Houston in January of 2006, to rebuild the Abilene Cooper Cougars. A good school with history and a once winning tradition, had fallen on hard times. However, with a dedicated, like minded staff of coaches, they began to rebuild a buried treasure. It was tough, a controversial boundary change had severely effected the Cooper community. Coach Spradlin, with an unlimited supply of optimism and a proven philosophy, went to work. Immediately, the players bought in and soon success followed. Season 3, found the Cougars, three rounds deep in the playoffs. Season 4, the same plus a district championship. It's been an exciting adventure! Effecting more than a football team. It has fanned the flickering flame of a community.
Which brings us up to date and season 5! Solid and prepared in every way this group, this invested group of men beat #4 state ranked, Austin Westlake, in their first preseason game. Now, 9 games later the Cougars are still undefeated, 9-0. This past Friday night, in front of a 'sold out' stadium of 15,000 plus, Cooper beat the defending 5AAAAA State Champions, Abilene Eagles, in it's 50Th Crosstown Rivalry! The final score was 48-25. I am certain it came as a big surprise for a lot of people, but they weren't on our football team! It was a great game. The Cooper offense played flawlessly. The defense, was a powerful force! Together, they did what no team had done since 2002.




It was a sweet victory....one I'll never forget. Our grown children, came home to witness the occasion. They blessed us with their presence! A gift that one never out grows.


Next week, we head out west to play Midland High. A victory there will make us District Champions and 10-0! Needless to say, my Coach has been hard a work all weekend, figuring out how to beat the bulldogs this Friday night, November 5Th, 2010! It will be a battle, just like every district game, that's why they call it the 'Little Southwest Conference'! We'll be counting the days. Go Cooper Cougars! ....yours is a story worth telling!

Undefeated!
Roxanne Spradlin

October Road

Roxanne Spradlin...12 x12....acrylic...$225

October! There's a chill in the air and leaves on the ground. It's a wonderful time of the year. Grab a jacket and a friend, and go for a walk. You'll be energized by the changing season and inspired by the beauty around you.

I painted this little piece a few days ago. The colors are warm and rich.....makes me want to skip right down the path!

Autumn blessings to each of you.

Thistle Collection

I was so excited about the 12, 12 x 12 paintings that I did recently, called Lemon Lily, that I decided to paint another. Here is the first four in the series. I look forward to watching it grow!

Thistle Birds

Thistle Birds by Roxanne Spradlin.....12 x 12....acrylic........$150

Wow! This week has flown by but I was able to spend several hours in the studio today. Thistle Birds, is a result. What? You haven't heard of Thistle Birds? There's a simple explanation. When I was a girl, one of my favorite colors in a box of Crayola Crayons, was called Thistle. So there you have it, folks, the mystery is solved. Titles can be so complicated but not today.

More tomorrow......

Open Door

Open Door........16 x 24..........Acrylic/Charcoal.................$ 200

This bird cage hangs out on the porch. It's big, old and bent but the minute I saw it I had to have it! The nest is a figment of my imagination. Wishful thinking. However, I leave the door...just in case.

Lemon Lily Collection

The new art series that I started last Friday is now complete. I had so much fun putting this together. The random subject matter and cohesive color scheme came together easily. Causing me to realize that this sort of project comes naturally for me. I'm already thinking about another one. Thanks again to all of you who left encouraging comments. They helped me move forward in a new direction. I think the thing I learned most in the past few days concerning painting, is to let your heart be your guide. If it brings you joy, dive in! Throw caution to the wind and 'play the sunset'!

Lemon Lily...

Today I spent the afternoon working on the Lemon Lily project. Encouraged by heartfelt joy and your understanding comments I was ready to paint again. I had a hard time getting started, distracted by several things but finally got things going and finished up the, Floating Leaves, Bear, Bird and Lemon.

I'm really enjoying this! I wonder how the final four will look. Check back tomorrow.

The continuing saga of, Roxanne the artist!

Here are the first 4 in a series of 12 paintings that I'm currently working on. This collection is titled Lemon Lily. I started it last Friday and had so much fun. I know it's different but I'm enjoying it. I experimenting! Which is why this all began. The purpose of this blog is to journal my life as an artist. I've always thought of myself as an artist and yet I've done very little to develop the artist within. In college, I declared my major; Health and Physical Education. Graduated. Married my Jr. High boyfriend. Taught P.E. and watched him coach High school football. We had three beautiful children and poured ourselves into family life. Love grew us up. Living life to it's fullest. Making memories to last a lifetime.

I've painted, decorated, crafted and created all along the way. I had to! I'm an artist! When our kids were in school, I begin a fifteen years of painting decorative art, commercial and resisdential, for designers. Painting on walls and ceilings was enjoyable, lucretive and rewarding. Then several years ago, something deep inside of me began to yearn for more art. A deeper commitment to paint and develop this ability thats always been there.

So 2 1/2 years ago, I started this blog to document my progress. With time on my hands and a supportive husband, I began to paint again. It has been an exciting and maddening adventure. Finding a place to paint has been a big challenge. Cleaning out the garage (thank you friends) to create a studio, only to find out it's too hot, dark and dusty! Then carving out a tiny niche in my kitchen which would prove to be to tiny and dark. A year ago, I rented a wonderful space in an old building downtown with plenty on space and light that I have used as a studio ever since. It's been a blessing to have this place. I've taught lessons to pay for it and painted more than ever! Even still, I feel as though I've just begun to scratch the surface of art.

Maybe I've said all of this to say, as an artist, I feel like a silly child. I'm all over the place. Bouncing. Noisy. Climbing, clamoring to heard, to be noticed, to be good...to be the best I can possibly be. I'm crying (of course), I cry easily and often. I'm a mess! But I'm trying. I'm determined to try! And I thank those of you who have found yourselves involved in my drama, for listening and advising week after week. Helping me to stay the course and continue to acknowledge this gnawing need to be a good painter.

Are you scared?

When my mother see's these she'll probably say, "She's just going through a bad stage". :)

Thank's for listening.

Pink Lily

Pink Lily.............16 x 20............oil..................$2oo

My friend Janice has the prettiest lily pond in her backyard. Today, I tried to paint one. The lily and leaves were tough. I'll give it another try tomorrow. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes perfect.....

Gold Leaf

Gold Leaf...18 x 24....acrylic.......$250

Art Monday!

Orange Butterfly....12x 12....acrylic on canvas board.... $125

The girls were in rare form today. They climbed up a beastly flight of stairs with paint supplies and snacks. We tackled the Orange Butterfly, which provided us all with a challenge.