new Retro painting

"MORADA MEADOW"

10x8"

acrylic/ink on canvas

I loved layering different hues of purple throughout this meadow.

If you'd like to read more about the painting and go to the Retro Challenge blogsite,

click HERE.

new retro paintings

 149

 148

 

 147

I am finally getting in the groove - whew, it has taken what feels like forever 

to embrace the linework again.

Now I am loving it!

I am almost finished with 146 and will be posting that tonight.

My main goal for Saturday is to sit down and make a big chart

showing how many weeks I have until September 26.

Then I will spend time dividing up my larger paintings

and ornaments into those weeks - mainly so I don't have a million 

paintings and ornaments to do close to the show opening.

I also am making labels for my postcards for the first time!

I have always written my postcard addresses by hand.

It seems more personal and when I'm writing,

I'm thinking back to that person and the painting they bought,

and the experiences that we had then and have shared since then.

Some clients are first time buyers, some are one-time buyers,

and some are fanatical in their collecting.

I love them all! 

I am also organizing my first day trip of the new year and I can't wait.

I think it's going to be a loop - Tesuque, Chimayo, Truchas,

and back down through Abiquiu and Black Mesa.

That's taking on a lot for one day, I may end up having to tone it down, but we'll see.
I'm trying to hold off until spring is really here so I can see lots of green in the landscape.

I will be taking photos for the retro Challenge and plan to take
 my oil plein air gear so I can paint out on location.

I am really missing that right now.

I also want to set up a small plein air group to paint my neighbor's back yard.

It will soon be full of larkspurs and roses and wildflowers.

Bill's Yard

Thanks for watching and supporting my work!
To see all of the Retro challenge paintings, click HERE.

Remember, the Retro Challenge show opens Friday, September 26, 2014!

150 "OVER THE FENCE"

 "OVER THE FENCE"

10x8"

acrylic/ink on canvas

#150

To read more about this painting and to view

all 150 Retro Challenge paintings, please click here

or go to www.deeretrochallenge.blogspot.com

starts tomorrow!!

This is the new postcard for my RETRO CHALLENGE 2014 that starts tomorrow!

I think it's beautiful.

It has a vintage New Mexico sunset as the background and some of my favorite

acrylic/ink paintings, along with a pic of yours truly.

Okay, so here's the deal.

Tomorrow, I start painting.

As soon as the paintings are done, I will post them here and on the new blogsite, which is:

www.deeretrochallenge.blogspot.com

I will be painting 150 small, 25 large, and 50 hand-painted ornaments.

The show will actually open at Weems Gallery on Friday, September 26, 2014.

Between now and then - if you see a painting you want to buy:

1. Write down the title and the number.

2. Have your payment information ready.

3. Call Weems at 505-293-6133 or Dee at 505-792-1030. 

4. Or email Weems at weems@weemsgallery.com or Dee at dshadowtail@aol.com

5. Tell them you are calling about Dee's Retro Challenge 2014.

6. Give them your information.

THEN:

7.On opening night, if no one else wants to purchase the paintings you choose,

 you get to buy them for $150 each.

8.If two or more people want the same painting, we draw a name out of a hat!

The person whose name is drawn gets the painting for $150.

Most people have second and third choices, just in case.

Once all the multiple paintings are sold, 

you may walk up and remove your painting from the wall and make your purchase.

For people not present, we will notify you and ship your painting.

That's it - it's pretty simple, really.

We're having a big party on opening night with an artist's reception from 5-6pm.

You can enjoy great music, food, refreshments, visit with me, 

and preview the paintings all in one location! 

That will be 175 paintings, all in one huge gallery room.

The show and sale will begin promptly at 6:30pm.

Larger paintings and ornaments will be priced accordingly and posted on both sites. 

I will be painting landscapes, florals, churches, figures, 

canyon women, sunflowers,and much more. 
This will be your last chance to buy old-school lined work.

So I hope you will all watch and support me as I begin this new challenge.

I'm ready!! 

If you have any questions, just drop me and email or give me a call.

 

  

getting ready for the Retro Challenge

 There has been much cleaning and unpacking going on!

I am finally getting motivated - mostly because I know I have a huge project

coming up and time is wasting away...

The Retro Challenge 2014 is coming!!

What you see above is the reorganization of my studio - 

the packing up of unused canvases and gessboards and the unpacking 

of 150 new gallery wrap 8x8s and 8x10s.

The moving around of oil paints and a new oil painting area.

The purchase of acrylics for painting

and acrylics for ornaments.

Lots of sealer and ink too.

 Isn't this beautiful? Just kidding.

This is my old rickety chair, a bunch of trash and the displacement of many things!

 Can you tell I have no idea what I'm doing yet?

 These are my ornaments-to-be.

They have been sanded and primed and are awaiting painting.

I plan on having at least 50 of these for my Weems show in September.

 These are the wooden chopsticks that I use for holding ornaments while

they are being painted. I slip them through the golden top

 and then I can twirl them any which way to paint.

I also use them for hanging ornaments to dry.

My nice clean canvases all stacked and ready to go.

And, oh so intimidating!

My postcard is being produced now and will be

ready for mailing in about a week.

The Retro Challenge begins on March 1, and you can follow along here.

"RICH"

10x8"

oil on hardboard

SOLD

I'm getting ready to embark on a big seven month project called the Retro Challenge,

which starts March 1 and opens on September 26!

My studio is basically clean. As clean as can be for me, anyway.

My paints are organized into two areas - the acrylic area and the oil area.

I will post pictures of those new set-up later.

I also have a specific place at my table for working on ornaments.

Really, the only supplies I am waiting on right now are 150 gallery wrap canvases, 

which should be here any day.

Once the Retro Challenge starts, I will be working mostly in acrylic.

Since I'm painting 150 small paintings and 25 large paintings, most of my

time will be taken up with acrylic 
and I'm sure it is going to drive my absolutely crazy some days.

I still want to offer my juicy little oil paintings to my daily paint sites and to

my customers and clients who love them.

This particular painting is showcasing my HUGE desire for spring and summer to be here.

I find the older I get, the less I like cold, ice, and snow.

I would much rather be surrounded by warm days, beautiful flowers, and buzzing bees.

So, this paintings keeps me in mind of the beauty that is headed my way in a month or two.

It was so much fun to paint - lots of thick texture and bright colors,

Maybe my next challenge will be a  whole year of painting with a knife!

"BRIGHT BEAUTIES"

6x6"

oil on hardboard

available at Farm and Table Restaurant

  

I am really in the mood to paint flowers.

I think it's because I want spring to be here NOW.

Then I think about the folks up north who are experiencing so much cold, snow, and ice

and I am happy that I live in New Mexico. I hope winter ends early for everyone....

This is a crazy still life - a pretty bunch of wildflowers in a blue vase.

I wanted to just let go and let the brush direct me.

Now, I think I'm ready for a landscape.

On another note, I am going to lunch with Tom's daughter today.

We haven't really had a chance to talk since her dad passed away and 

guess where we're going? One of Tom's favorite Mexican food restaurants.

They have the best cheese enchiladas, fried potatoes, and sopaipillas.

I will take pictures so you can drool from afar!

On another note, I am gearing up for the Retro Challenge:

organizing, ordering supplies, designing the postcard, setting up show details, etc.

More on that soon.

Have a great winter day!

daffodils...

"HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL"

6x6"

oil on hardboard

$99
SOLD

My first painting in quite a while since one of my best friends passed away,

I really have not felt like painting.

He had such a beautiful soul and I haven't met anyone who loves my artwork as much as he did - 

including my family and friends.

It has been cold here but no snow or really bad weather

and I am sure spring is just right around the corner.

Spring brings daffodils and crocus and once you see them,

you know that lilacs and roses are not far behind.

I always think to myself -

the reason we have winter is to make us appreciate spring and beautiful weather.

So come on spring!

Thanks to all of my readers who sent me nice messages about Tom.

I really appreciate them all.

THE BEST OF FRIENDS

I have not been able to paint.

A very close friend of mine passed away on January 11.

He went in for major heart surgery and just never woke up.

I met Tom in 2007.

I had just started offering my paintings for auction and sale on ebay.

He bought a few, we connected on an emotional level and became fast friends.

Tom was born in New Mexico, but moved to California 

about twenty years ago to pursue his architectural career.

His ex-wife and children also live in New Mexico.

Tom called me one day and said he was coming into town and 

would I consider going out to dinner and meeting him and his family. 

I get requests like this from time to time and have met lots of interesting people this way.

I said sure and my husband and I met Tom and his family at El Pinto restaurant.

What I didn't know was how much I would grow to love Tom and 

how much he would impact my life.

After meeting Tom, I got to know him.

He would come into town about every three months and we starting taking

day long trips all over New Mexico.

My cousin Goldie and my mother-in-law Dolly often joined us.

We explored Jemez, Tesuque, Abiquiu, Ghost Ranch, the Monastery,

Taos, Santa Fe, Chama, Placitas, Bosque del Apache, you name it.

We looked for interesting sites, great Mexican food,

 and had fun no matter what we were doing.

Tom got to know all of my family and would bring them all 

Ghiradelli chocolates every time he came to town. 

He lived just a couple of blocks from the factory in San Francisco and

I think he was on a first name basis with all of the employees.

We've rented houses together in Taos and he has come to almost every big family event

and art event that I've had in the last six years.

I will never forget the first time he came early to a show I was doing at Weems Artfest.

He helped us unpack 110 paintings and he and his

grandson Andrew stayed to help hang every one.

He was like a little kid in a candy store!

In fact, that is how Tom lived life.

Like a little kid in a candy store.

He was the most positive person I have ever met.

He loved green chile and any kind of Mexican food.

He loved art. He loved Chimayo.

He loved experiencing new things and seeing new places.

He lived life BIG.

Now, some people might see that as a problem.

Living life big and doing things over the top.

But how many of us go through life living it with gusto?

Most of us just go through the motions.

Tom was also in a lot of pain.

He has back surgery several years ago and almost died.

He walked with a cane and a back full of steel rods.

But he always said he was never going to let pain stop him from doing what he wanted to do.

And what he wanted to do was experience life.

And love.

He loved my family and they loved him.

Tom, you were one of a kind and I will miss you forever.

You were getting ready to retire here and wanted me

to teach you how to paint.

You wanted Esta to teach you to make pottery.

You wanted to find a house will enough walls to display all of your artwork.

You wanted to experiment and do something creative.

You wanted to sit on your new back patio and drink tea and enjoy the sunsets.

I am sorry that you will not experience any of those things.

And I will think of some way to honor you every year 

and keep your memory alive.

Tom, may your spirit soar...I love you

and may you continue to inspire me.

I have a new challenge coming up soon and I will dedicate it to you.

  ***NEWS****NEWS****NEWS****

 coming January 26, 2014 

THE RETRO CHALLENGE!!

2014

___________________________

150 -  8x8 and 8x10 Old School Retro style framed acrylic
with ink paintings for $150 each           

25 -    larger Old School Retro Paintings 

An online wet-off-the-easel countdown and new blog starting at Painting #150 and ending with Painting #1

A huge PARTY  Friday, September 26, 2014, on opening night with food, music, and fun  

___________________________

For all of my clients and collectors who have been

asking for new acrylic and ink paintings - it's time!

I was trying to think of something new and interesting

to do for 2014, and something that would REALLY be a challenge for me.

I really love painting in oils, they are my passion.

BUT - I miss my lines sometimes.

Lines are tedious and time consuming for me - thus the challenge.

What better way to really create a new challenge for myself 

than go back to the beginning?

Artists always like to keep moving forward, trying new things and not becoming stale in their creativity. 

I have been painting in oils for so long that I often wonder

if my old school style paintings would be any different from the past.

I guess we will find out!

Here's a sampling of Old School Retro:

I hope you will all be as excited as I am to begin this journey.

The Way It Works:

 - I paint the paintings

 - you watch online

 - If you see a painting you like, you call or email with your info

- If no one else wants that painting on opening night, it's yours

 - If two or more want the same painting, we do a drawing

 - We pick your name, the painting is yours 

So, it doesn't matter where you are, you can still buy a painting!

MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW