how many weeks until spring?

Back to work this week!

Here is the first "LET'S PAINT NEW MEXICO!" 

Challenge image of 2022.

Rolling hills with a nice plateau and mountains

in the background.

I finished mine and it doesn't really

look too much like the original,

but that's okay!

This is the Challenge image.

This is my version:

"HOMESTEAD" 8x10" oil

This is a commission I am working on right now.

This is another commission. 

I am painting a replica of the Los Ojos Bar in Jemez.

These are my newest Bluebird drawings

(soon to become paintings):

An earth mama animal lover 

   

A women tending the fields with her children

Oh, and did you see that Chiefs game??

What a game.

My heart almost stopped at 13 seconds.

And again at the end.

Whew. Coming in hard on Sunday!

Bella pretty much slept through it all.

We were even lighting candles near the end!

AND, my newest gift to myself.

I love this artist, my absolute favorite.

They say that this dvd is brilliant.

I can't wait to find out.

I'm going to take my time and savor it!

I will offer a review in the future.

What are you guys doing this week?

 

 

new day...new start!

2022

Is finally here.

I don't know whether to be happy or sad.

I spent most of 2021

driving around in my car,

taking tons of photos and

painting using my steering wheel easel.

I wanted to paint with groups but just wasn't feeling safe yet.

 

Painting at a marigold farm in Corrales

I painted a few times with my friend Barbara Clark and I 

took a three day trip to Taos to paint

and participate in a show at Wilder Nightingale.

That was a nice rest,

but it felt kind of weird staying in a hotel by myself.

But also nice.

I will probably do something of that sort

again this year.

I have been working on my "FLY AWAY BLUEBIRDS" project too.

All 8x10s with acrylic and lines.

Here are a few:

I have really missed writing my blog.

I posted paintings mostly to facebook and instagram.

I sold a lot of paintings through the new 

and beautiful Weems Gallery and sold quite a few 

pieces online.

I painted ornaments. I didn't go crazy,

only 35, but I was tired at the end of December.

My plans for this year are:

Relaxing 

Painting

Swimming in the swim spa

Gardening

Working out

Maybe doing an art collaboration

Hanging with the grandkiddos

Doing some sort of service project

Organizing, and purging 

Writing in this blog three times a week

and:

HAVING AN ART PARTY

 IN SEPTEMBER!!

 

 I will also be working on my health.

I have worked on my eating for the last two years

 and have lost 66 pounds.

I still have a few to go,

but I know I can do it.

And to start off the year right, 

 

I CUT MY HAIR!

 If you want to follow me as I

start my crazy journey in 2022,

follow along on the right hand side

 of this blog, or drop me an email.

And as always, comments are

welcome and encouraged!

#74 "CANYON SUNFLOWERS"

 The first new painting of 2022!

This is part of my "FLY AWAY BLUEBIRDS" project.

 

 

visions of summer beauty

 Hi all,

I've been trying to get into a good habit of

painting every day, or nearly every day.

This one is a small sweet little painting.

It's a beautiful house with an adobe wall

and lots of pretty roses.

This kind of scene makes me feel peaceful

just looking at it.

I have a few irons in the fire coming up, 

but I have to get myself organized before I share them.

I think this pandemic finally got to me.

I feel really fatigued.

I don't really want to go anywhere (except painting),

I don't feel like socializing.

I don't feel like cooking. 

Or exercising.

I just want to read and sleep.

BUT - I am watching a Turkish melodrama series called,

"MAGNIFICENT CENTURY"

I have gotten addicted watching on my phone

and started on Episode #1.

I am now on Episode #63 and just cannot stop watching.

Harems and castles, intrigue and war, pashas and pretty dresses.

Check it out.

I've been watching on youtube.

So enjoy your summer and

watch for more paintings and events!

recent painting excursions

Little Excursions Close To Home

Since I'm trying to blog every other day,

I thought I would share some images

from Corrales, the vineyards, 

and a lovely private garden near the mountains.

This is an old house in Corrales.

It's kind of slowly falling over.

I always wonder about who lived there, what their life 

was like, etc.

I've never painted it, but I will one of these days.

My palette knife painting from the vineyards.

Lots of texture on this one.

This is a view of the vineyards gardens overlooking 

the Sandia mountains

Rose garden at Casa Perea in Corrales

More rose garden. Love that archway!

Yellow and orange roses

An orange beauty

 The rose garden 

 Roses with archway

 

Water droplets on rose

 Old church in Old Town. I went looking for hollyhocks.

  Found some!

I also found a guitarist!

Beauties!

 

More!

These will make a lovely painting!

Mexican Hat

Lilacs and flower pot

Beautiful wood carving at the vineyards

Grapevines are flourishing

So this morning I headed up towards the mountains. 

There was a layer of cloud cover.

We painted at this beautiful private garden.

The mountains were just beyond.

My two finished paintings today:

And my scenery on the way back home:

 A lovely and tiring day!

Tomorrow, I am starting a large panting,

so stay tuned...