"THE RED BOUQUET" #2

THE RED BOUQUET"

6"X6"

I love this square canvas, there is something very "zen" about it. This is an autumn bouquet of flowers on a red background. It looks much more vibrant in person. These 6"x6" paintings are $75 plus $10 shipping and you can always purchase through the Paypal button at the bottom of each piece.

I am trying to work steadily every day now - getting my workout done in the morning and working in the studio in the afternoon and evening. I have several small paintings in the works; a Placitas garden gate, a landscape with a purple sunset, a field of pink poppies, and an old adobe house with sunflowers. I am starting work this weekend on a painting of someone's home, and also a large painting of the Rio Grande Gorge. Life is getting somewhat back to normal. I'm just trying to stay balanced...purchase information on "THE RED BOUQUET" is below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $75.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email

"SUNLIT CLOUDS" #1

"SUNLIT CLOUDS"

10"X8"

Today, I emptied all of my paperwork and reference photos into one huge bag in an effort to begin organizing my studio. I found a photo that spoke to me and I wanted to stop what I was doing and paint it immediately. This is the resulting painting and I love it. The orange/pink in the clouds drifting down and the light in the top of the clouds is what I strive for and don't always reach. The glow in the mountains is also very cool. This painting will be available for purchase on my blog for approximately 7-10 days and then sent to the gallery. Purchase information is below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $99.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email

I love this!

"BIG SKY NEW MEXICO"

"BIG SKY NEW MEXICO"

15"X30"

SOLD

I am finally back in the studio.

Christmas is over and it was hectic but great. My youngest daughter is officially engaged, one of my friends from San Francisco came in for the holidays, we put out about 200 luminarias on Christmas Eve, had great food, great fun, I got a new camcorder, and now, it's almost New Year's Eve.

This painting is a larger version of the painting "New Mexico Sky" - I think New Mexico has some of the greatest sunsets in the world and I will forever be trying to capture them on canvas!
Tomorrow I will be back to my daily paintings. I'm going to try for 4-5 per week and I also have some 6"x6" canvases that I want to experiment with.

I look forward to a wonderful year of change - check out my 100 pound challenge blog at: www.dees100pound.blogspot.com. I will be the print/poster artist for Weems Artfest 2010, so I am also pumped for that. I will also be doing another 150 Challenge in summer of 2011. I wish everyone the best New Year ever and I am writing down goals (not resolutions) that I know will happen in 2010.

"BIG SKY NEW MEXICO

"BAILLITAS"

"BAILLITAS"

8"X10"

SOLD

Just in time for Christmas! This painting is of three little bailla folklorico dancers in their colorful dresses. I'm not sure where they are but it's definitely New Mexico!

Oh and check out my new blog at this link: www.dees100pound.blogspot.com

Hi guys -

I don't know if you're like me, but I am not ready for Christmas to be here yet! I have not done any shopping and am planning on a marathon session today. I have one small painting commission to finish and then I will stop until after Christmas.

Above is a postcard for an upcoming exhibit I am participating in. This is the Rainbow Artists's 10 year anniversary and the theme is of course, "Celebration."

I am going to have to think of something cool to paint for this one. I will check in again tonight and maybe I can post that finished painting I'm working on. It's of some little bailla dancers.

Commission

This is a commissioned painting I have already completed but the photo you're seeing is before any linework has been done. It is taken from a painting I did a couple of weeks ago titled, "POPPY FIELDS WITH PURPLE." The collector requested a silhouette of a cross added near the lightest part of the sky, a prominent sunflower in the foreground, and more flowers in the meadow but also asked that the meadow flowers be more subdued. I lovethe way it turned out, even before the linework was done. I will post the finished painting tomorrow. Oh and I have some small Christmas painting below the are available for purchase. Check them out!

New Christmas paintings

"NEW MEXICO ANGEL"

6"X6"

SOLD

"ARROYO SECO CHRISTMAS"

6"X6"

SOLD

"CANYON WOMEN AT CHIMAYO"

6"X6"

SOLD

"FAROLITOS AND STARS"

6"X6"

SOLD

In between finishing up my small commissions, I painted these four little New Mexico Christmas paintings. I wanted to paint some faolitos and I have been missing my churches. And of course, my favorite is the New Mexico Christmas angel. If you are interested in any of these pieces, they are $75 each plus $10 shipping and you should email me at deesanchezart@hotmail.com.

Done

The "grid" process on finessing my linework. When I am finished painting and have lined everything - I turn the painitng upside down and grid it off so that I can finesse each section and make sure every single line is connected and there are no breaks anywhere. This is the longest process and takes much more time than anything else.

The finished painting.I delievered it last night and it is going to hang over a fireplace. I'm very happy with it and I think my collectors were also pleased. Now I'm off to finish an 11x14 flower meadow to ship out in time for Christmas and also a small bailla dancer painting. Adios!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

I was born on this day 55 years ago. I love my birthday - it is exactly two weeks before Christmas. I also love being a Sagittarius, the coolest of birth signs (I think!).

This photo is of a Dahlia; my mother-in-law's beautiful first name. My daughter wants me to paint this photo for her, no lines. We're putting it on a 24x24 canvas, very zen. She's been bugging me for months but it will probably not even get started until after the holidays. Sshhhh...

Life is good right now. I am still finishing up commissions and have a couple of Christmas projects in the works. I am getting my Christmas tree today (last year's had a little bird's nest in it!), going to the movies, maybe getting a massage, and just enjoying life. I am starting to exercise again and am working on my meditation practice. I have a party to attend this weekend, I am hosting a gathering next weekend, and am invited to another gathering on the 20th. My family is healthy, and I am happy. Thanks to all for supporting me, my art, following my blog, and I hope you have the most joyous of holidays.

Love,

Dee

The lining process - commission

This photo shows detail of the lines in the sky and upper whisps of flowers

This photo shows more detail. This is just the beginning and is not yet complete.
I am hoping to be done with this initial step tomorrow and then I will post as I finesse the lines. This painting should be ready by the weeekend.

It's almost Christmas!

I went driving around and antiquing with family this weekend and took a photo of this beautiful gate down in the valley - I will probably paint it this week. If you'd like to read more about my adventures, click on this link: www.dees100pound.blogspot.com

Commission progress

This is how the first step looks after the rough sketch. I am using a photo as my collector's inspiration. I begin placing large blocks of color to position my main subjects.

This is the next phase - continuing to block in colors with the thought of filling up the canvas. You can still see large blocks of my toned red/burnt sienna in the background.

This is a nice place to be. The canvas is totally covered with vibrant color. The sky is filled in with nice areas of light and dark with the blue colors trickling down into the flowers. I can see that this painting is going to be much warmer than my inspiration photo. Maybe it is because is was 12 degrees here today and I am COLD!

Dee's 100 Pound Challenge Daily Post:

www.dees100pound.blogspot.com

what I'm working on.....

This is my current commission - a 24"x48" poppy meadow. I have sketched in the rough design and will paint the canvas this evening.

This 12"x12" painting is a piece of plywood for tonight's Harwood Art Center fundraiser, aptly called "12 x12."As you can see, I am satidfied with the paint itself, and am starting to put lines into the foreground. I delievered the painting yesterday. This event is so cool, over 100 artists paint pieces of plywood (actually, they can sculpt or do anything theylike) and they are only signed on the back, so no one knows who the artist is until thepainting is sold. It's very cool.

POST #1 on my new weight loss blog, "DEE'S 100 POUND CHALLENGE.

Follow along at: www.dees100pound.blogspot.com

Three New Paintings!

"MOUNTAIN HOLLYHOCKS"

8"X8"

Hollyhocks, to me, are like sunflowers. I paint them until the urge passes, but then I always come back to them. They hold such memories for me, they're so simple and beautiful, they grow practically anywhere, come in almost every color, and New Mexico is full of them!

Purchase information is below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $99.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email

New Paintings

"CROSS AT CHIMAYO"

10"X8"

SOLD

This painting is for a friend and I hope she likes it.

"SAN ANTONIO CHURCH, PLACITAS"

8"X10"

SOLD

The beautiful old mission church in Palacitas, New Mexico. I have been promising that I would paint this scene for a client who lives in Placitas and I'm finally getting around to it!

"POPPY FIELDS WITH PURPLE"

"POPPY FIELDS WITH PURPLE"

10"X8"

SOLD

California poppies with little purple flowers. Can you spot the bits of red undertone near the bottom of the painting? One of my favorite parts of the first linework is turning the painting upside down and capturing these red bits of color! Purchase information is below:

And don't forget - TOMORROW STARTS MY 100 POUND CHALLENGE: www.dees100pound.blogspot.com

"PINON TREE WITH CLOUDS"

"PINON TREE WITH CLOUDS"

8"X8"

I love this little painting - I can feel the last rays of the sun setting on the pinks and oranges of the clouds. Also on the mesa. And the old pinon tree, it's probably a hundred years old.

Please email me if you would like to purchase this painting. $99 plus $10 shipping.

"IN PURPLE LIGHT"

"IN PURPLE LIGHT"

8"X8"

A baila folklorico dancer gazing at the misty purple mountains while enjoying a stroll through the hills of New Mexico. My first daily painting in quite a while. Purchase information is below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $99.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email

Hello everyone!

I had a wonderful Thansgiving and I hope you did too. I'm glad it's over - it was a little like my last hurrah before my 100 pound Challenge starts on Monday. If you would like to follow my weight loss progress, please click on the link to your right and it will take you to a sign-up spot.

I am getting myself ramped up to finish several projects; a few small 8x10 commissions, a piece of plywood for the Harwood Art Center's annual fundraiser, 12x12, and a couple of special paintings I'm working on.

For those of you who don't know, I belong to the website, www.dailypainters.com, the largest group of artists from all over the world creating daily paintings. I also just joined the Daily Abstract Painters online gallery. I don't really paint abstract work, but this is a year out of my comfort zone, so it will be a new experience for me.

I am also planning to take a series of live model drawing classes. That should challenge my drawing skills and help me develop some new techniques, as I hope to paint the figure during the coming year.

New daily paintings are coming, so stay tuned. I haven't decided whether they will be available for purchase through Paypal or through auction on eBay, let me know if you have a preference. Bye!

FREE PAINTING WINNER!

The winner of the free painting giveaway at Weems Artfest is:

Kam Langdon

Congratulations Kam!

Little Gems

I created 19 of these little 3x3s for Casa Esperanza, a "home away from home" for families who have to come to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque for cancer treatments. These are gifts at a luncheon tomorrow for their patron donors. They are going into little jewelry boxes. Aren't they cute? They looked like a little assembly line in the studio. I blocked in the darks in the foreground, and the lights and middle values in the foreground on all of them, then finished the sky in each one of them individually. I tried to make all of them basically the same. But each one with its own personality.

DEE'S NEWEST CHALLENGE BEGINS

DECEMBER 1ST.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO!!!

Artfest Set Up

This is my booth at Artfest - finally! There is so much work involved in setting up your booth, you wouldn't believe. We have to lug all of the paintings down there (118 of them) and all of the paraphanalia (rugs, podium, lights, tables, chairs, drill, screws, brooms, step stools, supplies, etc.). You set up your booth and then spend 4 hours hanging the work to get it just the way you want it. But it's done and as I'm writing this, DAY TWO of Artfest is already over. I have done really well so far. I've seen a lot of old friends, and a lot of collectors who have become friends. I just love talking to people and once you get the booth ready, the rest is just a joy. Tiring, but joyful!

My booth actually goes around the corner. It is huge. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm not going to complain. I will writemore tomorrow! Thanks to all who have come out to see me, and if you haven't, come down tomorrow because it's the last day!

AN INVITATION AND NEWS

Good morning everyone!

Well, today is Artfest set-up day. I have all of my paintings completed and as always, wish I could paint more. There were subjects I didn't get to. I wanted to paint more churches and angels. Maybe right after the show is over.

I have an old antique podium I am using to store supplies this year, as well as an old trunk I found somewhere. I am also putting up lots of little orange twinkle lights up to give my booth that festive air. It also gets me in the holiday spirit.

I invite you to come and see me and the show! It starts Friday (which is tomorrow) from 10am-9pm, Saturday from 10am-6pm, and Sunday from 10am-5pm. It's at Expo NM at the fairgrounds and I think it's $4-5 to get in, but well worth it. There's great food, entertainment, give-aways, and last but not least, fantastic art! And you get to see ME! Just kidding.

I will have news about what I will be doing (and not doing) after the show, a brand new blog that's coming up starting December 1st, a drawing for a free painting giveaway, and much more.

So, that's about it. Thanks to all of you who have watched the whole Artfest "creation process" and I thank you all for your support, your comments, and your inspiration. And to see all of the newest Artfest paintings, please go to: www.artfest101.blogspot.com. Tomorrow!!

ARTFEST IS ALMOST HERE!!!

"RIO GRANDE GORGE, TAOS"

12"x12"

"SUNLIT SANDIAS"

12"x24"

#114

"DESCANSO TRIO"

10"X10"

This is Artfest painting #114 - I will be posting more today but right now I'm trying to finish the 48x60, which is going to be an all day project. Happy Tuesday!

progress on the Gorge painting

The linework is complete - now it has to be taped off in sections and the lines finessed so everything is connected and no lines are broken. An all day/evening project!

Only 3 more days til Artfest!

Detail - turned upside down while I work.

"JUST A LITTLE PINK"

"JUST A LITTLE PINK"
12"X6"
I have several new Artfest paintings completed. Working down to the wire now and I still have so much I want to do! I have about 12 canvases, mostly large, and I have a stack of little church photos that I want to paint on 5x7 and 8x10 canvases - I don;t know if I'll get to them or not. You can see the new paintings here: www.artfest101.blogspot.com!

#105

'PUMPKINS AND CHILE"

9"X12"

#105

I painted this for a friend and thought Artfest should have one too, since it is that fall time of year and we have chiles and pumpkins everywhere!

#104

"LOTUS AT LOS POBLANOS"

8"X10"

#104

Wow, it has been a crazy busy week. I just finished my donation painting for the Weems auction and I'm still trying to finish everything that I had on my list that I wanted to paint. This is a version of the beautiful lotus flowers in the pond at Los Poblanos Inn and Farm.

ARTFEST AUCTION PAINTING in progress

STAGE THREE:

Filling the canvas with color. I'm still playing, rearranging, and working with my design. I have all of the basic colors down and now will start the refining process and bring the painting to life. I will post the finished painting tonight.

STAGE TWO:
Starting to work out the composition, playing with the colors.

STAGE ONE:
Toning the canvas and a very loose sketch for placement of the sunflowers.
You can see the photo I am using for inspiration at the bottom of the canvas.

I will finish this painting up today and start the process for completing my 48x60 Taos Gorge. That one will take me quite a while so I am finishing it first. Then I have numerous smaller pieces I want to complete before next Wednesday. Thursday is set-up day for Artfest so Wednesday will be my last day of work and completing my "to do" list.

I thought this was interesting

"CARA'S DAISIES"

"CARA'S DAISIES"

10"X8"

This is Artfest painting #103. A fellow artist and friend lent me this photo that she took on one of her travels and low, and behold, here it is in "Dee" style. Thank you Cara!

For other new Artfest paintings, go to: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

'THE DANCERS I"

"THE DANCERS I"

8"X10"

SOLD

Commission

See new Artfest paintings here:

www.artfest101.blogspot.com

"PERFECT"

"PERFECT"

5"X7"

This is one of the new Artfest paintings and I have to say, I love it. I may have to paint a huge one like it. I just sort of went with the flow of the brush with a color scheme in mind and this is what I got. It's almost a keeper for me. There are several new Artfest paintings on the new blog, including a new Canyon Women piece, click here for the link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com.

I am varnishing a 30x40 sunflower painting, then starting work on an 8x10 dancer commission and a 12x16 dancer. It's a nice rainy day, so perfect opportunity to get a lot of work done.