Thursday, July 30, 2009

"CHAMA RIVER"

"CHAMA RIVER"
8"X10"
For information, contact Weems Gallery, 505.764.0302
Aah, back to my beloved lines - I was feeling really stressed last night for some reason and this morning I felt an overwhelming urge to paint a daily painting, and while I was working with the lines, I realized that's what I like about them and what I had been missing- they're so relaxing for me. It's like having one long, meditative session. This is the Chama River near Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu. Purchase information is below:

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

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

"SWEET BABE"

"SWEET BABE"
8'X10"

oil
I'm working in oils these next couple of days, just to get a feel for the texture, thickness, and difference. This is a sweet little hummingbird nestled in the lavender. Get ready for my new blog, 'ARTFEST 101" coming on August 7th. Countdown to Weems Artfest - 12 weeks of intense work coming soon! Purchase information for "SWEET BABE" is below:


Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $129.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email
A new blog is coming on August 7th!
"ARTFEST 101"
Join me daily as I paint a countdown
for my 7th annual ARTFEST show coming up
November 13-15, 2009
Watch online as I:
organize the show
paint a variety of themes
in sizes ranging from 5"x5" to 48"x60"
video demonstrations from beginning to completion
a trip to Taos during October for inspiration
ornaments, and much more!
These paintings will be available for purchase as they are completed until it gets too close to showtime
I will be the print artist for ARTFEST 2010
Unlike the 150 CHALLENGE, I will start with painting #1 and work my way up.
STAY TUNED.....

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

"HOLLYHOCKS AT RANCHOS DE TAOS"

"HOLLYHOCKS AT LOS RANCHOS"
10"X8"
oil
These hollyhocks are in the area of Los Ranchos church in front of a little shop. They were so pretty with the blue shutter behind them that I just had to paint them. These paintings are oil on canvas panel have a buttery feel to them. Totally different from my acrylic with line. It's nice to get out of your comfort zone sometimes! Purchase information is below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $129.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email

TAOS

I spent a whole morning walking around Taos Pueblo by myself! It is so beautiful. The pueblo has no running water and no electricity. All of the water comes from the stream separating the north and south sides of the pueblo. It's called Red Willow Creek. And all of its water comes from the sacred Blue Lake, deep up in Taos Mountain. I was going to paint but it was pretty expensive, you had to get prior approval, and already warm when I got there. This is the cemetary at Taos Pueblo. It used to be the site of the original church. Magical place indeed.

This is one of the streams, can't remember which, it's either at Taos Pueblo or Arroyo Hondo. Yep, I think it's Red Willow creek.


This was so cool! A real cattle drive. They were crossing these cattle from a valley (visible here) across the road and up the mountainside. I think it was a family, one of the riders was a mother with a baby in her lap. I got a short video, I'll post later. This was up near Angel Fire.


This is the north side of Taos Pueblo. There were lots of dogs and puppies wandering around and people were opening up shop, selling arts and crafts. Individual families live in the houses. Ladders to the roof used to be the only access into the pueblo houses, now people have added doors. The racks in front are for drying things; meats, jerky, etc. All of water is hauled by pottery or pails.



I think my camera had raindrops on it, but this was a spectacular thunderstorn to the west of us on our way home. This will make a great painting!





I'M BACK!

"PILAR HACIENDA"
8"X10"
I am back from Taos and it was so much fun. I went to Pilar, Ranchos de Taos, Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco, Taos Pueblo, the Valdez Rim, every site I could think of and a few unexpected places. I submitted my two pieces for the show and I am sad to say that I forgot to photograph them! I am going to have one of my fellow plein air painters do it for me. If anyone is interested in the pieces, they are at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art, www.wnightingale.com. One is of beautiful hollyhocks at Ranchos Church, the other is sunflowers out by the Rio Grande Gorge. I will write more later. I got great photos. I loved painting in oils, even though they are messier no matter how neat you try to be. So stay tuned....it's good to be home but I already want to go back!

Friday, July 24, 2009

UNTITLED

Can you tell I'm trying to get myself psyched up to go oil painting? I am using a new palette this time - Windsor Newton:
Titamium White, Cadmium Yellow Light, Naples Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red Medium, Permanent Rose, Sap Green, Dioxazine Purple, Burnt Sienna, and French Ultrmarine. Let's see what I can do with those!
The new paintings will probably look totally different. Plus, I'm going to try to use my painting knives more. I have all sizes of panels - 6x6, 6x8, 8x8, 8x10s. I am using a very small painting box that I can sit in my lap and a small painting chair that folds up when not in use. Trying to pare materials down. Have a great day!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Ready for oils

I'm really trying to psych myself up for oil painting in Taos. It's like a different world from painting with acrylics and no lines. The oil paint is so buttery and I don't like using any medium, so it goes on thick and rich. It is much harder for me - I'm a messy painter anyway and if I paint in my car (which I've done when the weather was bad) it's hard to clean. I reallyadmire people who use oils consistently as a medium. I'm also used to using the same colors and I can't get them to match my acrylics the way I want them to. I just realized I am sounding like a crybaby! I am going later to choose new paints, maybe a limited palette, and I iwll let you know what I come up with. If you click on this painting, you can see up close and personal the brushstrokes and how wet it still looks, even though it was done last year.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

TAOS PAINT OUT

This scene was from my paint out in Taos last year. This was at the river in Pilar. It has gotten me excited about the upcoming event and I am gathering my materials:
umbrella
easel (not this one) I'm taking a pochade box with a tripod. I still think it's too big but it will hold any size canvas from 6x8 to 9x12
stool or chair
paints (oil)
brushes/ knives
canvas panels/two frames for exhibition
medium, brush cleaners
wipees and paper towels
apron
hat/sunglasses
water/small cooler/snacks
cameras/extra batteries/two chargers (my batteries always die)
trash bags
I'm sure I left something out! I also went today to buy 8x8 gallery wrap canvas for some daily paintings, some plastic bottles, and some magenta paint. I still have a few paints to pick up. I PROMISE I will have a daily painting tomorrow!

TAOS

Good morning! I am busy getting everything organized and ready for the upcoming Plain Air Painters of New Mexico Taos paint out. I will write more tonight. Have a great day!

Monday, July 20, 2009

a quiet morning

It's the beginning of another week and this is what my studio looks like this morning. I don't have any finished paintings and not many canvases. You can see the sunflowers in progress and the large canvases to your left. I have some new ideas for those! I love this time of morning, when it's still cool and very quiet and peaceful.
I spent all day yesterday going though paperwork in the garage, purging through bags and boxes dating all the way back to 1995! I am back in there this morning and will finish today and start preparing for the Taos paint out. There are some new exciting events this year = more on those later. Anyway, have a wonderful week and if I get finished with the clutter, I will post a new daily painting tonight!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME!

We went to an Isotopes game last night and this was the beautiful cloud formation over our heads. We left in the 5th inning because it started raining but our teams was ahead. Don't know if they won or not but I hope so!

Odds and Ends

This is my newest find, an old antique podium - it's beautiful and I will put rollers on it and use it at my art shows to hold all my supplies, etc. It has wonderful shelves in the back. I would love to know its history!

This is the peacefulness of the $285 show before it started. Everything is this room was $285 or less. Some of these paintings were a couple of thousand dollars.

When the show started, people rushed the door and started pulling paintings off the wall. I left before noon and I bet by closing there was nothing left. Fun! I even bought a painting!



Friday, July 17, 2009

"NEW MEXICO SKY"

"NEW MEXICO SKY"
15"X30"
This painting will be auctioned off on Saturday morning at Weems Gallery Uptown. It actually looks nicer in person, I think. I guess I could be biased though!

"RIVER VALLEY"

"RIVER VALLEY"
12"X16"
on hold (TF)
I really like painting this little river - I've painted it three times and it has come out different each time. I want to be right there, with my easel and paints, and just enjoy the beautiful view.

285 SHOW



I would like to invite everyone to come out for Weems Gallery's $285 show tomorrow - Saturday, July 18, from 10am - 5pm. Sixteen artists are participating and everything in this show is $285 or less. I have about 34 paintings in the show myself and most are under $100. The show starts promptly at 10am and most of the pieces are gone by 1pm. It's a very fun, festive atmosphere! Weems is located at Montgomery and Lousiana NE. Their number is 505-293-6133. To view more info: www.weemsgallery.com/shows.php

Thursday, July 16, 2009

'MAGIC I"
24"X24"
work in progress
This is the second stage - continuing to block in and refine color. The painting is actually finished now but I had to rush it to the gallery yesterday so they could hang it for viewing of the $285 show. I'll have to shoot a photo of it before the show starts, I guess! Today I am cleaning my studio a little, having lunch with a friend, going to the gallery, picking up canvas, going to the gym, and who knows what else. Maybe I will get a daily painting up for posting later. Enjoy your day!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

"THE IRIS BED"

"THE IRIS BED"
9"X6"
This little iris bed reminds me or hiding in my grandmother's garden when I was a little kid. I would stay there for hours, playing in the flowers, smelling them, taking them apart to see what was inside. I know, I was weird! Anyway, these are the colors that I remember. She used to let me go out and gather a bouquet for the dinner table and I loved it. Purchase information is below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $75.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email
"EARLY BREAKFAST"
11"X14"
SOLD
Good morning!


This morning I just had to go to Barnes and Noble to get art magazines and art books to become "re-inspired." I find this always happens after I finish a big project or a show. I take a day or two to be a zombie, lay in the recliner and then my mind starts turning and I just have to get up and start something new.


Today I will be completing a painting marathon - a 24"x24" cunflower garden for the $285 show at Weems this Saturday. Hopefully I can throw some video in there so you can watch the process.


The show is at Weems Uptown at Louisiana and Montgomery and starts at 10am Saturday morning. Sixteen artists are participating and this is one of Weems highlight events. Nothing is the show is over $285. Some paintings are worth $1000 or more. You can imagine - it's like a fun art rummage sale. Except better! I think if you go to www.weemsgallery.com and click the link "shows and events" you can scroll down and see the info for the show. Anyway, stay tuned....

Monday, July 13, 2009

New Paintings available - today only!

"LAVENDER REACHING"
9"X6"
The lavender festival is over and I am exhausted - mostly from the heat. It was great though. I sold about 30 paintings, signed posters and t-shirts, saw old friends, and met lots of new ones. People picked lavender, bought lavender products, fresh organic produce, plants, took workshops, ate good food, saw wildlife presentations, listened to good music. I loved it. Carla Forrest is the president of the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico and she was there beside me so we met lots of plein air painters, a few people who just "dabble" in art, and lots of artists and "want to be" artists. No one painted because it was SO hot. Oh, and I almost bought a fig tree, but forgot!

LAVENDER PHOTOS!!

Large acequia behind Los Poblanos Farms - going to have to paint this!

Picking the lavender

Lotus flowers - it's jard to put into words how beautiful this pond is

Beautiful hollyhock



Inn window with hollyhocks - this will become a painting too!




"MISTY LAVENDER"
12"X6"

"LAVENDER FIELDS I" 5"x7"

"EVENING SUNSET" 6"X9"




"SUNSET II"
5"X7"




Saturday, July 11, 2009

"LAVENDER FESTIVAL"

"LAVENDER FESTIVAL"
9"X12"
SOLD
Hey guys, just a quick note. the lavender festival is awesome! The lotus flowers are in full bloom, everything is gorgeous, and lots of people. Had fresh lavender gelatto today. They have all kinds of lavender products, fresh organic produce, workshops, lavender craft stuff, lavnder picking, ewtc. Only 100 plus degrees in the shade. I think I melted. Sold 18 paintings though. Will write more tomorrow!

TOMORROW IS LAVENDER DAY!!







These are all paintings that will be available at my booth at this weekend's LAVENDER IN THE VILLAGE in Los Ranchos. I'm inviting you all to come out and visit me and see this great event!There are all kinds of vendors, food, workshops, free lavender picking, and much more.
Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12 from 8am - 4pm. For more info, visit: www.lavenderinthevillage.com - see you there!


Wednesday, July 08, 2009

work in progress

lavender painting in progress
12"x6"
I'm trying to do some really loose lavender works for the upcoming festival., so here's the first one. I went to pick up my posters today and took a bunch of photos. It is SO beautiful there. The lotus flowers are blooming, the lavender is gorgeous, suflowers are everywhere, and two peacocks followed me around, one white and one blue with a big plumed tail. I want to live there!

"OCTOBER SKY"

"OCTOBER SKY"
9"X12"
work in progress
This is a painting for the upcoming LAVENDER IN THE VILLAGE festival this weekend. I'm working on a few small lavender pieces but also wanted to try some new things. This is a beautiful autumn sunset. I will post the finished work tonight. This morning I am going to Los Poblanos to take a few photos for last minute paintings and I am also picking up some of my new lavender posters and t-shirts they are nice enough to be giving me. If anyone would like a poster or t-shirt, let me know. I think they are $20 each. Have a great day!

Monday, July 06, 2009

UPCOMING EVENT: JULY 11-12, 8am - 5pm

Come and seeme at the Los Poblanos LAVENDER IN THE VILLAGE FESTIVAL!
I will have a tent at Los Poblanos. I will be selling work, as well as doing some painting demonstrations. The show runs 8am - 5pm, but depending on the heat, you might try to come in the mornings. See you there!

Friday, July 03, 2009

"THROUGH FLOWERS" progression

Commission in progress - main sketch and beginning underpainting

Blocking in colors and flowers

'THROUGH FLOWERS"
11"X14"
SOLD