and other things.... This is my daily art blog. I'm artist Dee Sanchez and I live and work in Alameda, New Mexico - the land of blue skies, red hills, and three unique cultures. What a beautiful place to paint! Join me on my daily painting quest, my plein air adventures, my video logs, my "getting ready for a show" preparations, my painting tips, and I may even throw in an opinion or two...I also document my struggles with getting healthy and my crazy family life
Saturday, October 31, 2009
"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!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
"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.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Beautiful fall day
An old window I found at an antique store near my house. I thought if I ever have a working studio/gallery, this window would have a home inside between two rooms. I need to move it into the shed before winter comes. It's really cool because the top two sections open up too.
This is one of the chairs outside my studio. I have probably sat in it once this year. Bummer.
This is a view I took sitting in a swing out in the yard. It was such a pretty day. The leaves are starting to be raked (not by me), and the colors look fantastic - much more vivid in person. I went out and took some photos of the Sandia mountains with the golden trees too. There may be a painting there. Today it's sunny right now but the high is only supposed to be in the 50's. It's a great Monday today!
Lots of painting for me....
This is a view I took sitting in a swing out in the yard. It was such a pretty day. The leaves are starting to be raked (not by me), and the colors look fantastic - much more vivid in person. I went out and took some photos of the Sandia mountains with the golden trees too. There may be a painting there. Today it's sunny right now but the high is only supposed to be in the 50's. It's a great Monday today!
Lots of painting for me....
Sunday, October 25, 2009
"POPPIES CUBED"
5"X5"
I found this blank canvas when I was cleaning up my studio. I was going to use it for Artfest but thought I would paint something cool on it and offer it for purchase, since I haven't done a daily painting in who knows when. It is very sculptural, painted about 2 and a half inches around on each side. Also, new Artfest paintings here: http://www.artfest101.blogspot.com/
Purchase information on "POPPIES CUBED" below:
Saturday, October 24, 2009
work in progress
9"X12"
This will be painting #87 of my Artfest paintings. It is a fall view of the Chama River near Abiquiu. The photos I have aren't taken in the fall so I had to improvise. I wish I had the time to go up there right now. I bet the colors are gorgeous!
If you would like to see several new Artfest paintings, click on the following link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 22, 2009
10"X10"
This is Artfest painting #81 - I have also finished #82 and #83. I will be posting #82 tonight and #83, well, I have run into a problem and it is my own fault. I always try to move my paintings away from each other when I'm working but sometimes I forget. I had finished the painting, varnishing and everything when I noticed it had two little spots of red from another piece I was working on. I sanded it just a touch and reapplied sky color over the red. Then I let everything dry. When I went to revarnish, the new sky color started smearing and ruined the whole sky. So now I really have to do a mjor sanding and reworking repair on it. Not my favorite thing to do when I am in the painting "zone." Oh well, maybe I'll learn one of these days!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
New Artfest paintings!
12"X16"
This is #77 in my Artfest paintings - the show is about three weeks away and there's still so many things I want to paint. I have a love/hate relationship with shows because getting ready for them is stressful, but sometimes the work that you create just seems to burst out of you, especially when you are working under deadlines. I do some of my favorite things at these times. And I haven'[t even touched churches or angels yet!
Monday, October 19, 2009
work in progress
8"X10"
This is a work in progress - the lines are complete except for finishing. Finishing involves taping off the piece in sections and going over it with a fine tooth comb (well in thie case, not a comb), and making sure that every single line is connected and there are no breaks anywhere. I actually worked on three paintings yesterday; the cows, a lavender piece, and a fall landscape with orange/golden trees. I should have those finished today and will start working on something larger. And no, I haven't finished the huge one yet. Probably not until Thursday or Friday. Enjoy your Monday!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
48"X60"
work in progress
I have stared at this sketched canvas for about a month now and I promised myself I would block it in tonight. I was tired so I sat for a lot of it and I also put it on the floor so I could underpaint the sky. I think it looks pretty cool like it is. But it needs a lot more finesse, so I will work on it tomorrow. And the lines will take forever, I already know that. If you would like to see two new Artfest paintings, click on the following link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 15, 2009
"THREE DANCERS"
14"X18"
I finally think I have my numbers in the correct order on my Artfest 101 blog. I got a little ahead of myself and lost track and had two paintings with the same number! If you would like to see new Artfest 101 paintings, please click on the blog link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The painting process
Starting with a toned ground of loose paint: burnt sienna and a red. The initial sketch is worked out with a burnt umber.
The blocked-in stage: major colors are in place and composition seems good.
The completed underpainting. All that's left is some refinement and the line work.
This is actually a replica of a painting I painted for my mom when I was 17 years old. My oldest daughter has it in her room now and we had to make an "exchange" in order for her to let me paint it again. In other words, she now has a new sunset painting! She drives a hard bargain, that one. I should have the finished painting done by tomorrow. The size is 30"x24".
The blocked-in stage: major colors are in place and composition seems good.
The completed underpainting. All that's left is some refinement and the line work.
This is actually a replica of a painting I painted for my mom when I was 17 years old. My oldest daughter has it in her room now and we had to make an "exchange" in order for her to let me paint it again. In other words, she now has a new sunset painting! She drives a hard bargain, that one. I should have the finished painting done by tomorrow. The size is 30"x24".
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
8 new Artfest paintings!
5"X5"
I have eight new little Artfest paintings finished and three larger pieces almost ready to post. View these paintings at: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Sunday, October 11, 2009
New Artfest paintings!
12"X16"
I am starting to post the Artfest paintings I've been working on. I have three of them for you now and two that are drying - one is three dancers, the other is mountains and lots of flowers in the foreground. To see the newest ones, go to: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Only one more day of balloons!
This balloon landed right next door. Those coyote fence posts are the boundary of my back yard. I thought it looked cool through the trees.
Oh, and scroll down to my newest dancer painting for Artfest!
These flew over the house next door and I am taking the photo from my driveway. We are in the path of what is known as "the box" which to me, means that if the wind is just right, they fly right over my house!
This shot I think is beautiful. There is a watercolor wash sky and this balloon is just floating. I am standing on my front porch and the sunlight was just perfect.
A balloon landed on my street and they are getting ready to load it up and go have breakfast! Only one more day of Balloon Fiesta. Then Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Man, I absolutely love fall......
Happy Saturday! This painting is #56 on my Artfest 101 countdown. I have just started painting dancers for the show and hope to do several more. I have some new photos that I haven't painted yet and I am definitely getting excited about those. I finished three other paintings last night and they are drying. One is El Salto peak in Taos - a nice fall landscape, one is a field of poppies and one is a bed of iris. They are all probably around 14x18 in size. I am working on a trio of dancers which should be finished today and then I will post all of those. THEN, I am starting on a still life, a 24x30 blue vase with orange poppies and a black and yellow background.
I went out and shot a few photos of balloons this morning. There were quite a few coming over the house. Now I am off to run boring errands, pick up dogs food, etc. I will post the new paintings tonight so stay tuned! Oh, and check out this new dancer painting on my Artfest blog: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Monday, October 05, 2009
Balloons and a new painting
A shot I took looking towards balloon Fiesta park as the sun was coming up. Can you see the balloon?
Also, a new Artfest 101 painting at: www.artfest101.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 03, 2009
New Artfest painting
12"X12"
This is a new Artfest painting. It's not posted on my Artfest 101 blog yet, because the painting in front of it is on hold. This was a blast to paint. A photo of a beautiful sunflower field at Los Poblanos off of Montano. They didn't grow sunflowers there this year, so I was really lucky last year just to be driving by and spot these. Love the feeling of being down in the flowers.
Which one?
10"x8"
10"x8"
One of these paintings is a commission, one is for Artfest. I am letting the collector choose the one that really speaks to her the most. I can't decide which one I like best. I also thought you might enjoy seeing the original photo from Rinconada. Tonmorrow you can also view new paintings for Artfest; one is sunflowers, and the other a rooster in the lavender patch.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
New Artfest paintings
8"X8"
8"X8"
8"X8"
12"X16"
Good morning! I'm posting these paintings here for now because I am working on #45, a painting of Rinconada, and it goes before all these in the lineup, so you will see them on Artfest in order, hopefully by tonight. My big 48x60 canvas is still staring me inthe face, along with a few others. I am realizing now that I only have six weeks until the show and so many things I want to paint. I think Dancers are next!
Good morning! I'm posting these paintings here for now because I am working on #45, a painting of Rinconada, and it goes before all these in the lineup, so you will see them on Artfest in order, hopefully by tonight. My big 48x60 canvas is still staring me inthe face, along with a few others. I am realizing now that I only have six weeks until the show and so many things I want to paint. I think Dancers are next!
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