Autumn Wrap Up

What I've Been Up To

Hi all - 

I haven't been able to blog regularly

 for a few weeks and it's killing me!

Lots of things have happened:

I went to Old Town to see my friend and gallery owner 

Jillian Maresco last week.

She is curating an exhibition opening Friday, December 4th

for a group I started called, "Let's Paint New Mexico!"

I love going to Old Town.

They haven't lit the big Christmas tree yet but 

it's still so beautiful down there.

I went on a cold morning and captured a few scenes:

 Artist setting up her jewelry display

 Patio flowers still in bloom!

Jillian's postcard for the show.

25 artists exhibiting three paintings each 

of Challenge images I have posted of New Mexico.
It should be a fun show!
And a lot of very affordable paintings.

 One of the patio courtyards in Old Town.

This was at a different location.

I had stopped on 4th street at the Little Anita's drive-thru

to get a breakfast burrito.

I pulled away and parked in the lot, turned around, and this was the scene.

Beauty is everywhere!

I ate my burrito while enjoying the acequia.

 Winter is on its way.

These leaves are right outside the door of my studio.

I love the contrast of the orange with the

blue-grey of the concrete. 

I don't paint leaves but someone should paint this!

 Another cool view of leaves.

The red are little berries from a thorny tree,

The bean pods are my husband's least favorite thing

to rake up before winter comes.

I love the little blade of grass poking up through the 

crack between the concrete slabs.

Nature wins every time!

My show at Sumner and Dene Gallery runs through November 28.

If you haven't seen it yet, please consider taking a trip to the gallery.

Several of the paintings are sold - I will post an update soon.

Much thanks to Roy and his crew for all of their help
and support. Such a great gallery and great people!

 On another note - it's almost Thanksgiving!

Then Christmas - my favorite time of year.

I was driving yesterday and noticed that my friend Loretta

was out putting up signs for her Christmas tree lot.

I have gotten my tree there for the last 14 - 15 years.

It's a ritual that we do a little haggling.

One year I traded a nice big bean pot for a discount on a beautiful tree.

 I am looking forward to sharing Christmas with my two year old 

granddaughter this year.

She is getting old enough to participate in some of the activities, 

so it will be fun!

Biscochitos anyone?

In Other News:

I decided to cancel my "SOUP AND SANTA" event.

After painting for shows and commissions, I am just beat.

So, if you sent a check, I will be returning it.

I may have something in January - 

definitely a small studio sale for old and unframed work.

Thanks to everyone who signed up.

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I have also started a new facebook group called,

"NM ARTISTS PAINT SMALL!"

This is a group for any artist, professional or emerging,

who wants to paint and post small paintings.

Nothing over 8x10" - plein air or studio

If you are interested, go to facebook and type

NM Artists Paint Small into the search box.

Then all you have to do is ask to join.

Invite your fellow artists too!

**********************************************

Upcoming Plans:

I will have a solo show at Sumner and Dene in September of 2016.

Hmmm - 150 Challenge?

I want to do a lot of plein air painting.

I would love a few women artists who like to get together

and go on day trips to paint the landscape.

Or even friends who aren't painters, but love New Mexico scenery.

I have a big wedding to attend in July of 2016!

I have to get ready for knee replacement surgery next October.

Then another one in January 0f 2017.

I would love to do some collaborations with other artists.

Life is full of expectations and good things right now.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I 

a little painting

"REACHING"

10x8"

oil on canvas

Hi all - I am cleaning out my studio and 

have come across the painting above

that needs some love and a home.

If you are interested in making an offer on this piece, 
email me at dshadowtail@aol.com.

My show is going strong at Sumner and Dene Gallery 

until the end of November so I hope you'll go down and check it out!

Opening night was so much fun.

We had a great band, food, and people!

So nice to see old friends, family, and new friends too.

Thanks to Roy and his crew for putting on a great show.

Oh, I should also mention that Sumner and Dene doesn't just have paintings,
although they have a lot of those and they are all beautiful.

They have beautiful jewelry!
They have pottery, whimsical creatures, and so much more.
One of my friends bought a beautiful lighted cross lamp and another bought a colorful animal clock, and another bought the most beautiful amber vase 
with led lighted branches.
Very reasonable prices too!

I just love the downtown area.

I wish I had a little loft there so I could walk out my door

and be right in the middle of things.

All of the shops and cool places to eat.....

Anyway - I am cleaning out my studio 
and hope everyone has a wonderful Monday.... 

 Happy Autumn!

the last two....

GETTING READY FOR A SHOW

 Yay, my show is almost here and I'm starting to get excited.

This is a 30x48" sunflowers wild garden painting.

I saved it for near the end because I love playing with all of

those colors and shapes.

It's like a big puzzle.
Please click on the image for a larger view.

This is my last painting.

I thought I was done and someone asked,

"Did you paint Canyon Women?"

And I didn't.

I forgot!

I try to paint at least one Canyon Women painting for each show.

These women have worked hard in the chile fields

all day and are headed home to their sweet little casita in the mountains.

Okay, gotta get back to it.

Postcards are in, have to print my mailing list labels and get those out.

We have hooking, wiring, titling, and inventorying to do.

And I am working on a two big painting commission 

for a hospital expansion that is due October 31st.

No time to stop and think about it.

Like Nike says, "Just Do It."

TO VIEW ALL SHOW PAINTINGS, CLICK HERE.

it's coming, it's coming....

 It's almost that time again!

I love the holiday season. Not Halloween so much, 

but I love the fact that it's means the beginning of all of the holiday craziness.

Things that come to mind are:

ornament making, pumpkin carving, turkey cooking,

fudge making, tree hunting, coldness,

luminarias, and that exciting and wonderful time of family

and just being together.

 We had quite a bit of rain the past two days,

but today the sun is out and shining bright.

Which means I will be working in the studio on a couple of commissions.

I find it very hard to work on cloudy, gloomy days.

There are lots of things on my mind right now:

getting all of my work gathered and delivered

for the upcoming Sumner and Dene show on november, 6,

planning another fundraising NMDOG event, 

enjoying my graddaughter's second birthday,

enjoying MY birthday, spending Thanksgiving with our Nana,

making a Christmas wreath, etc.

 These were my wreath making supplies from last year.

 Our nana's house with the sunset's last glow

I should have shot this a little straighter.

It will probably still become a painting one day.

Stockings at one of my favorite antique stores,

which just closed. Bah!

But there are two more that opened up in the area, 

and i look forward to exploring those.

All of the antique stores in the area 

have a super holiday SHOP AND STROLL,

usually the first weekend in December.

They offer posole, treats and goodies,

and sales on everything!

I will be there.

So, I say enjoy and embrace the holiday craziness.

After all, it only happens once a year.

And don't worry about those annoying family members and in-laws.

One day you won't have them around and 

Christmas might just be a little more lonely and boring.

Feliz Navidad in advance!!

Oh, and I will post the information
 about the upcoming SOUP AND SANTA event tomorrow.
There will be a limited number of tickets sold, so be watching.....

Taos, New Mexico

Visual Journey

 Since I am almost done painting for my upcoming Sumner and Dene show,

I decided to take a quick (and much needed) getaway weekend to

my favorite place, Taos, New Mexico.

I took over 700 photos and am showcasing a few here:

The photo above is a view of one of the mesas between 

Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

I believe this is called "walking rain," this happens when rain 

drops out of the sky and looks like it is walking across the earth

It's really beautiful.

 A dynamite view of the Rio Grande gorge.

I don't think I've ever gotten a photo with this much light.

This image will definitely become a painting!

 I was on the lookout for light and I found it on the first day.

This is El Salto peak covered in golden aspens.

The foreground shows chamisa and other beautiful colors.

I spent about 20 minutes here and took at least 50 photos of this one scene.

The light changed so fast that some of the photos didn't even look like the same place.

 We spotted two doe and an antlered buck on the road 

where we turned into our house.

Beautiful and so graceful.

 A nice fire awaited us at Orlando's, 

my favorite Mexican food restaurant in Taos.

 The next morning, I left the house very early,

 to see if I could get some nice photographs.

I am not sure what this red is (sumac, maybe?),

but it was all over Taos.

 A view of Taos mountain and the changing fall colors.

 A view of the Arroyo Seco graveyard.

Decorated with flowers everywhere!

 Cool sign coming into Arroyo Seco from Arroyo Hondo Road.

 Village of Arroyo Seco in early light.

First stop - Abe's Cantina for breakfast burritos.

 The old church in Arroyo Seco.

 After Arroyo Seco, I ventured down into Valdez, 

the little village on the way to Taos Ski Valley.

This was an old, old adobe building that is part of the Valdez land grant.

 Lovely morning light hitting an old adobe.

 Golden colors of fall on Rim Road

 A spectacular old blue gate on Rim Road. 

Won't this make a nice painting?

 Golden trees on Rim Road

I took a lot of images of grasses, chamisa, and other ground

foliage. I'm thinking of painting a whole series of

large color field grass paintings.

 The mountains and colors in Valdez

 I know this is Virginia Creeper, 

because it grows all over my yard!

Gorgeous!!

 I can't go through Arroyo Seco without capturing an image of 

this iconic, cool, old mercantile truck. 

 Heading WAY across town,

I had to get at least one image of the wonderful 

old Los Ranchos de Taos church.

It still had hollyhocks blooming around it.

Beautiful light.

 Here is a winning combo - 

an old blue gate and lots of Virgina Creeper.

I think this is actually an old screen door.

 I made my way to the Taos Pueblo.

I didn't go inside - I just like to drive the road up there

and see what I see.

Here are beautiful fall golden colors.

 Ponies along the road

 A nice remembrance of someone...

 This is the backyard of the house where I stayed.

I came to get away, de-stress, and clear my head.

And it worked. 

The bees were buzzing around the Russian Sage and

Blue Mist Spirea and magpies were everywhere.

 Speaking of magpies. 

This is my best shot.

The blue of his feathers with the blue of the old door.

And the bell!

 My old truck again with a red tree.

 Hollyhocks on Ledoux Street. 

They look awesome against the backdrop of this cobalt blue door.

 I can't remember if this was Bent street or near the Blumenshein Museum.

Love Miguel Martinez women!

 Okay, who has seen multi-coloredred chile?

I almost bought one of these.

So many different shades.

 The old truck at the Overland Sheepskin Company.

It's been there as long as I can remember.

This horse was telling me to just chill and relax.
Life is good, he said.

Just a few of the unreal jewel colors that make up

Taos, New Mexico in the fall.

I came away inspired and with enough material to last quite a while.

I had taken my painting gear, but forgot gloves and a

carrier to put the finished painting into so I wouldn't get

paint on and in my car. Next time!

I love Taos and can't wait to go back....

Stay tuned for information on my solo exhibition

 at Sumner and Dene Gallery on Friday, November 6, from 5-8pm

Also I will be posting information about "SOUP AND SANTA,"

my fundraiser for NMDOG this week.

Enjoy the fall!