ROAD TRIP
Finally, I was able to go on a paint-out, even though it was close by,
to the village of Placitas,
which is about 15 minutes away from my house.
I also went to Algodones and Bernalillo.
Nothing is green yet, but everything was still beautiful to me.
This are the Algodones plateaus with beautiful winter color.
A tumbleweed acequia.
Empty but ready to be cleaned and filled.
A pretty cross at San Antonio church,
the pretty little old Catholic church in the heart of the village.
I look forward to going again when the roses
are in full bloom.
Looking at the the Placitas Loop road in
the foreground, the Algodones plateau in the
middle ground, and the Jemez mountains
in the background.
And those clouds!
A closer look at the plateau.
Can you image that cottonwood in full bloom?
And those grey trees in the back will be
spring green shortly.
What a nice life for the horses living there!
The cemetery in Algodones.
A really cool hand-painted fence!
Well, if it only had wheels?
A roadside descanso.
This is a beautiful but dry arroyo
near the plateau.
I was drawn to the dark golden bushes on the right.
Okay, someone has to go to Algodones and tell me what this is!
I know it's a cross, but what's on it?
I'm going to take binoculars next time!
San Antonio Church
I've painted this scene several times.
A really cool old truck
Cholla cactus before it blooms that beautiful fuschia color.
A winding wash in Placitas
with the Sandias as a backdrop.
Last year, on a windy day, I lost my
canvas down this little wash.
This is the side of a pretty old church in Bernalillo.
View of the Sandia mountains and pretty clouds.
My only painting that came from that day.
It's funny, I haven't been out on location
for a while and I forgot some basics:
my umbrella, my hat, my sunscreen.
I had a blast.
I got so many reference photos and
it was so nice being out in the mountains
with only the wind and the birds
for company.