Thursday, June 30, 2016

"GEORGIA'S LOVE"
8x8"
oil
$150

Well, here I am , working away on the
150 Challenge paintings.
Will I ever finish?

My Art Party is coming up and i would like to be done, 
but I'm not sure I'm going to make it.

To see all of the completed paintings,




Tuesday, June 28, 2016

new paintings


My two newest 150 Challenge paintings

I am in the zone now.
I don't see how I can finish by July 17,
but I am not giving up!

 "ABIQUIU ARROYO"
10x8"
 #83

"BERNALILLO SUNFLOWERS"
8x8"
#82

New Mexico landscapes are just the best subjects to paint. 

For Purchase Information, 

Monday, June 27, 2016

new paintings










The paintings are coming fast and furious!
I don't know if I will finish on time, 
but I'm sure trying.

To see the new paintings and all of the
completed 150 Challenge Show paintings,


Sunday, June 26, 2016

two new Challenge paintings

For those artists who have never painted square paintings,
you're missing something!

I love squares.
They are zen.
They are symmetrical.

The composition in these paintings has to be good.
There is no way to hide a sloppy sketch in a square.

I have several more of these 8x8s already sketched 
and may work on them today.

 "SUMMER BOUQUET"
8x8

"IN THE JEMEZ"
8x8"

For Purchase Information on these paintings,

Saturday, June 25, 2016

two new challenge paintings

Two new Challenge Paintings


I have started painting from the 90+ photos I chose to complete  
the 150 Challenge Show paintings.

Picking those images always gets me very motivated and inspired to work.

I'm a little behind schedule!

I want to finish the last Challenge painting
 on the day of my upcoming Art Party,
which means I have got to paint multiple paintings per day.

Oh well, they say that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. 
I believe that.
I should be pretty darn strong by the end of this one.

The Art Party is almost full.

 "ON THE RIM ROAD"

"AUTUMN COLORS"

For Purchase Information and to see
all of the completed 150 Challenge Show paintings,

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

new 150 Challenge painting

"SECO WHIMSY"
8x10"
oil
$150

This was a fun painting!
I shot a pic of this Arroyo Seco scene looking at
  the mercantile store with it's colorful scarves hanging out front.
I then added a pic of hollyhocks from the other side 
of the store and then created a composite of both scenes.
The mountains and trees are meant to look magical and whimsical.

For Purchase Information on this painting,

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

new Abiquiu painting

"ABIUIU CANYON"
8x10"
oil
$150

For those of you who have never been to Abiquiu or
traveled the LONG 13 mile winding road 
to the monastery - you have to do it!

The best time to go is in the fall when the trees are golden.
But really, anytime is a good time to be mesmerized.

By the hills. By the colors.
By the river running alongside the road.
By the beautiful architecture at the end of the road.
The beauty is just overwhelming.

I don't know how the monks found this beautiful spot,
but they live in a magical place.

IN OTHER NEWS

The Art Party is is almost full!
We have ten spaces left.
It is going to be a fun evening of homemade and
catered Mexican food, great music by Mezcla Latina,
a once a year special Studio Sale, and more.
And it's free to people who love my art and
want to hang out and have fun.

You must be registered to attend this event.
To register, email me at dshadowtail@aol.com
or call me at 505-792-1030.

Deadline to register is July 11.

For Purchase Information on the painting above,


Monday, June 20, 2016

two new paintings







 Well, I did it.
I finally scraped one off.
I tried to rush too much yesterday and
didn't like the end result in another painting,
so it has been scraped and is awaiting new inspiration.

BUT - I do like these two completed paintings.
The top one is a new baby lamb on a beautiful spring day 
and the other is an Algodones sunset coming back from Santa Fe.


In other news, I won an award for Honorable Mention last week
 in the Enchanted Skies competition for the Santa Fe Plein Air Festival.

I got my award certificate in the mail today.
But what was surprising is that I also received a check for $125 from PAPNM, 
an $80 gift certificate for Judson Outfitters,
and a $25 gift certificate for Blick Art Supply.
Not bad considering I entered the juried event
on the last day of the deadline.

It was such a fun event and so well organized!

For purchase information on these paintings and all of 
the 150 Challenge paintings,

Sunday, June 19, 2016

my newest paintings

Here are my newest 150 Challenge paintings.

I will be super busy from now on and will probably
only have time to post here once a week
to show you everything I've completed.

I have 97 paintings left to complete and am
making my Art Party the deadline for my goal.
I don't know if I will make it but
I'n going to give it my all!

 I loved working on these paintings:






To view Purchase Information for these paintings
and to see all of the 150 Challenge completed paintings so far,
I will talk more about these paintings tonight.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

two new paintings

Two new landscapes for the 150 Challenge Show

 #104  "TAOS MOUNTAIN IN FALL"
8x0"
oil

I am on a landscape kick right now!
Which means I am getting too comfortable.
It's time to move to still lifes and things that
are out of my comfort zone.

I do love this setting.
It is near the Taos Pueblo and is a fantastic
scene that really represents Taos for me.

#103  "ABIQUIU PURPLES"
8x10"
oil

Abiquiu for me, represents color.
A lot of people think that the landscape
up there is full of reds and browns. 
Dull and boring.
And it is full of those colors - but also, so much more.

I can see every color in the rainbow
just driving up towards Ghost Ranch.
And the Monastery Road!
Don't even get me started on that one.
Every color in the rainbow.

I have calculated and I have 102 paintings left.
I have given myself a deadline of 30 days to finish.
Which means I have to complete 3-4 paintings each day.

That might seem intimidating,
but hey, that's why it's a challenge.

Sometimes, my best work comes in the face of a time crunch.
I don't have time to think about it, I just GO.

Okay, gotta go, gotta get to work.

For purchase information of the two paintings above,
or any of the remaining 150 Challenge paintings, 

Oh - and this is important:

The deadline to register for the free
ART PARTY at my home happening 
on July 17th is
JULY 10th.

There will be free Mexican food, music by Mezcla Latina, 
a Studio Sale, and more.

Limited to 60 people - 45 are registered.
To register:
 Call me at 505-792-1030 or email me at dshadowtail@aol.com.

Friday, June 17, 2016

#105 "POPPIES AND ROSES"

"POPPIES AND ROSES"
8x10"
oil on cradled board
$150

This painting is much prettier in person.
It makes me think of a person dreaming about flowers.

This is what I dream about sometimes after
a full day of painting chaotic gardens and meadows!

For Purchase information,




Thursday, June 16, 2016

#106 'MORNING SUNFLOWERS"

"MORNING SUNFLOWERS"
10x8"
oil
$150

Can you feel the heat on these morning sunflowers?
I thought it fitting since we are supposed
 to have four or five 102 degree days this week.

The color of the sky is almost more appealing to me
than the sunflowers themselves.

It is warm, it is hot in places.
It resembles puffy clouds.
But it's not.
It's just HEAT.

For Purchase Information,



Wednesday, June 15, 2016

three new 150 challenge paintings

Hi all,
I sketched seventeen paintings yesterday and I have painted three so far.
I hope you like them and watch for the Purchase link at the bottom of the page.

 "OLD TOWN TWINKLES"
8x10"
oil on cradled gessoboard
$150

I love this sweet little alcove in old town.
The window is a beautiful cobalt blue and with
the pinks and reds of the flowers and the twinkle lights,
it's just a grand place to visit!

 "BIRDSONG"
10x8"
oil on cradled board
$150

A scene from last week's garden in Corrales.
I fell in love with the beauty of this gorgeous wildflower garden!
I arrived about early in the morning to paint
and all I could hear were the sounds of nature.
Birds singing, bees buzzing (mosquitos too).
Therefore, my title of BIRDSONG.

"SPRING ASPENS AND LILACS"
8x10"
oil on cradled board
$150

Oh my gosh, I can't tell you how
much I love this painting!
It is spring aspens and lilacs in Taos, actually in Arroyo Seco.

The sunlight was shining through the trees and I 
had to capture the scene with my camera.

The finished painting is very impressionistic,
maybe that's why I like it so much.
Up close, it looks like nothing but colors.
But step back, and it becomes something that
really reminds me of that beautiful morning.

For Purchase information,



Wednesday, June 08, 2016

A good week, but tired....

 It has been a crazy week!
Painting in the gardens of Corrales 
Taking off for Santa Fe, Abiquiu, and Ghost Ranch 
Checking out Canyon Road 
Painting for the Santa Fe Plein Air Festival
Framing and dropping finished paintings in Corrales
Driving back to Santa Fe to drop off finished paintings
Taking a long nap
Cleaning studio
Going to Corrales opening this Friday
Missing the Santa Fe opening because it's on the same night

Here are a few photos from my journey:

 beautiful Canyon Road

 Cafe on Canyon Road

 Marigold Arts Gallery on Canyon Road - a few pieces of my work here

 beautiful scenery along the way

 finished Taos painting

 finished Taos painting

 painting from one of the Corrales Gardens
This painting will be in the exhibition Friday
evening at Frame N Art Gallery in Corrales

 another painting in Friday's exhibition in Corrales

 painting progress in the gardens
This painting sold to the homeowner.

 Who wouldn't want to wake up and see this garden every day?
I will be painting a series of people in the garden soon.

 On my drive - I came across this old building.
I love it!
It looks like an old theater.
I will say that Espanola has the best old abandoned buildings.

 I spotted this FABULOUS old truck.
The only problem is the chain link fence.
I will paint it and remove the fencing.

 I visited the Purple Adobe Lavender Farm in Abiquiu.
Pretty but a little smaller than I thought.

 My drive towards Ghost Ranch.
It's other worldly.
Whenever I need to escape or be inspired, this is where I go.

 Beautiful scenery

 Hoo Doos

 love these pastel colored formations

 Road to the monastery

m

 monastery arroyo

 Rio Chama near the monastery

 My favorite Abiquiu house.
I've painted this a few times.

 Pedernal - O'Keefe's mountain.
Wow, it's just beautiful.

The Rio Chama at the lookout near Abiquiu

 The adobe morada in the village of Abiquiu

 "WINDOW GARDEN"
8x10"
One of my paintings for the Santa Fe Plein Air Festival

 "MONASTERY HILL"
8x10"
second submission for the Santa Fe exhibition

 "SUMMER RAIN"
8x10"
Submission for the Enchanted Skies" exhibition

 another small trip along Canyon Road

 Beautiful flower pot with an old door

 My favorite photo of the week

 Poppies along Canyon Road

Old door with hollyhocks and a few larkspur

I was going to try to be witty and write more interesting dialog,
but frankly, all I want to do is go to bed.

Good night all!