Saturday, December 31, 2016

New Year...New Projects

New Year...New Projects

As I look back on 2016,
it was a pretty good year for me.
I participated in a few plein air events.
I even won an award, where Albert Handell
was the judge, mind you.


I created my 150 Challenge online and sold so many of them.
Thank you, collectors!
I still have a few paintings to go. 
I don't know why I haven't felt an overwhelming need to
complete the last 50.
But they are here, just waiting to be finished.


I had a fantastic art party at my home this past year- 
complete with music, great Mexican food, 
lots of people, and a Studio Sale.
I got to see old friends and collectors
and meet a lot of new and interesting people.
I want to do that again!


I took lots of day trips this year:
Jemez, Abiquiu, Chimayo, Taos, Truchas,
the Monastery, Ghost Ranch,
Penasco, Ojo Sarco, Algodones, etc.

The cool thing about day trips is no matter
when you go, what time of season, 
 even what time of day, the scene always looks different.
The light looks different.
You see things you wouldn't see just sitting at home.
Like three dogs romping through a tall field of purple wildflowers.


This year brings new opportunities and new challenges.

What do I want to do this year?
This is my list so far:

Go and paint lots of new places
Finish my 150 Challenge
Paint some daily old-school acrylic lined work - 
(yes, lined work is coming back, more on that later)
Paint some daily figures and nudes
Paint at the Blumenshein Museum in Taos
Spend 3-5 days in Taos plein air painting
Paint ornaments and offer them for sale
Do an art collaboration with some of my artist friends
Have another big SPRING ART PARTY and STUDIO SALE
Paint some animals
Offer a workshop or two
Enter a show or two
Work on building my social media presence
Finish up my paintings for family

All of this will probably take up the whole year.

I'm sure new things will come and some
things on this list will fall away.
That's how it is being an artist.
The cool thing is that I make my own schedule.
I choose when I work, how long I work, 
which is cool, but it's also solely up to me to 
get things done and make things happen.

LPNM 
(LET'S PAINT NEW MEXICO!)
is starting up again on January 2,
Look for our facebook group page and blog (same name for both) 
and watch over 50 artists create an image
every two weeks from a photo of somewhere
or something in New Mexico.


Can you spot mine?

It's kind of a cold and dreary day today.
I'm putting on a pot of beans for enchiladas tonight
and will toast in the new year with 
sparkling cider, or maybe even Sprite.
I will watch the ball drop at midnight
and hope 2017 is better than 2016.

As long as my family is healthy, 
we have a roof over our heads, 
food to eat, clean water to drink,
and love to share,
and I can paint,
it's going to be a great year.

Love to all of my family, friends, and collectors.
 I couldn't do what I do without 
your encouragement, comments, and support.

Love and hugs to all.
2017 - BRING IT ON!!

Happy New Year







Sunday, December 18, 2016

New Paintings


Back in Painting Mode

Seriously, if you ever lose your desire and 
motivation for painting - take a few days off.
Visit art galleries. 
Get some new art books.
Go to Barnes and Noble and browse the art magazines.
Get online and see other artists' websites and blogs.

And them, get in the studio and PAINT something.

I am in work mode now and in a way,
that's not good because I have 7 shopping days until
Christmas and I have bought NOTHING.
Zilch. Nada.

But I'm not worried. Why?
Because I do this every year.

I have ordered a turkey with fixings from the local
store and will buy my supplies to make all of my goodies this week.

But in the meantime, I will paint.

 This is a SOLD commission of beautiful hills and mesas.
.
#60  "GARDEN ABSTRACT"
8x8"
oil

For every landscape I paint, I try to throw in a wild and chaotic abstract piece.
Why? Because it loosens up my hand 
and reminds me what I love about being an artist.
This is a view of larkspur and poppies from a Corrales Garden.

Today, I will be painting Canyon Women!

You can find this painting available HERE.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Ramblings

RAMBLINGS

Well, here we are, almost at the end of 2016.
This year has really flown by.

As humans, I think we all start to think about the NEW year right about now.

What will we do?
What will we accomplish?
What do we want to put on our schedule?

As an artist, I have to think WAY ahead.

Do I want to do any shows?
Search for a new gallery?
Enter any contests?
Do any plein air paint outs?
Have any studio events?

Here are my plans so far:

1. GET IN SHAPE (so I can have knee surgery)
I feel like this goes on my list EVERY year and never gets done.

2. More plein air painting!
Places like these:







There is nothing better than plein air painting for me.
Getting out in nature and experiencing the elements.
It's so much harder than studio painting, but worth it.
I respect those paintings a lot more than my studio paintings,
just because of the amount of work involved.

Maybe I can make it out to a couple of places this winter.

3. STUDIO EVENTS!

I want to have a lot more of these - 
Art Parties, Open Studios, Collaborative Events,
Special Sales, Workshops, and my newest venture, 
"COOKIES AND CANVAS."
I want to invite people to my studio and we will
all come away with a small painting and have appetizers
and cookies.

I love a sense of connection.
As artists, we are loners in our studio.
And it does get lonely.
So I am constantly thinking up ways to get that
social network that I need and crave.

And what better way than to have fun events with food and music?
Stay tuned for that.....

4. "LET'S PAINT NEW MEXICO!"
Yes, our online painting group is back and will
begin on Monday, January 2, 2017.
For those of you who are not familiar,
LPNM is an online group of over 50 artists from all over the globe
who paint from a photo image of New Mexico every two weeks
and share their finished creations on our facebook group page 
and our blog.
Excited to see what everyone does this year!

5. SHOWS

I want to have some kind of show in 2017.
What kind? I don't know yet.
Any suggestions?
One possibility: an outdoor one day collaborative event
with artist friends I know.
We'll see!

So there you have it for 2017.

Now for Christmas:
 I am going to enjoy Christmas.
I have not started Christmas shopping yet,
but am not going to stress about it!

I want a Canon Powershot sx720 in my stocking.
It's not as nice as my G15, but it has a long zoom and includes wifi.

We will have luminarias out.

Christmas Eve Dinner:
Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, salad, tamales,
red chile, rolls, fruit salad, fudge, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
And friends and family.

That's all you need, right there.

Hugs.



Oh, and I have three new 150 Challenge paintings!
To see them and the rest of the available paintings,
CLICK HERE.