adobe shadows

2018

"ADOBE SHADOWS"

8x10"

oil

A floral scene from Los Ranchos, NM

Flowers against warm adobe

I am happy to have the first painting of 2018

under my belt.

It was so hard to get started!

I warmed up the studio. 

Than I ate lunch.

Then I watched one of my shows.

Then I straightened up the stuff on the dining room table.

Then I came in and checked my email.

Then I checked my favorite artists' websites and blogs.

I totally realized that I was procrastinating.

I haven't painted anything except ornaments

since before Christmas!

But I did start and it is just like riding a bicycle.

You just go by rote:

Put on the lights

Put on the gloves

Get the paints out on the palette

Get out the Gamsol

Get out the kleenix

Get out the wipees

Get a small paper plate

Put some acrylic paint on it

Very loosely sketch your scene 

Check your email one last time

Go to the bathroom

Go outside and pet the dogs

Have a snack

Sit down and stare at the panel on your easel

NOW GO, YOU MORON!

As you can see, I finally went and it felt so good. 

This painting is Challenge 2018-1 on our group,

"LET'S PAINT NEW MEXICO!"

We have a facebook page and a blog.

To check out the blog, click here.

On facebook, type "let's paint new mexico" into the search box.

Keep an eye out for our group exhibition this fall!

Okay, now that I have one painting done,

I want to do a million more......

roaming around...

ROAMING AROUND

This morning I woke up early and had

to be somewhere around 10am, so I 

thought I would head over to the Los Ranchos

grower's market.

This market is where I sold my very first ornament

and my very first painting.

I think the painting was an 11x14" and I

sold it to my neighbor for $35.

I can't even remember which ornaments I sold,

I was just so happy that actual people were

interested in what I made!

So when I went to the market today, 

I was really going to see my good friend Jillian.

She and her husband Kerry have been gardening like crazy 

and have the BEST tomatoes.

It was Flower Days at the market and

there were a of cut flowers.

 sunflowers and plums

 look at all of those yummy vegetables!

 onions galore

 look at the beautiful gladiolas!

 a tub of sunflowers

 I think this is a lovely photo

 Jerusalem artichoke blooms. Who knew?

 My friend Jillian and her husband Kerry.

I bought $8 worth of tomatoes and ate three before I got home.

They sold out of everything!

 beautiful still life of sunflowers

 little bouquets

 After I left the market, I went by Los Poblanos.

The sunflowers were blooming right beside the road.

 look at those puffy little clouds

 more suns

 a peach tree ready for harvest

 Cosmos are still in bloom.

The yarrow is spent.

 my favorite giraffe

 The ditch banks are starting to change color

 lilly pads

 Can someone tell me what this is?

It looks like sweet peas but I know it's not.

 Daylilies are in bloom!

 Roses and bachelor buttons are still blooming.

 Trumpet vine

 cattails

 My favorite photo of the day.

The softness of the sunflower leaves and the mountains.

I may paint this tomorrow.

 another nice scene

 The house with all of the phlox and cannas.

So pretty!

 The fields are planted!

I think there's corn and chile.

two horses enjoying the grass

 trumpet vine shadows

 more trumpet vine shadows

 the old Corrales church.

 An up-close look at what is in the adobe.

Mud, rocks, straw.

So cool.

window view 

After photographing the church,

I headed back towards home.

It was already getting hot and

I needed to prep a bunch of panels.

All in all, a great day!

What did you do today?

Safe House Fundraiser at the St. Clair Winery

 

Some of the birdhouses in the live auction at the winery last night. 

There was quite a crowd and the food was delicious!

The birdhouses were all gorgeous and unique. Some were quirky, all had lots of heart and soul in them and it showed.

 I liked this one - a mixer part for a perch!

 This pigeon looked on a little mad I think. There was no birdhouse big enough for him...

On the way home, I drove down Rio Grande Blvd. and passed by Los Poblanos Inn and orchards. The sun was just setting and these are the two grain silos and parts of the barn. 

This would make a pretty painting.

 Isn't this pretty? This is the other view looking east toward the mountains. Same time as Los Poblanos, just turning my camera a different direction. I love the intense green of the grass and the bluish hue in the mountains. And the old cottonwood that hasn't sprouted any leaves just yet.

This is a view of one of the irrigation ditches in Los Ranchos. This will also become a painting for the upcoming 150 Challenge Show. Okay, I better get to work, lots to do today....