Artfest Set Up

This is my booth at Artfest - finally! There is so much work involved in setting up your booth, you wouldn't believe. We have to lug all of the paintings down there (118 of them) and all of the paraphanalia (rugs, podium, lights, tables, chairs, drill, screws, brooms, step stools, supplies, etc.). You set up your booth and then spend 4 hours hanging the work to get it just the way you want it. But it's done and as I'm writing this, DAY TWO of Artfest is already over. I have done really well so far. I've seen a lot of old friends, and a lot of collectors who have become friends. I just love talking to people and once you get the booth ready, the rest is just a joy. Tiring, but joyful!

My booth actually goes around the corner. It is huge. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm not going to complain. I will writemore tomorrow! Thanks to all who have come out to see me, and if you haven't, come down tomorrow because it's the last day!

AN INVITATION AND NEWS

Good morning everyone!

Well, today is Artfest set-up day. I have all of my paintings completed and as always, wish I could paint more. There were subjects I didn't get to. I wanted to paint more churches and angels. Maybe right after the show is over.

I have an old antique podium I am using to store supplies this year, as well as an old trunk I found somewhere. I am also putting up lots of little orange twinkle lights up to give my booth that festive air. It also gets me in the holiday spirit.

I invite you to come and see me and the show! It starts Friday (which is tomorrow) from 10am-9pm, Saturday from 10am-6pm, and Sunday from 10am-5pm. It's at Expo NM at the fairgrounds and I think it's $4-5 to get in, but well worth it. There's great food, entertainment, give-aways, and last but not least, fantastic art! And you get to see ME! Just kidding.

I will have news about what I will be doing (and not doing) after the show, a brand new blog that's coming up starting December 1st, a drawing for a free painting giveaway, and much more.

So, that's about it. Thanks to all of you who have watched the whole Artfest "creation process" and I thank you all for your support, your comments, and your inspiration. And to see all of the newest Artfest paintings, please go to: www.artfest101.blogspot.com. Tomorrow!!

ARTFEST IS ALMOST HERE!!!

"RIO GRANDE GORGE, TAOS"

12"x12"

"SUNLIT SANDIAS"

12"x24"

#114

"DESCANSO TRIO"

10"X10"

This is Artfest painting #114 - I will be posting more today but right now I'm trying to finish the 48x60, which is going to be an all day project. Happy Tuesday!

progress on the Gorge painting

The linework is complete - now it has to be taped off in sections and the lines finessed so everything is connected and no lines are broken. An all day/evening project!

Only 3 more days til Artfest!

Detail - turned upside down while I work.

"JUST A LITTLE PINK"

"JUST A LITTLE PINK"
12"X6"
I have several new Artfest paintings completed. Working down to the wire now and I still have so much I want to do! I have about 12 canvases, mostly large, and I have a stack of little church photos that I want to paint on 5x7 and 8x10 canvases - I don;t know if I'll get to them or not. You can see the new paintings here: www.artfest101.blogspot.com!

#105

'PUMPKINS AND CHILE"

9"X12"

#105

I painted this for a friend and thought Artfest should have one too, since it is that fall time of year and we have chiles and pumpkins everywhere!

#104

"LOTUS AT LOS POBLANOS"

8"X10"

#104

Wow, it has been a crazy busy week. I just finished my donation painting for the Weems auction and I'm still trying to finish everything that I had on my list that I wanted to paint. This is a version of the beautiful lotus flowers in the pond at Los Poblanos Inn and Farm.

ARTFEST AUCTION PAINTING in progress

STAGE THREE:

Filling the canvas with color. I'm still playing, rearranging, and working with my design. I have all of the basic colors down and now will start the refining process and bring the painting to life. I will post the finished painting tonight.

STAGE TWO:
Starting to work out the composition, playing with the colors.

STAGE ONE:
Toning the canvas and a very loose sketch for placement of the sunflowers.
You can see the photo I am using for inspiration at the bottom of the canvas.

I will finish this painting up today and start the process for completing my 48x60 Taos Gorge. That one will take me quite a while so I am finishing it first. Then I have numerous smaller pieces I want to complete before next Wednesday. Thursday is set-up day for Artfest so Wednesday will be my last day of work and completing my "to do" list.

I thought this was interesting

"CARA'S DAISIES"

"CARA'S DAISIES"

10"X8"

This is Artfest painting #103. A fellow artist and friend lent me this photo that she took on one of her travels and low, and behold, here it is in "Dee" style. Thank you Cara!

For other new Artfest paintings, go to: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

'THE DANCERS I"

"THE DANCERS I"

8"X10"

SOLD

Commission

See new Artfest paintings here:

www.artfest101.blogspot.com

"PERFECT"

"PERFECT"

5"X7"

This is one of the new Artfest paintings and I have to say, I love it. I may have to paint a huge one like it. I just sort of went with the flow of the brush with a color scheme in mind and this is what I got. It's almost a keeper for me. There are several new Artfest paintings on the new blog, including a new Canyon Women piece, click here for the link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com.

I am varnishing a 30x40 sunflower painting, then starting work on an 8x10 dancer commission and a 12x16 dancer. It's a nice rainy day, so perfect opportunity to get a lot of work done.

Beautiful fall day

An old window I found at an antique store near my house. I thought if I ever have a working studio/gallery, this window would have a home inside between two rooms. I need to move it into the shed before winter comes. It's really cool because the top two sections open up too.

This is one of the chairs outside my studio. I have probably sat in it once this year. Bummer.

This is a view I took sitting in a swing out in the yard. It was such a pretty day. The leaves are starting to be raked (not by me), and the colors look fantastic - much more vivid in person. I went out and took some photos of the Sandia mountains with the golden trees too. There may be a painting there. Today it's sunny right now but the high is only supposed to be in the 50's. It's a great Monday today!
Lots of painting for me....

"POPPIES CUBED"

"POPPIES CUBED"

5"X5"

I found this blank canvas when I was cleaning up my studio. I was going to use it for Artfest but thought I would paint something cool on it and offer it for purchase, since I haven't done a daily painting in who knows when. It is very sculptural, painted about 2 and a half inches around on each side. Also, new Artfest paintings here: http://www.artfest101.blogspot.com/

Purchase information on "POPPIES CUBED" below:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $85.00 plus $10.00 s/h
Or, send me an email

When you think you have problems and you complain and whine about how your life is going...suck it up!

work in progress

THE RIO CHAMA"

9"X12"

This will be painting #87 of my Artfest paintings. It is a fall view of the Chama River near Abiquiu. The photos I have aren't taken in the fall so I had to improvise. I wish I had the time to go up there right now. I bet the colors are gorgeous!

If you would like to see several new Artfest paintings, click on the following link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

"POPPIES WITH LAVENDER"

10"X10"

This is Artfest painting #81 - I have also finished #82 and #83. I will be posting #82 tonight and #83, well, I have run into a problem and it is my own fault. I always try to move my paintings away from each other when I'm working but sometimes I forget. I had finished the painting, varnishing and everything when I noticed it had two little spots of red from another piece I was working on. I sanded it just a touch and reapplied sky color over the red. Then I let everything dry. When I went to revarnish, the new sky color started smearing and ruined the whole sky. So now I really have to do a mjor sanding and reworking repair on it. Not my favorite thing to do when I am in the painting "zone." Oh well, maybe I'll learn one of these days!

"TAOS GORGE"

8x10"

Artfest painting #80. I wanted to post this one here too, because I'm very happy with the perspective and the depth in this piece. I feel like I'm at the gorge when I look at this painting.

New Artfest paintings!

"GOLDEN TREES"

12"X16"

This is #77 in my Artfest paintings - the show is about three weeks away and there's still so many things I want to paint. I have a love/hate relationship with shows because getting ready for them is stressful, but sometimes the work that you create just seems to burst out of you, especially when you are working under deadlines. I do some of my favorite things at these times. And I haven'[t even touched churches or angels yet!

See more paintings at: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

work in progress

"THREE TAOS COWS"

8"X10"

This is a work in progress - the lines are complete except for finishing. Finishing involves taping off the piece in sections and going over it with a fine tooth comb (well in thie case, not a comb), and making sure that every single line is connected and there are no breaks anywhere. I actually worked on three paintings yesterday; the cows, a lavender piece, and a fall landscape with orange/golden trees. I should have those finished today and will start working on something larger. And no, I haven't finished the huge one yet. Probably not until Thursday or Friday. Enjoy your Monday!

"TAOS GORGE SUNFLOWERS"

48"X60"

work in progress

I have stared at this sketched canvas for about a month now and I promised myself I would block it in tonight. I was tired so I sat for a lot of it and I also put it on the floor so I could underpaint the sky. I think it looks pretty cool like it is. But it needs a lot more finesse, so I will work on it tomorrow. And the lines will take forever, I already know that. If you would like to see two new Artfest paintings, click on the following link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

Here is a postcard from Weems about the upcoming show. I just thought you might like to see it. I am off to run a couple of errands and then it's in the studio for me. All day. Have a wonderful Saturday!

"THREE DANCERS"

"THREE DANCERS"

14"X18"

I finally think I have my numbers in the correct order on my Artfest 101 blog. I got a little ahead of myself and lost track and had two paintings with the same number! If you would like to see new Artfest 101 paintings, please click on the blog link: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

The painting process

Starting with a toned ground of loose paint: burnt sienna and a red. The initial sketch is worked out with a burnt umber.

The blocked-in stage: major colors are in place and composition seems good.


The completed underpainting. All that's left is some refinement and the line work.
This is actually a replica of a painting I painted for my mom when I was 17 years old. My oldest daughter has it in her room now and we had to make an "exchange" in order for her to let me paint it again. In other words, she now has a new sunset painting! She drives a hard bargain, that one. I should have the finished painting done by tomorrow. The size is 30"x24".

8 new Artfest paintings!

"MOUNTAIN SHADOWS"

5"X5"

I have eight new little Artfest paintings finished and three larger pieces almost ready to post. View these paintings at: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

New Artfest paintings!

"POPPIES REACHING"

12"X16"

I am starting to post the Artfest paintings I've been working on. I have three of them for you now and two that are drying - one is three dancers, the other is mountains and lots of flowers in the foreground. To see the newest ones, go to: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

Only one more day of balloons!

This balloon landed right next door. Those coyote fence posts are the boundary of my back yard. I thought it looked cool through the trees.

Oh, and scroll down to my newest dancer painting for Artfest!

These flew over the house next door and I am taking the photo from my driveway. We are in the path of what is known as "the box" which to me, means that if the wind is just right, they fly right over my house!

This shot I think is beautiful. There is a watercolor wash sky and this balloon is just floating. I am standing on my front porch and the sunlight was just perfect.


A balloon landed on my street and they are getting ready to load it up and go have breakfast! Only one more day of Balloon Fiesta. Then Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Man, I absolutely love fall......

Happy Saturday! This painting is #56 on my Artfest 101 countdown. I have just started painting dancers for the show and hope to do several more. I have some new photos that I haven't painted yet and I am definitely getting excited about those. I finished three other paintings last night and they are drying. One is El Salto peak in Taos - a nice fall landscape, one is a field of poppies and one is a bed of iris. They are all probably around 14x18 in size. I am working on a trio of dancers which should be finished today and then I will post all of those. THEN, I am starting on a still life, a 24x30 blue vase with orange poppies and a black and yellow background.

I went out and shot a few photos of balloons this morning. There were quite a few coming over the house. Now I am off to run boring errands, pick up dogs food, etc. I will post the new paintings tonight so stay tuned! Oh, and check out this new dancer painting on my Artfest blog: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

"CLIMBERS"

10"X8"

Click on the link below to see all of my new Artfest paintings: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

Balloons and a new painting

A balloon close enough to touch. This is the tree outside of my studio.

A shot I took looking towards balloon Fiesta park as the sun was coming up. Can you see the balloon?
Also, a new Artfest 101 painting at: www.artfest101.blogspot.com

New Artfest painting

"FALL SUNS"

12"X12"

This is a new Artfest painting. It's not posted on my Artfest 101 blog yet, because the painting in front of it is on hold. This was a blast to paint. A photo of a beautiful sunflower field at Los Poblanos off of Montano. They didn't grow sunflowers there this year, so I was really lucky last year just to be driving by and spot these. Love the feeling of being down in the flowers.

Which one?

Rinconada #1

10"x8"

Rinconada #2

10"x8"

Original photo

One of these paintings is a commission, one is for Artfest. I am letting the collector choose the one that really speaks to her the most. I can't decide which one I like best. I also thought you might enjoy seeing the original photo from Rinconada. Tonmorrow you can also view new paintings for Artfest; one is sunflowers, and the other a rooster in the lavender patch.

New Artfest paintings

"ALAMEDA SETTING SUN"

8"X8"

"FIERY SUN"

8"X8"

"STORMY CLOUDS"

8"X8"

"SO NEW MEXICO"

12"X16"
Good morning! I'm posting these paintings here for now because I am working on #45, a painting of Rinconada, and it goes before all these in the lineup, so you will see them on Artfest in order, hopefully by tonight. My big 48x60 canvas is still staring me inthe face, along with a few others. I am realizing now that I only have six weeks until the show and so many things I want to paint. I think Dancers are next!