Pumpkin Cows- a beginning

These are the first 2 steps in a large painting (24 x 36)of a farm scene. On a trip up I-25 for work, a field of orange caught my eye, then I realized it was a pumpkin field (after Halloween) and the cows were eating what was left of the harvest. I first created a composition out of the scene by covering the canvas and sculpting out the images of the cows where I wanted them. The next step was adding the background, the primary cows and the foreground pumpkins. It still has some more fleshing out to do, but have approached this one in a little different way, and its been an interesting process.

Lavender Re-Work

This is another one I reworked late this summer (18 x 24 oil on canvas). I loved the scene, its from a photo I took at the lavender field at Los Poblanos near Albuquerque from 2003 where we visited and stayed for a few days. I had it hanging on my wall, and the longer I looked at it, realized I wanted to make it more interesting. It seemed flat, and I wanted more texture and depth. I include both versions, the new one is above on the left.

Rework from 2002

This was a 16 x 20 oil painting I did in 2002 of a building at Ghost Ranch near Abiquiu, always loved the scene because I had good memories of being here. As the years went on, I knew there were some elements that I would like to change, but didn't know how. This morning, I pulled it off the wall and had at it. Sometimes it takes a while and like I've heard before, "no painting is safe until its on somebody else's wall." See new version above.

keep on painting/sketching

It's almost the end of the year that I said I would paint every day for a year. Well, I haven't. But I've painted more than I have in past years because I've had a goal, and I've gotten better at painting. This isn't even a painting. It's an ink sketch, a quick sketch. I've sorted through my sketchbooks in the last few days, and its been an interesting history lesson, going back to 1993. Keeping a sketchbook is a really good idea, and I want to do sketches from life more often. It's good practice, and there is always something that you can draw from life, even if its your dog. She is good at one minute poses, so its good experience for quick sketches. This is something that I can do every day for a year. A few minutes focused on something you want to capture is almost as good as painting, and value sketches are critical to creating an interesting composition.

Big Sky

this is an 18 x 24 oil painting I did in 1995, and titled it "Big Sky". It's from a reference photo of a trip my dad and I took to the Dakotas several years before. It is one of my personal artist's collection. I have always loved sky paintings that have wonderful depth and it was about this time I realized that skies have as much depth as the landscape. They really have much more, of course, but we usually don't see it. Usually, they are an afterthought in landscape paintings. (Paint all the stuff and then you have to put in a sky.) Some landscape paintings don't even have skies. It resonated with me once more reading Georgia O'Keefe's words at the museum in Santa Fe, that she painted the bones against the sky, because there is more of it than anything else here. My drive on the way back from New Mexico was long, and through an impending storm. The growing storm clouds were irresistable, and the landscape was so small in comparison. I still want to finish my cow paintings, but the sky is calling me.

Chico Basin (small)

This was fun. I had an 8 x 10 painting from 2006 that I wasn't happy with. In 2008, I added more color to "zing" it up. It was too much, I thought it looked fake. So yesterday, I got out my saw and cut up a 4 x 6 chunk of it that I still liked. It's great! Picture editing with a power saw.

Aspen Overlook

While driving into Aspen late in the day, there is a pull-off where cars stop and take photographs. It is a breath-taking expanse of a cathedral of trees that glow pure gold. I hope to do more of this scene, but don't know if I can ever come close to capturing it. This 18 x 24 quickly became more about balancing the painting and less about the actual scene. I got involved in the interplay of light and color and wanted to re-create a sense of light. That is what painting is about for me. Light.

Maroon Bells with Lake

I took lots of photos and walked around the lake, for views that changed with every few steps. The trees were "past their peak" but what does that mean? Some of them were missing their leaves, but the scene absolutely glowed. I love Colorado. Didn't have time or energy to do a 16 x 20 on location (I probably never will) but I had my small reference color sketches, and still had the memory to re-create this one in my studio.

Maroon Bells Campground

The same Sunday in early October the drive to Maroon Bells was spectacular. Everyone else in the world went up to the lake at about noon. So I pulled over at one of the campgrounds and painted the view through the trees before the Bells came into view. Then about 2 pm, hordes of cars descended down the road, and I knew it was time for me to go up. Is there any better scenery than Maroon Bells in the fall?

Sopris Revisited

I did a little 6 x 8 on location of this view 3 years ago when I had an extra hour on a trip between Glenwood and Aspen. It was such a spectacular scene, I knew I wanted to return again. This year, I had work in Aspen the first week of October, and stayed in Carbondale on a Saturday night. I woke up Sunday morning, and drove past this same scene. This time, I did an 8 x 10. The river here is misty and the sunrise is fast and spectacular. Cold, but really beautiful. There is a little sign that says, "Overlook, Mt. Sopris"

and then there were three

This was my cat Bingo, from about 1963-1975. He was a great cat. I do remember painting this, also in oil on that tacky old canvas paper, that gets brittle after 40 years, but survives. I was bothered by the fact that I couldn't quite fit his tail in the painting, but it doesn't bother me so much now. It is amazing now that the likeness in the painting seems so much more like him than photographs I have. I remember thinking that it was a shame we didn't have photographs before the 1800's so we couldn't really know what those people really looked like who came before then. I know now as a painter that paintings, especially portraits, reveal so much more than photos. Especially if not done in an idealized style.

Life later imitates art-age 13

I don't remember painting this, but from the canvas paper and browned tape on the back, it must have been done when I was age 13 or 14. I didn't know anyone in Colorado then, so it must have been copied from a magazine photo I chose because I liked it. Pretty generic landscape, but I recognize little aspen, ponderosa pines, Douglas fir, and snowcovered peaks. The same things I love today about the landscape here in my own backyard. I also remember watching True Grit, which was released in 1969. I was in awe of the scenery, thinking "wow, I'd love to go to a place like that someday." From 2007-2008 I lived on the Western Slope, and visited all the locations where it was filmed. My favorite was aptly named, "Debbie's Meadow."

Life imitates Art-age 11

Having the week of Thanksgiving off, I am cleaning my closets, garage, etc. A long neglected project. I found a watercolor painting I did at age 11, and I only have 2 paintings from my childhood. There were lots more that got tossed years ago. It's a collie dog, and its a stunning resemblance to my dog today. Never had a collie dog until 2006, and yet 40 years ago I painted one. And it's one of the two paintings I have from the 1960's. Good Carma. (I'll post the other one as well.)

Twin Lakes pochade

I did this the first of October on a drive to Aspen to see a nursing client. It was a good place to stop for a walk to stretch my stiff back and legs, and the scenery was spectacular. The fall colors were bright yellow, and it was hard to decide on a scene with the mountains and lake. I chose a little historic cabin and a backlit cottonwood as it gave me the opportunity to stand in the shade and find a post to tie Carma. I had her off lead for the walk before, and she decided to cross the highway and follow another dog into his house. I got to meet a very nice dog-loving person who was remodeling her very old and interesting home in Twin Lakes. Who understood my gregarious dog who takes advantage of every chance she gets to meet new friends. Oh, and pochade means sketch. I have a little 6 x 8 pochade box that is very portable and allows me to make painting on location a very easy thing, so I actually do it. If I had to set up a big easel and box, it would be too cumbersome and I wouldn't be able to do it. Life means moving forward and figuring out what works to continue to do this.

September 27 aspen

this was another 6 x 8 I did on location at Rampart Range Rainbow Trail. It was a hot and bright day, so I found a spot in the shade, which made the lighting interesting as always. Can almost remember the smell of the leaves and Carma standing on a 20 foot rock, peering down at everything below. She is good at finding her way to the best view.

Early Fall Aspen with Peak

I did this one in August on location, with several members of the PPPAP group just off Rampart Range. It was a day when I brought my dog, we had lunch and took a walk after painting. 8 x 10 oil. Good memories.

Morning Aspen

Another 6 x 8 on Rampart Range. The colors and values in the trunks compared to the background and the foliage was a really good challenge in seeing. And fun.

September Aspen

It's been a month and a half of classes and visits, have not posted in a really long time. So here's the catch-up. Before I started my classes 9-30-10 I went to Rampart Range 4 days in September and focused on aspen on location in the fall. I will post the results in the next 4 days. Last weekend and this weekend I spent an hour or so a day working on a larger studio version of aspen. I feel I really understand them better after spending all that time with them on location. Here is the 6 x 8 inch plein aire from 09-26-10.

Fall aspen with lichen rock

Colorado Aspens-have captured my attention this past few month. I get out and paint them whenever I can, and at different times, weather conditions, in different seasons, their trunks are completely different colors. A really good painter's challenge. There is so much information to receive, that a photo reference couldn't possibly afford. I keep the format small (6 x 8) so I can easily transport the lightweight materials with me and actually do it on location. It makes all the difference.Even if I'm exhausted the next day from the effort (which I was), its so much more worthwhile to capture a subject from life.

Paint-a-thon in Victor

I did the Victor Celebrates the Arts event this year. Many fine artists attend this plein aire week in a small mining town every Labor Day Weekend. It's really a paint-a-thon as all painting supports are stamped the first day, and then you have a week to turn out 4 paintings to enter in the show at the end of the week. I drove up 2 days (3 days apart) and painted 2 each day. The challenge (and its a good one) is to paint fast. This one of Vindicator Valley and the Teresa Mine, I really wanted to do. I did a studio painting of it last winter and really wanted to paint one on location. The colors and shadows were much more interesting in person, especially in the morning light. And of course, changing drastically in a 2 hour time frame when I was there. The wind was really picking up and I found myself trying to hit a moving target by the time I got out my palette knife to do the detail work. Plein aire really is fun (and work.)I like my results when I paint outside, the work is usually fresh and colorful.