Sunflowers in Socorro, N.M.

Sunflowers in Socorro, N.M.

8x6in oil on canvas board   100.

Last year in the fall, a group of the Plein Air Painters of Southern New Mexico, traveled north from Las Cruces to Socorro, for the PAPNM paint out. They have some fabulous painters so we went to observe.

This adobe house had already attracted three artists. They were busy painting the sunflowers in the front of the  house, which was an artists dream. Imagine an adobe having a traditional tin roof plus purple and turquoise trim. Obviously the owner of the house was not scared of color and had a fun personality.

The thing I liked best (and no one painted) was the outer front gate with a cut-out heart shape under the PEACE sign. When I bent to peer through it look what I found on the front door

A Halloween skull!  Did I already say the owner obviously had personality?

Artist Note:

The challenge was to manage to get the sunflowers to come forward but still show the bright colors of the trim. I managed that by placing the sunflowers in front of the trim, higher up than they actually were. 

The tin roof reflected the bright early light of the sun. Hard to get that in the correct value. Brush and knife were used.