Cerro Pedernal Storm

Cerro Pedernal Storm 

Near Ghost Ranch, NM

8x6" oil on canvas panel  $150.SOLD

Artist Note.

Georgia O'Keeffe's ashes are spread

at the top of this mountain.

I enjoyed an annual visit 

for five consecutive years at

  Ghost Ranch, NM.

A stunningly gorgeous area in 

northern New Mexico.

Sometimes with an artist friend 

and other times with my

hubby who would patiently

read while I painted.

The water you see is Lake Abiquiu

- an important reservoir 

for this high desert area.

The Plein Air Convention (2018)

which was held recently in Santa Fe,

enjoyed a painting trip out there

 and I confess to being totally envious.

Fall at Ghost Ranch, NM

Fall at Ghost Ranch

10x12"

Oil on crappy paper

NFS

The cottonwood trees turn a brilliant gold 

in the fall and when the sun illuminates 

them they look like 

they are alight with flames. 

Artist Note.

This was a demo of painting trees with

a palette knife.

Underneath was first done with transparent washes 

applied with a fan brush using the 

chisel motion shown in my utube short tutorial

 - link below.

fan brush technique

Starting this way gave the edges of the 

trees a more natural shape by blending

effortlessly into the other colors/values 

around them.

Georgia's View - Ghost Ranch, NM.

Georgia's View - Ghost Ranch, NM

6x8in oil on canvas panel $125. SOLD

Artist Note
Ghost Ranch near Abiquiu, NM. is a wondrous place
for an artist.
A painter friend and I would stay a full week and we
did it for several years in a row.
It is a place where you can rent
a cottage or room and meals are provided, another big draw!

Georgia O'Keeffe owned two houses. One on the ranch
and the other in the small village of Abiquiu, NM.
The above painting is from a plein air sketch I did a
few years ago and is one of the many fabulous
views O'Keeffe would see from her home on the ranch.
Below are a couple of my photos taken while at
Ghost Ranch. Be prepared for jaw dropping moment
if you love the colors of the desert.
click to enlarge.

Cloud Study #5

Cloud Study #5

8x6in oil on canvas 100.

At Ghost Ranch you have lots of different views of the Pedregal area. The bright rust colored dirt contrasts beautifully with the blues of the distant mountains and the reflected Abiquiu reservoir. The rain storm had just passed and water is streaming through the small arroyos. For an artist this is a heart pumping moment.

If you follow this blog then by now you know I love this area.

Ghost Ranch Vista

Ghost Ranch Vista

6x8in oil on canvas 100.

The clouds are starting to gather for the late afternoon storm. There is nothing as beautiful as the summer clouds of New Mexico.This area is known as Georgia O'Keeffe country and the blue, distant mountain is her beloved Pedernal. Lots of artists come here to paint and it is easy to see why with the amazing rusts and ochres everywhere. The greens of the pinon bushes become the accent color.

Chama River, Abiquiu, NM.

Chama River. Plein Air.

6x8 oil on canvas 100.

Today was the first morning painting in the Santa Fe area. We drove to my favorite spot about an hour north of our casita... between Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch. The light was changing so swiftly that I changed from my brush and worked with a palette knife. The amazing reds of the earth caught the morning light and appeared to be almost florescent. I had to knock the intensity down quite a bit. Anyone who has been here understands how vibrant the colors actually are.

Tomorrow we are painting people. Should be fun.