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.

Playing With Color

Playing With Color

6x8in oil on canvas 100.

I am still doing the red studies and on this one I surrounded the jug with sheets of colored tissue paper.
If this were a white jug then all the colors would have reflected back into it but this red, being a deep value, absorbed the paler colors. I did discover that the cool light from the window reflected a lavender color onto the plane facing it.
This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed doing it.
One more red study to do and then I am off to Santa Fe, NM. to paint with some friends for 5 days. I will be sure to keep up with my Painting-a-Day...it will be a good excuse to do some really small plein air pieces.

Out of Tea

Out of Tea.

6X8 in oil on canvas 100.


Another in the red series. I love this little metal, tea tin.

The reds were easier this time. I used orange to lighten so it did not get chalky. I enjoyed painting the metal inside of the tin and then in contrast, the china cup.

I asked my husband if it is called "a tin" over here and he said, "no...a container."
I have been in this wonderful country for a long time now and I do remember one of our sons
coming home with a rintintin joke so I think maybe he could be wrong.
I do not understand why after all these years I can still get mixed up over the spelling differences...colour etc, pronunciation...tomato etc, and items like this red tea tin. And I still call the car trunk, the boot!

Study in Red

Red Teapot

6"x8" oil on canvas 100.

A friend gave me this teapot and I love its brilliant color.
This is the second piece using the color red as the feature and I had to really
examine the colors in the shadows and then work out how to achieve them.
It kept me interested, then frustrated...then interested.

Dijon and Onions

Dijon and Onions

6"x8" 0il on canvas $100.


The Farmer's Market here in Las Cruces has been named one of the top ten in the country. It also has crafts.
I went with our guests and found these brilliant, red onions to go on the grill. The more I looked at them I found I wanted to paint them as red is always an interesting challenge. I really enjoyed doing this piece so I have decided to paint some more red things. I appears to be one of my favorite colors as I have collected quite a few still life items in red.

I have painted this mustard jar quite a few times because I love the red, white and blue lid.

Regarding my nest series....I am out of nests to paint in this small format (done them all) but am doing some larger ones and having a fabulous time.

Church at Three Rivers

Church at Three Rivers, NM

8"X6" oil on canvas $100.

A new plein air painters group has been formed here in Las Cruces and I was thrilled to join them on a trip to Three Rivers.
Several talented artists participated and it was a lot of fun. We all worked hard and I did three small paintings - this one was my favorite.

Freesia Delight

Freesia Delight

$100. 6"X 8" Oil on canvas

My friends know my favorite flowers are Freesias and Calla Lilies
and when my amazing god-daughter and her mother arrived for the weekend they came bearing gifts, one of which were these beautiful, yellow freesias. Even more of a gift...they allowed me the time to paint them!

Colors are "following the color wheel" from oranges into the yellows and then into the greens.
A wee bit of purple added to calm things down a bit.

Cactus Nest

Cactus Nest

8"x6" oil on canvas board 100.

This amazing home has been intricately woven with fine strands of threads torn from the yucca leaves. Inside it has plenty of feathers glued with spider webs, lining the bottom. It is very deep and I can see how protective it would be for the eggs. This one I found outside after a strong windstorm. I live in New Mexico and have seen nests like this in the cactus so that is why I named it Cactus Nest but if anyone has the actual birds name I would appreciate them letting me know.

Flo's Nest

Flo's Nest
6"x8" oil on canvas 100.

Another completely different nest. I expect to most viewers they all look the same but as I carefully study them before I paint them I am struck by the differences in nest construction and the materials used.

This beauty is narrower at the top, broad and low at the base with a lot of woven, soft materials like moss, lint and even bits of newspaper. The form of this one reminds me of my grandcat because she has a "skirt" hanging down underneath.
My friend found it under some pine trees and mentioned that the oak leaf suprised her as there are no oak trees for miles around.
Neither of us know what type of bird built this nest.

Flo Hosa Dougherty is a wonderful artist and she loaned me this nest. Thank you, Flo.