'Tis The Season...

Season's Bauble

8x8  oil on canvas SOLD

This was done in the workshop.

A lot of fun.

I did a paint-a-long and it was

neat to see so many different 

versions of the same red ball

using the fracturing technique.

Artist Note

This is my last post before

Christmas.

Peace in the world - will

it ever happen?

I think of the refugees

trying to escape the horrors

of war in their homeland...

The countries who take them in

and the turbulence of of 

conflicting emotions...

I thank our military and their families

who sacrifice so much for the 

ultimate goal of 

Peace.

More than ever 

I am very grateful for 

my life.

May everyone's Christmas or

Holiday be full of joy and love 

for those we care for, as well 

as those who are now only 

memories in our hearts.

Be safe, be warm, and be at Peace

Blessings.

Workshop Demo

 Some Favorite Things

10"x 8" oil on canvas 

I am giving a

Fracturing Workshop

and this was today's demo.

I have an enthusiastic group

of artists, and I am

excited by the resulting 

paintings. They show a 

willingness 

to push themselves out of 

a secure comfort zone.

Artist Note

Last week I was lucky

enough to go with some 

artist friends

to Miami for 

Art Basel.

It claims to be the largest

Art show in the U.S.

Top galleries from

around the world pay a fortune

to display the work of their

artists in the

Convention Center.

Plus

Art Miami 

and Context

are nearby and equally

stellar.

I saw a wide diversity

of art. It was stimulating

and thought provoking.

Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Chagall,

Diebenkorn, Motherwell,

 mixed alongside some 

contemporary favs of mine.

I found I was drawn 

to some of the Chinese galleries

with their very accomplished artists.

Many artists of unknown 

pedigrees displayed.

some very interesting work

which kept me enthralled

and others, belonging to what

art critic Brian Sewell

humorously dubbed

the post-skill movement,

made me scratch my head.

Abstract and

non-representational

work were the largest category,

and I saw marvelous collage

pieces -  many of them

 were dimensional and 

the shadows created a 

wonderful extra level

of interest.

These made me think of a 

blogger I follow.

who is doing really

great collages. Check her out.

Libby Fife

(Libby, you would have 

had your nose right up to them) 

Some thoughts...

How will Globalization

change our perception

of art?

I was exposed to art from 

round the world,

 but saw many of the same 

imagery and techniques.

The easy access to media

sharing obviously has diluted 

the cultural influences 

which were 

unique to individual

countries. 

There appears to be a lack 

of an entirely new  

art movement.

 Everything I saw had 

a strong basis 

from previous movements. 

Installation Art is pushed by 

modern technology but is

still Installation.

Digital art is progressing 

and for the same reasons.

It appears most of the world is 

experiencing strife. 

Usually it emerges in art.

I will be watching for a new 

Guernica

Anyone have any thoughts 

to share on any of the above?

Watercolor Pleasure

Trio

6in x6in gouache on Aquabord 

Painted just for me!

Artist Note.

From my nest collection... 

a little jewel 

with a turquoise strand 

woven through it

 adds a touch of color

against the neutral 

grasses and twigs.

I added Chinese White  

to my watercolors to add 

the body I like.

Aquabord is perfect for 

this, and takes a protective

wax finish beautifully.

My daughter and a friend 

are in to help celebrate

my birthday so I will be

having too much fun

to reply to any comments!

I know you understand.

Yellowstone - Waterfall Near Sylvan Pass.

Yellowstone
Near Sylvan Pass.
8"x 6" oil on canvas panel  $135. SOLD

Artist Note
Another one of the
many waterfalls
at Yellowstone.
I can see where the name
YellowStone
came from. Some of the rocks
have a definite yellow
color in the sunlight.
I find them very interesting
and am fascinated by the
different colors in the water.

Bouquet

Bouquet.  

8x6 oil on canvas panel $135. SOLD

Artist Note.

A bit of color on a gloomy day.

Things sure are changing 

in the world.

I wish us all Peace.

Life Force.

Life Force

6x6 oil on canvas panel $110. SOLD

Artist Note.

I know...

I know...

 I thought my 

water paintings

were finished,

 but there is still 

a compulsion inside me

 to do more.

Loved painting it!

Roses From A Friend

Roses From A Friend

8x6 in oil on canvas panel  SOLD

Artist Note

A friend from the Guild grows these 

Peppermint Candy Roses. 

This has to be the fourth time she has 

brought them in for me to paint.

Not easy...

I have had the hardest time 

painting them.

Imagine - multiple petals and 

stripes on some and not others.

I finally got one that I liked

and fortunately she did too.

Thanks for your patience, Joann.

Floating Dahlias.

Floating Dahlias

Work in Progress

Artist Note

(yup...still painting water!!!)

I saw these wonderful floating 

dahlia flower heads 

in September when I was 

 visiting the 

Nedra Matteucci Gallery

in Santa Fe.

 I fell in love.

I tried painting them in 

watercolor first, and found it 

waaay too busy to include 

the bird bath. Easy decision

to paint only the 

flowers, but it presented

a whole new set of problems.

In our culture we are only 

used to seeing the waterlily

floating on water, and 

they have many petals too.

How to make sense of 

floating flowers? 

How to make them 

appear to be in water.

Finally arriving at...

does it matter if they look 

like  another flower 

or in water?

Nope. What matters is 

painting something

close in my heart.

I went a little larger than my 

usual blogging size... 

because 10"x8"

 is a far easier size 

to work out 

problems.

Start.

Transparent washes of colors

 then fracture or disturb

the surface

The stage below is 

my personal favorite. 

basic and very abstract.

I am going to be exploring this

theme further

in several different ways.

Rain Puddles And Red Chili.

Rain Puddles

6x8in oil on canvas panel $135. SOLD

Artist Note.

A sight not often seen

here in early November.

This was during the two days 

of rain we got. 

This view of the chili fields

looks totally different 

than in the full sun. 

Far more muted.

Red chili is harvested 

later than the green chili. 

Left on the vine to turn red,

 it is picked and spread on

roofs and similar surfaces

to dry in the sun -

the traditional way.

I LOVE chili

green or red.

This may conclude my water series.

Notice the "may."

I have enjoyed it.

Stormy Day

Stormy Day

6x8in oil on canvas $135.
Purchase HERE

Artist Note.

We really need rain due to 

the severe drought we have been 

having in New Mexico, so

it is hard to complain about 

a couple of days of really

hard rains.

I had been hoping to paint a

special spot

on the way home
after visiting our son,
 but when we got there

this is all I saw

out of the window.

I did a small sketch

(below) in watercolor

 to get the basic values 

and shapes.
(courtesy of the 

windshield wipers

helping out and 

hubby softly snoring 

as he took a nap, sweet guy!)

The only light areas were
in the sky and water.
The vertical sides of the bushes
and hills were very
dark by comparison.

The sketch came in handy
when I was
back in the studio today.
It helped me recall the
actual structure of the dam.
Using artistic license
I made the falls less wide,
and eliminated a building
that was there.

The sky was still magnificent 

as we got closer to home.

Today is sunny and bright.

Not a cloud in the sky.

Am grateful our ground has

collected some 

much needed moisture.

BUT I am only too aware

of the devastation caused by

too much rain in other

 parts of the country.

I am truly sympathetic,

and cannot imagine the 

strength needed to 

restore and carry on.

Blessings to all.