Chamisa Row

11x14 oil on stretched cotton canvas
$350 (email me if interested)
Is it a Chamisa or a Rabbit Bush? I have also heard it called snake weed. I am really not sure which one it is. You can find them all over New Mexico blooming yellow flowers in the fall. I particularly love the sage color of the foliage with the yellow flowers. I have tried using cerulean blue mixed with white and olive green (which is what I used on this painting). I still haven't found the perfect color mix. I love the mix American Western landscape painter E. Martin Hennings uses in his paintings for this bush. He calls it sage brush. I will keep trying.

Fall In Taos

11x14 oil on stretched cotton canvas
$350 (email me if interested)

Back in October 2007 I painted Taos October. When I painted this smaller version I had barely started painting full time. For Taos October, I wanted to try and paint a lot freer and looser than I had been painting. I like looking at it hanging on my studio wall to remind me to paint more with feeling than worrying so much with techniques. I have always liked this photograph, so I decided to give it a try again now that I have been painting for a year. I believe I like it more. It doesn't look quite as flat as the smaller one. I do still like the first one though.

Big Bend National Park #2

8x10 oil on canvas cotton panel
$250 (email me if interested)

It has been several years since I took these photos of our family trip to Big Bend. Because of that, I don't remember much of the exact locations in the park. I wasn't painting at the time the pictures were taken but as I look at the photos I feel like somewhere in my sub conscience I knew I would eventually paint them. In this painting I really like the sky color. It makes the orange color of the cliff pop. I used thalo blue. I seem to shy away from that color because it is so strong. It doesn't take much, I barely touched it to mix with the white.

I use photos alot to paint from. Not that I perfer that method, I just haven't had a lot of opportunities to paint plein aire. I am a little shy about getting out and painting where other people may see me painting. I have taken a couple of workshops where we painted plein aire. It was hard for me because I feel as if someone is going to tell me I am doing it all wrong. But really, is there a wrong way to paint?
My big test is coming up at the end of this month. Jim and I are taking a couple of weeks and driving to Colorado. I am taking my paints and he is taking his custom motorcycle our son built for him. He will take day rides in the mountains and I will paint the mountains.

If anyone reading this is a motorcycle nut like my guys, take a look at my son's website www.deviantchopper.com. He is very talented. He designs and builds the frame, gas tank, fenders, handlebars,coil cover, battery case, paints the bike and makes the seats. There aren't very many builders out there that can say they do it all themselves.

Sandia Mountains Neighbor

12x24 oil on stretched cotton canvas
$350 (email me if interested)

Last year we visited our friends that had relocated to Albuequerque, New Mexico. They built their home in Palcitas. I was captivated by the fact their neighbors were living in buses. It looked like something straight out of the 60's (my era). What a view they chose to park the buses next to! Sandi means "watermelon" in Spanish. When the late afternoon sun hits the side of the mountains it gives off a "watermelon color". My photo of the painting does not show my highlights on the side of the mountains very well. After I look at the painting for a few days I may go back and add some more higlights.

I got the call this morning, our son, the Airman, has landed in the states from being in Iraq. We are so happy. He is stationed in Charleston so that is where he will go first. He will not be able to come home to us until the middle of October. I can't wait. I will be cooking the whole time he is here and loving every minute of it. He likes my cooking.