Art For The Sangres

This weekend I am headed up to Westcliffe for the 12th Annual Art for the Sangres fund raiser to benefit the San Isabel Land Protection Trust. I was invited to be one of the 27 artists participating in the show and sale on Saturday the 27th at the Pines Ranch at the base of the Sangre de Cristos. We will be painting in the afternoon and that work will be sold at silent auction. It is open to the public from 1-3 p.m. Buyer's preview is from 3:30 - 4:30, a reception beginning at 4:30 and the fixed price lottery sale at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each; go to www. sanisabel.org for more information.
The Trust helps protect the Wet Mountain Valley open space and wildlife habitat, and assists ranchers and landowners in protecting their land from development.

Class Notes, Stems in the Glass

This week's take on the 'glass' subject included some flowers and water. Liquid or an object inside the glass gives you new ways to communicate clarity and play up distortions. The water line gives another excuse for a highlight; this might even be too much water line. Note that most of the edges of the vase are indicated by value changes rather than any line or even a highlight.

SLV Painters are going to LaVeta

Wednesday, Oct. 1st, the SLV Painters headed to LaVeta. We met Kathy Hill at the Space Gallery and she led us up to Sulphur Springs outside of town a few miles. Lots to paint even though the color had not peaked in LaVeta. It was still beautiful.

Autumn is Really Here

it 's here and the color is coming on fast. On Wednesday a group of us from Alamosa went up to the Conejos and were rewarded by a beautiful day and lots of color. Thanks Josie, for the great day and wonderful lunch.

The One That Got Away

Painted in the early morning down alongside the Arkansas River, this was the first painting I did in the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival. There were a few in between but the 2 that I entered into the competition were the very last ones painted. You can see them if you scroll down. This one got me off to a good start but I held it out of the competition and sold it later out of my studio.

Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival, Salida

It has been such a busy week I haven't had a minute to post but there really was more to the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival in Salida, than my prize (hard to believe. . .) Sunday morning by the Arkansas River in Salida, models posed and over 50 painters gathered in Riverside Park for the "Quick Draw". Our Quick Draw began with the "call to the post" and the shout that went up from painters could be heard all over the park; an indicator of the enthusiasm for this new event. Patrice Walker took this snap of me and Brooks Powell enjoying a painting moment.
The 2nd photo above shows our trumpeter/painter and includes Tom Lockhart, who judged the over all show and the quick draw. Thanks Tom.
Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of my painting before it sold. BOo!
Now I can just remember it in my head as the masterpiece it was. HA!

Winner 3rd Place! Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival in Salida, CO

Salida, Colorado hosted the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival this weekend and I just got back. Four days of painting in the Arkansas River Valley and it all wrapped up on Sunday with a Quick Draw in downtown Salida and Show opening. I was very happy with a third place prize and also with the sale of my 'Quick Draw' piece that was a view down river. Thanks to Sally Mather my host and painting bud for the weekend. In fact that is Sally in the small painting, aptly titled "Sally's Sweet Spot". She is a wonderful pastel and oil painting artist. check out her website at www.sallymather.com.
Thanks Patrice Walker for the photos.