Plein Air to Support the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust

What: Artists paint the landscape to support Colorado open spaces
When: Saturday, June 12, 8 am to 2 pm
Where: Soward Ranch above Creede;
Take Hwy 149 out of Creede toward Lake City for about 7 miles. Turn Left onto Middle Creek Rd. and follow this for 5 miles. Stay to the right following the signs and ribbons; the road will end at the Soward ranch.
Hope to see you there.

The Public is invited to come out Saturday, June 12, to the beautiful Soward Ranch, above Creede, where local and regional artists will gather to paint on-site in a program connecting artists with conserved lands in Colorado.
Come out to support the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust and enjoy a day at the Ranch in a part of Colorado seldom seen by the public.

William F. Reese

I was saddened to hear from Don Maier, of the Plein Air Artists NING site, (see the banner to the right) the news that one of the most esteemed members, Bill Reese, passed away this week.
I never met Bill Reese personally but his life and work were brought to my attention by Ann Templeton, who is a mentor of mine. Bill wrote a forward to her first book and through Ann I came to appreciate this wonderful artist. He joined the Plein Air Artists NING site about a year ago and I knew everyone else involved stood to benefit. He was an active contributor, sharing freely from his great experience on many topics. When he posted work or wrote comments - I made sure to look and read.
He will be greatly missed greatly by the art world.
Thanks for sharing Bill.

Plein Air Workshop - JUNE 21

Join me for a Plein Air workshop:
Monday, June 21 from 10 am to 1 pm, in LaVeta, Colorado at the Spanish Peaks Arts Council Gallery.
The focus is on design, and of course, color interpretation in the landscape; all en plein air in beautiful LaVeta, Colorado.
The workshop price is $35. and is part of their Colorado Expressions Celebration. Information is posted on the Spanish Peaks Arts Council website or call the Gallery there at 719-742-3074 to register.

If you have never been to LaVeta, this is a great chance to paint in one of the most charming towns in Southern Colorado and destination of the Scenic Rio Grande Railroad that runs from Alamosa to LaVeta, through some of Colorado's most beautiful scenery.

The painting above, "Barn Dance" was done at the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest '09 and just SOLD in the Nomadas del Arte show at Southwest Gallery in Dallas, Texas.

Good Times in Creede, CO

Memorial Day Weekend in Creede was not only great fun but also smiled down with fabulous weather over a holiday notorious for cold, rain and
even snow.
Here are Cindy Cutts, Charlie Ewing, Steve Quiller, myself,
Sue McCullough and Rita Roberts, posing for the camera before the Sunday Quick Draw.
Beautiful weather in the High Country brought art lover-tourists to shop, eat, bid in the auction, and buy art in Creede.
The Quick Draw lasts an hour and is a little unconventional in that the artists do not paint from a "view" per se but from some form of reference material - usually a sketch, and everyone paints together under one tent so viewers can easily walk around and see them work; close proximity allows painters to converse, distract each other or, on occasion- throw a few elbows.
It was great fun and after the works were quickly framed and put on display the auction got rolling.
The bottom shot shows Steve Quiller introducing my painting -
a 10"x 8" piece done from a sketch I did at O'Haver Lake last Fall during the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest. I am happy to say that it sold to a couple from Littleton. They were happy too.