Holiday Treasures

Looking for a fun way to start your holiday shopping -
that does not involve appliances or big screen TVs?
Head to historic Manitou Springs, Colorado on Saturday, November 29th, where  the fun begins at the Holiday Miniature Show and sale from 4 to 7 pm  at the TracyMiller Gallery,
16 Ruxton  Ave.

Holiday Miniature shows pop up everywhere at this time of year and are the best places to buy work from established, and emerging artists,  - for the best prices.
With so many great artists featured at this show, you can be sure there will be something for everyone - all very affordable.
The Christmas Season is also a wonderful time to be in Manitou Springs; located between Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak,
this fun and festive mountain town is a hotbed of galleries, unique shopping, restaurants, and family attractions- especially inviting at this time of year.
This show will continue in Manitou Springs, at the TracyMiller Gallery, through the end of December.
These pieces here are just a few of the miniatures I painted for the show. Have a great weekend.

100 Miniatures Show

These small works are so easy to purchase and easy to ship - in time for Christmas.

To view minis larger, simply click on the image.
To buy any of the pieces shown here simply contact the Tracy Miller Gallery at 719-650-0827.

Hearts and Stars in Taos

I have been a little slow about blogging of late; whatever the word might be for "un-motivation" - I have felt it creep over me like a fog (and not on 'little cat feet') as I grieve the recent loss of a dear colleague and mentor. See a few posts back.
Creativity, motivation and making a living - these things cannot wait for the luxury of good feelings - so we press on.
And Christmas is impossible to ignore; no matter how slow you have been driving on surface streets, once you hit the on-ramp - prepare to be swept up into the fast lane of Christmas craziness. (please indulge the freeway metaphor. Now I am showing my roots- but I digress).
It may be a fallow time in the landscape but no where else. Painters, like everyone else, have realized, about now, - we should have started working on holiday inventory last January. Too late now.
But, my brain is starting to perk like crazy with more ideas than I could use in a lifetime - conveniently, I don't have time to pursue them.
It is one of those universal laws: the best ideas bubble up when there is no possible way they could be addressed. Hmmmmm.
At this moment, I am just happy to have some motivation.
And FINALLY, to my point -
the TAOS Hearts and Stars Party; one of the best holiday party/fund raisers with a focus on giving back. This is one holiday- miniature show that covers all the bases, bringing together work from some of the best artists with art lovers, collectors and the Taos community at large - to support Taos Coalition to End Homelessness, Inc.
All the work is under 8"x 10", and very affordable.
Rob Nightingale at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art does a wonderful job hosting this event with live music and fabulous food - all for a good cause. It is his gift to the community. Thanks Rob.
If you are within 200 miles - of Taos on Saturday night - it is a party worth attending.
Saturday, December 3rd from 5-7 pm at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art on Kit Carson in Taos; suggested $10 donation at the door.
My piece is at the top of this post: 'Showers Ahead', of the road to New Mexico from Colorado - in fact the road I will be taking to the party.
It is 8"x 10", oil on panel.

Season Ender

New classes will start this week in the studio and my Plein air classes are over for the season. It is always a little sad but that is tempered by gray trees and mornings that are below freezing.
This 6"x 8" was done out on the river here in Alamosa.
Pre-Christmas seems to be a good time for small pieces: they go quickly in galleries and are very useful for Christmas fundraisers and miniature shows.

Segil Fine Art Holiday Small Works Show

I was honored to have this piece "The Plug" juried into the Segil Fine Art 2010 Holiday Small Works Show in Southern California that opened last weekend. I was not able to attend but heard from a reliable source (my Mom) that it was an excellent show and a good party. This show will hang until the end of December and worth seeing if you are in the Southern California area. The Segil Gallery is not the only great gallery tucked away in the foothills community of Monrovia but part of a picturesque and fashionable shopping destination; a great place for Christmas shopping, and don't forget to buy art. Miniatures make great stocking stuffers for that person on your list that has everything.

Class Notes: Squares and More Squares

Everyone in class is having fun with the square format.
With out having to cover a lot of canvas we can concentrate on positive/negative shape relationships and specific kinds of brushwork.
I have been working on my wet-on-wet under painting
skills, changing colors to
give each piece a
different character.
Because the squares are only
6"x 6", it is easy to slather on
a rich, and not too thin under
painting in color then
sketch on top of it.
Usually, I like to lay down some form of violet because it is nice and dark and the most fun to lay light values on top of. In this little piece, Bar of Soap, at right, I started with Cad Red Light and love the zippy quality the red gives it.