It is the First Day of Fall

A fresh breeze blows around my house,  like sighs at the passing of summer.  It is a little sad but on this first day of Autumn I want to celebrate - not that summer is gone but that a pretty good consolation is still ahead.
David Montgomery, Susan McCullough and myself went up into the high country around Creede this last week - witnesses to the rush of the new season. We enjoyed painting 3 days in beautiful weather and fabulous views. Don't miss it if you have a chance; this next week will see the peak of color around the San Juans.

What Could Be Better?

...than Colorado in June? Not much.
Even better, to be OUT with other painters, from other places who come to the valley. It is like a cultural exchange.
Louise Minks,  comes to Alamosa a couple of times a year from her home in Leverett, Massachusetts, to visit her daughter - and to teach classes at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico.
We met up at the beginning of June with Sue McCullough, out at Sue's ranch and enjoyed a morning painting the sweet little Model A that Sue's dad is so proud to show off.
Louise is primarily an acrylic painter and captures the spirit of our western landscape with fabulous color and abstraction. I seldom see, really good acrylic painters, using the medium as it is meant to be used and I am a big fan. She shows her work in Taos at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art - where I am also represented.

I devoted the morning to sketching, something I am trying to devote more time to, instead of always working to a finished painting. Cars are not a big part of what I do in the landscape but the practice time drawing- especially such a fun model, is never wasted.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and see how Louise and Sue tackled the car.

Looking for Snow

At this time of year the landscape can be pretty spare in Colorado. Finding color in the neutral shades challenges me - and not in a way that I like- so as long as there is snow to be found I will be out in it.
Sue McCullough and I drove up to Rock Creek not too long ago, looking for deep snow and spent a PERFECT morning painting. Perfect means: temps over 10, no wind and a bright day with no cloud cover. Being out in the mountains on a day like that - I don't even care if the painting turns out to be a bomb; but as a rule  Rock Creek does not disappoint.  Just a short drive into the high country and you find every kind of view - short and long, with pine and aspen forests, majestic snow covered peaks, rocky canyons, and no sign of civilization. It is hard to go wrong.

Beautiful JUNE

Usually, by this time of the year,  I have lots of plein air paintings to show for the previous 7 months; pieces that document the cold Colorado winter right into raging spring.  Instead - this year I dedicated months to preparing for the WILDLAND-WILDLIFE show in Colorado Springs which meant a specific focus on large work- ALL studio. For years I have complained about not getting enough studio time - Ha! Be careful what you wish for.  In the end, I managed to complete 8 new oversize paintings- and learned a lot; that's the upside. I got in touch with my cranky side as well.
Going OUT - is my tonic, my meditation, my inspiration - even if the work is crap - I gotta go out.
So, here it is already June; I feel like the fist half of the year has passed me by - but there is no better time to step out into the Colorado landscape, than summer - it is what we live for.
So this week, Sue McCullough and I went out to Zapata, an amazingly diverse area on the western slope of Mt. Blanca where aspens are in the first flush of green. We painted in a grove of Aspens surrounded by Cottonwoods and Spruce.

Later in the week, we met up at Sue's ranch along the Rio Grande river.  This is one of my favorite places to paint at any time of year because of the huge cottonwood trees, views of the river and mountain ranges off to the east - and the west. I took this photo looking west toward the San Juan Mountains at noon when big storm clouds were forming, but when we arrived several hours earlier the skies were clear and I chose to paint looking eastward into the sun toward the Sangre de Christos.  I love it in the morning when the mountain shapes are very flat - like they have been cut out of colored paper and placed on top of the sky. This piece still needs some edge work and a signature.

Big Art - Small Town

Susan painting near Creede.

Alamosa, Colorado may be small on size but very big on art.
Right now we have an exceptional opportunity to view the work of 2 major valley artists - in beautiful venues.

The Susan McCullough "Landscapes & Dreams" show is at the SLVRegional Medical Center Artrium gallery.  The reception this Thursday the 21st from 4:30 - 7:30pm, is the chance to see the show before it closes at the the end of February, and to meet the artist.  I also happen to know there will be great food.  Susan has lived in the San Luis Valley most of her life but paints all over the west, including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming. One of the most well known, and loved artists in this area, her work shows a sensitivity to the landscape that only comes from years of observation and out door painting.
The 2nd Floor Artrium gallery at our medical center is the perfect place to see this great show of Colorado landscapes, and specifically our valley.
Stephen Quiller Retrospective; Steve is one of the foremost water media painters working in the world today. Painter as well as writer of 6 books on Color and Water Media, we are so lucky have him near us in Creede.  Adams State University is hosting this retrospective show of Steve's work in both the Hatfield and the Cloyde Snook galleries on campus.  There are works from his high school and early years as a painter - and also work from his travels, books and color studies.  At the Opening Steve packed out the art dept. lecture hall for a talk about his life and work.
The show hangs through March and is a must see.
These two Alamosa art venues are only about a block away from each other. It is possible to take in both of the shows in an afternoon - and consider it a day well spent.

Looking for Snow

Last week Sue, Dave and myself went looking for snow and found it up the Pinus Creek Road in the San Juans, above Del Norte, Colorado.
As Spring comes on, the winds kick up in Colorado but we managed to catch a morning that was very mild and almost calm. There was a lot of "atmosphere" though, because of fires that burned in other parts of the state; downright smokey day actually. Some painters go for that atmospheric/air look -
being originally from California, I'm not so keen on it.

Spring in the Mountains

I painted with Sue McCullough at Rock Creek, in the San Juan Mountains this last week. It is amazing, to me how seemingly colorless the landscape can appear at this time of year.

SHOW Time

Thanks Alamosa and the San Luis Valley for showing your support in such a tangible way by spending the evening with us, - and buying art.

I try not to have expectations about show openings in general- certainly, out of town shows where I might not know anyone. A home-town show though,
is a very different thing and my hope is always for a REALLY great party - period.
Last night's opening exceeded all of our hopes as so many friends, from every sphere packed out the long gallery in the Medical Center ARTium.
Mid way, we paused to enjoy an amazing panorama as the sun set over the San Juan mountains. The sun went down, lights came up and people enjoyed food and conversation late into the evening.

The Medical Center ARTrium is on the second floor and part of the route taken by doctor, nurses and many patients on their way into surgery or back to recovery. Even as we set up for the opening a large extended family had gathered to wait for one member who was having heart surgery. This ART space is a part of that world and it is especially gratifying when we hear from those people - how much they enjoy the paintings - PRICELESS.
The SLV Regional Medical Center also owns and shows original artwork by myself, Susan McCullough and David Montgomery, and many other valley artists - as part of their permanent collection.
- another reason why I love Alamosa. Thanks so much friends.

3 Friends, 3 Painters Show comes to the ARTrium

The newest version of 3Friends-3Painters opens this Friday night in the ARTrium at San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center.
New work from myself, Susan McCullough and David Montgomery - most of it painted in the landscape. Join us from 4- 7pm for the party to celebrate in one of the valley's most beautiful art venues at the SLV Regional Medical Center.

Below, we are all together at Rock Creek- it only looks like the Amazon jungle. If I recall, that day we were painting beaver ponds.

Thanks SALIDA

Many Thanks to the SteamPlant, who hosts the Paquette Gallery and to the art-lovers in Salida who came out on a subzero evening to see this show. It was well attended and we were very encouraged.
This show will hang until Monday January 16, in the Paquette Gallery at the Salida SteamPlant in Salida; just off F Street by the river on 220 W. Sackett Ave. or call (719) 530-0933 for info. Gallery hours are Mon - Fri 9 to 5.

3 FRIENDS show Opens in Salida

The 3 Friends Show, featuring the work of Susan McCullough, David Montgomery, and myself - opens tomorrow night, Friday
December 16th - 4 -6 pm, in the Paquette Gallery at the Salida SteamPlant Event Center, in Salida; just off F Street by the river on 220 W. Sackett Ave. or call (719) 530-0933 for info.

This most recent incarnation of our 3 Friends Show will exhibit over 45 paintings and many from the Salida area of Colorado. In September David, Susan and myself competed in the Salida based, Colorado Mountain Plein air Festival where we all awards.
Showing work with fellow painters Susan McCullough and David Montgomery has been fun, and because we so often paint together we enjoy the chance to highlight the breadth of style that we three bring to the discipline.

Come enjoy the opening, there will be food, Susan, David and myself will all be there and afterwards, the evening will be young enough to have dinner at one of Salida's great restaurants.

Still Friends - after all these paintings

And still smiling - even after months of painting, working and planning.
Thanks Dave and Sue.
Thanks to everyone who drove up from the Valley to Creede for our opening at the Repertory Theater Gallery and to folks in Creede who supported us.
The whole project went so well that we are taking this show on the road and will open at the SteamPlant Event Center in Salida on December 17th with a party at 4 pm. The Salida show will highlight plein air work done together this summer and into the fall.
My mountain sunset,
"Late Show" - to the right,
was the first sale of this show.

Spring Paint Outs

Spring is coming on very fast - the 2 pairs of Canadian geese have come back to the pond behind my house, - migration has started. Usually the geese will spend a week or two on solid ice, but not this year.
In Southern Colorado, we are in a window of calm somewhere between freezing temps and the onset of Spring. When the real warming starts - wind will tear through the valley like a roaring beast. It's something we dread. Painting out as temps rise is nice, but days with little, or NO wind, are something to really relish.
Last week Sue, Dave and myself went up to Creede to do some business and paint (see post below-Visit With Stephen Quiller). After coffee with Steve and Marta we headed up the canyon to what was the original Creede settlement and found a lot of snow and running water. My 16"x 12" piece is here to the right.

This Wednesday, Sue, Dave and I were joined by Peg Immel, fellow PAAC painter from Taos, and we met in Fort Garland to paint in the eastern end of the San Luis Valley.

Less snow in this area than we had seen in Creede but it was harder to find open water.
We each separated to areas that attracted us. Sue went after the red rocks, Dave ventured down by the river; I have no idea HOW he got there but it looked like a sweet spot.
Peg and I painted a stand of cottonwoods with a pinion - my 16"x 12" is posted below.

A Visit With Stephen Quiller

Where do I begin to talk about a great day?
Good weather, good friends, serendipitous meetings - it's all that.
Last week, Dave Montgomery, Susan McCullough and I went up to Creede to mix some business with, well business. In May, the 3 of us will hang a show at the Creede Repertory Theatre Gallery and looking it over seemed like a good idea; of course, finding a place to paint along the way was also a priority. So once our business at the Theatre was finished we looked for some caffeinated fortification before heading up the canyon to paint.
On the way we decided to try to catch Stephen's Quiller in his studio (Quiller Gallery is down the street from the Theatre).











We were rewarded by finding Steve at work on a 360 degree mural for the new Creede Repertory Theatre Building. WOW!
Steve, talked about the piece in process- generous to let us look at eveything - like our busting in on him was the highlight of the day.

I can't say enough about how much I admire Quiller, as an artist, designer and all'round good guy but I felt so fortunate to get a glimpse behind the painting at the easel, to the artist's mind during work in progress. Be still my heart!
The mural is not yet ready for public viewing, and being kept somewhat under wraps - if I show you too much - I'd have to kill you all. . .

We saw some pretty big sections of the final piece, but also his layouts and small mock-ups; the charcoal sketches, alone 'bout made me faint with creative desire and passion. Nothing fires my jets like seeing, in a tangible way, the artistic process. WOW!
And if our chance meeting could not get better,
he and Marta joined us for coffee - and picked up the tab.
Thanks Steve!

Looking for Winter

We have had an unseasonable shortage of snow here in Southern Colorado; chalk it up to LaNina or whatever,
but on Friday
Sue McCullough,
Dave Montgomery and myself went looking for some winter. We found snow and sunshine, the perfect combination,
up at Rock Creek
not and hour from the house. With temps at 31 degrees and NO wind, it was like a day in the park. This photo of Sue expresses out feelings, exactly.

Sue, Dave and myself paint out together often and amid other things, are working toward a show that will include work from all three of us done on trips together. That show will open with a party on Friday, June 3rd in the Upstairs Gallery at the Creede Repertory Theatre, in Creede.

June is aways off though, in the meantime, we will enjoy a little bit of snow. This was my piece from our beautiful morning in the mountains. I have been experimenting with a more extreme format of 1 by 2. This painting is 20"x 10".

A Day in Taos

PAPNM, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Show at the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos drew painters and friends from all over. On Exhibit until November 14th, it is a show worth seeing if you are in Taos this fall.
Several of the High Desert Painters were in town after painting at Ghost Ranch the previous week and taking in the show. They rented a ranch house between Arroyo Seco and Arroyo Hondo and on Monday after the show opening Sue McCullough and I drove back to Taos for a beautiful autumn morning of painting with them in New Mexico. At the top are Judy Howells from Southern California, Nelson Hubley of Nova Scotia (yes, Canada), myself and Jana Van Wyk of North Carolina.

This view looks north/east toward the mountains where aspens are dotting brilliant yellow and below, Judy paints with a friend nearby.
It really was an exceptional day and sadly, the last day of painting for me this season. I took a jump off the ranch house porch, onto a step that gave way, did a little tumble and (revealed later in x-rays) broke 3 metatarsals bone in my foot. Of course, not being able to walk should have been my first clue. Tra la.
So I am off it,
and just about everything else for 8-9 weeks.
I did learn to spell 'metatarsal'.







Below is the painting I was working on at the time of my unlucky leap - fortunately, nearly completed.
Titled "Monday in Taos", this piece sold later at the Plein Air Artists of Colorado Show- in Denver.

3 Painters, 3 Friends, 3 Points of View

The San Luis Valley Brewing Company in
Alamosa, Colorado Presents
paintings by Coni Grant,
Susan McCullough, and David Montgomery
through May 30.



David Montgomery.
Lifelong painter, conservationist and interpreter of the landscape, David creates work that highlights the glory of nature and is a celebration of the harmony found in that natural world.




Susan McCullough.
With a passion to see and reveal
the landscape en plein air (out doors),
Susan paints the West with the
eye of understanding that
only comes from a lifetime of
focused observation and inspiration.



Coni Grant.
Primarily a plein air (outdoor) painter, Coni uses her design background, together with innovative color ideas to express a view of the landscape that is distinctive and contemporary.







David, Susan and Coni all maintain studios in the
San Luis Valley that are
open to the public.
Their work can also be
viewed on line at:
www.DavidMontgomerypaintings.com
www.SusanMccullough.com
www.ConiGrant.com
_________

So much for the Press release.
We got together on Monday to hang this show at the San Luis Valley Brewery and rewarded ourselves with an early tea-time. I recommend the Alamosa Amber but this pub also makes one of the best Rootbeers - ever. So if you are anywhere in the neighborhood - that would be within 200 miles - take in the show, 3 Painters, 3 Friends, 3 Points of View, and enjoy lunch or dinner at the San Luis Valley Brewing Company. The brew master is a woman - that's why the beer is so good.

Tuesday Morning in Santa Maria - WOW!

Congratulations to Peggy Morgan Stenmark for a stellar show that opened in Creede at the Repertory Theater last Monday.
Susan McCullough and I took in Peggy's show of lively and gem like watercolors, and enjoyed the beautiful evening in Creede. Peggy's show will continue thru Sept. 11th, and very worth going to Creede for.
As usual, Sue and I were about the last to leave the party (happily, filling up with red dots) and from there headed to Santa Maria where Sue's family has a small fishing place on the lake.
A big moon shown on my bed all night; beautiful but not restful, so we were out before dawn to catch one amazing view after another. It is so hard to settle on something to paint when there is SO much good stuff. Whine, Whine. . .
We have a new mantra tho': What is it about?