Toss the Mask- Go Plein Air starting July 1st

It has been a long studio season and I am ready to toss the mask and go outside! Here in Colorado we live for summer. Make it a lot more memorable by growing your skills, or by learning a new ones. Join us Thursday mornings, starting July 1st, from 9 am to noon for instruction, encouragement,  and mornings of outdoor painting,  in and around Alamosa.

Our first meeting on July 1st will be at the Alamosa Family Recreation Center and will include a paint-a-long demo.  Bring your painting toys, and I will have schedules with all of the locations for where we will meet in the weeks ahead. 

To register for entire class session, go on line at www.alamosarec.org,  or call the Rec Center at 719-589-2105.  Registration for the entire session gives you the best price at  $100. for 8 weeks of painting; or you can drop-in to each class for $15. a meeting (pay at the Rec Center before joining us in the landscape).
 

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.

ART - Raising Awareness for the Endangered Landscape

The Art for the Endangered Landscape paint out, back on September 29th, was an event meant to focus attention on an area outside of Del Norte where a wildcat oil well exploration site is proposed that is within a residential site surrounded by public land. The hope was of raising public awareness to the kind devastation perpetrated on Colorado land and its residents by hydraulic fracking in this area; not to mention the misuse of precious water resources in a time of drought . If you do not know what the term "fracking" means- click the link to read about it on Wikipedia.

Sponsored by San Luis Valley Eco System Council and Community Partnerships of Adams State University, the event was successful in bringing this issue forward and getting locals in neighboring areas interested in what is happening on the lands we assume are protected. This is a hot topic in Colorado, involving water use, water rights and destruction in our own back yard. To read more about this issue, click this link. The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council is a non-profit advocacy organization for Colorado public lands.

The Paint Out morning was quite beautiful, Sue McCullough, David Montgomery and myself, took part to document the area en plein air and enjoyed the general party atmosphere with other artists, music, food and neighbors coming together for a common cause.

As a continuing part of this effort there will be a show, Friday, November 30 at the Community Partnerships Gallery in Alamosa  to highlight work created at the September 29th event.
My piece above "San Francisco Creek", created en plein air on September 29th will be part of the work I will have in that show and profits will go to benefit the San Luis Valley Eco System Council.

Class Notes: Reworking and Good Design

I like the idea of reworking a loser painting because - well, there is nothing to lose. This little 6"x 12" painting was done at the end of August; Dave Montgomery, Sue McCullough and myself drove up toward LaVeta Pass with the intention of capturing the blooming chamisa (lovely to look at - bad for allergies). The three of us had just been a week painting in Rocky Mountain National Park and felt very sure this humble subject would make for an easy painting day. Ha!
I approached the chamisa landscape as pattern - good idea but poorly executed- and was not happy with the abstract design when I was done. As so often happens when you are "out there" - the view takes over your design sense and the result is a bust.
By the time I got home, after a warm morning, the paint had pretty well set up. When I scraped down the chamisa field shape, the paint came off leaving striated lines that can be seen clearly in the photos below. Disgusted, I tossed the whole thing aside.





















About a week later, I took another look at my little panel and wondered if those scrape marks might create a nice background texture.
Technique-y tricks aside (that would be scrape marks), what the painting really needed was a design that worked.
So, using as few strokes of paint as possible, I tried to create a pattern of color that would lead the viewer's eye back through the chamisa field, and create a tension that moved the eye back and forth between the upper left area and the lower right area.


















In the end, a little paint or a lot, total redo or a simple tweaking of certain elements, it all comes down to good design. The challenge is to avoid letting the view derail our good design sense.

Painting in the Fabulous Zapata

Last week the Tuesday night painting class went out to Adams State College to paint in the twilight and light drizzle. This was my view up the 3rd Street; a 6"x 8".

The next day David Montgomery and I drove up into the Sangres to paint in the Zapata area on the side of Mount Blanca. I love this area because it has so much: deep aspen groves, dark pine woods, running water, high desert and pinon, a lake, long views of the valley - all in the shadow of Mount Blanca.
We found this burbling little water fall right by the side of the road and painted there for most of the morning. David is very adept at this deep woods and water thing - me - not so much; but I have been trying to do more waterfall subjects and actually seek out what, in the past I would run from. This painting is 12"x 9" and was really a challenge.
I am hoping Dave has posted his piece on his blog- just click on this link to get to his blog.

Hazards of the Trail

Sometimes the hardest thing about a day is the view: finding it, trapping it, painting it - but there are other hazards: cows moving to new pasture, drunk campers, weather. This day, on our way up to Rock Creek, Sue McCullough, David Montgomery and myself, made a stop for a friend, coiled up in the middle of the road.
I saw snakes, of all kinds in California, but this is my first Rattle Snake here in Colorado - and it gives one pause. They like to sun in warm spots, like the middle of the road, or find the cool in the underbrush - so, be careful where you step when finding that perfect view.

Summer Plein Air

The PAAC Show was a happy success for me with 2 of my 3 paintings sold- YAY!- and all the craziness of May and June has passed. July is a bit of quite in the middle of the summer; instead of framing, packing, shipping - there is a little more time for actual painting.
These pieces were all done
here around Alamosa:
a water fall at Rock Creek- 9x12,
beaver ponds above Rock Creek- 16x12,
Cows- 9x12,- what can I say about that? -they were there,
and at the bottom the afternoon sun on Mt.Blanca- 6x8, painted last night with my class.
So now I have to go to the studio and really get to it; I have a commission waiting with a serious deadline- but more about that later.

Annual Exhibition from the 2010 Zapata Artist Invitational Gathering

This show was a result of the Artist Invitational Gathering that preceded it in late July - and a one day wonder hosted by Janet and Duke Phillips who run the Medano-Zapata Nature Conservancy Ranch in the San Luis Valley. The Zapata Ranch is a living demonstration of how cattle and bison operations can co-exist with conservation efforts.
Briefly, the "Artist Gathering" brings artists together with the Nature Conservancy and revolves around the land and people that work it. At the core, is the intent of communicating, not only the natural beauty of the area, but also the urgency of protecting vanishing spaces. The Artist Gathering in July brought 29 artists from all over the West to the Medano-Zapata Nature Conservancy Ranch. Click on the link to learn more about the Conservancy.
Very much in keeping with the "ranch" theme the show was held a the Chico Basin Ranch east of Colorado Springs. The art was displayed on stacks of hay bales - very unique and show-goers enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in the Ranch's cottonwood grove. In the photo 2nd from the top, my work hangs next to that of Bill Alther and Laura Mehmert. Below that is shot of myself with David Montgomery and his wife, Cindy Cutts, and Laura Mehmert.

A "City" Show is planned for December 4th at the Design Center in Denver that will feature larger work, inspired by our time at the Medano Zapata Ranch. I will keep you posted.

Painting in Rocky Mountain National Park

On Wednesday afternoon I caught up with Eldon Warren in RMNP. He painted, looking right down into the water - see the FISH also posted here - very gutsy, very beautiful. Those fish should be proud.
And I painted Eldon, painting the fish - which I have yet to finish. sigh.

Other WILDlife in Estes Park

These are some of the other painters gathered in Estes Park last week; some painted in the Plein Air Event and some did not. Here, Dennis Reinke, Dewain Stoll and Cecy Turner paint in the downtown Quick Draw.














To the right are David Harms,
suffering from Quick Draw
anxiety,
KC Benson, and
Sterling Hoffmann whose piece "Legible Cascade" won Best in Show at the 2009 Event - formerly known as Estes Park Plein Air Event. Check it out
on Sterling's website.




















In another part of town
- I am painting with
Maggie Renner Hellmann,
Lou Renner, Eldon Warren,
and Margaret Jensen.
Eldon and Margaret stand
with Eldon's painting
clearly enjoying a really
beautiful day.










The bottom shot shows
Ulrich Gleiter painting
the model in the Downtown
Quick Draw, which he won.
Later, Ulrich would go
on to win First Prize
in the Plein Air
Event show.
Gratulation! my friend!

Click on any of the photos to see them larger.

"Plein Air" to support the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust

What: Artists paint the landscape to support Colorado open spaces
When: Saturday, May 22, 8 am to 2 pm
Where: The Gilmore Ranch just west of Alamosa;
Take Hwy 160 west out of Alamosa to County Road 105 South and turn right, go 1.5 miles until the road ends at the Big Red Barn.

The Public is invited to come out Saturday, to the beautiful Gilmore Ranch, home to Jim Gilmore, award winning Colorado wildlife Sculptor, where local and regional artists will gather to paint on-site in a program connecting artists with conserved lands.
Come out to support the Land Trust and enjoy a day at the Ranch.

Imagine the Perfect Afternoon

Oh wait, I don't have to imagine - I was there.
Nine painters met out at the "marsh" east of Alamosa last Tuesday and we could not have picked a more perfect evening: balmy breezes, glowing afternoon color and a mountain view that only got more spectacular as the sun dropped.
We all waited for the mountain light phenomenon - sunset version of dawn's "Alpen Glow" - and we weren't disappointed.
Blanca lit up in front of us and we had a wonderful sunset behind us. There aren't very many better ways to spend such a perfect summer evening.
My 6"x 8" piece is at the bottom.

Class Notes - In the Aspen Forest

My painting class took a day out on Thursday and painted in the the Conejos at Bear Creek which is about an hour south of Alamosa. The aspen forests there are so deep and the greens on the new leaves so rich, it is almost a sensory over load.
And we painted in shirt sleeves - not to be taken for granted; summer has been very slow in coming to our part of Colorado and the warm day was just too wonderful. I was even willing to share it with the bugs.
Josie Perea is lucky enough to live in these magical woods and hosted our group: Kayleith Pellandini, Carol Watson, Heidi Algrim, Dee Bartee and myself.
Click on the photos to view them larger.

You Just Have to Like GREEN

This was my take on our day in the woods. I admit I can't stay out of the trees. If there are aspens, I have to paint them. For that very reason, the Conejos is a favorite place to paint but at this time of year, when confronted with so much screaming green,
I have a compulsive desire to dodge the bullet and use another color. This time I worked with the green, more than usual - and I am pretty happy with it.
The attraction of this view tho', was that triangular yellow wedge that leads the eye right up to the trees and the band of light that strings along behind the aspens.
In this case it wasn't the subject itself that drew me, but what was around it.

Over the River and Through the Woods to Creede, Colorado

Last week Sue McCullough and I took a painting day up to the charming mining town of Creede Colorado. Our main intent was to scope out the town, take photos and hopefully get in a painting before lunch. Built along the Willow Creek
in a high narrow canyon of the San Juans, Creede seems to literally disappear into the awesome cliffs and canyons of the mountain. On Wednesday tho', the town appeared to be shaking off the last of Winter and turning a smiling face to the sunshine.
We did paint- who could resist? It was such a beautiful day, we hardly noticed the gusty wind blowing dirt up the street. Later when I got home I realized, there was so much grit in the paint layer that I had to wipe the whole thing down;
sad, but so worth it.
Sue and I, Steven Quiller, Charlie Ewing, Kris Gosar and David Montgomery will be just a few of the painters painting the town over Memorial Day at the Taste of Creede; Saturday the 23rd, and on Sunday the 24th there will be a Quick Draw in the street in front of the Quiller Gallery at 1pm.