Head 'Em Up, Move 'Em Out -Look Out Cheyenne

This cowgirl is heading up to Cheyenne, Wyoming today to party, play, rustle a few dogies and attend the Link Gallery GRAND Opening.
You are all invited to the Party on Saturday, March 29 from 5pm to 9pm.
Meet the artists, view fine art, ceramics, fine art photography, glass, sculpture, jewelery and textiles. All at the Link Gallery,
1609 Capitol Ave. in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
In the top photo - the 3 large vertical paintings, and those below them, are all my work. Thank You, Rebecca, for making me look so good.

Monday Morning at the Dump

Actually it is Alamosa's old power plant which is being take town, bit by bit. As Sue Mc and I painted an excavator tore out big pieces of scrap and the metal guts of the building and heaved them high over head. For some reason tho', I was captivated by the trash barrel; so much personality.

Plein Air SLV goes back to LaVeta

Another plein air field trip to LaVeta and the Miniature Show opening reception at the Spanish Peaks Arts Council Gallery (SPACe).
Actually, we got a little sidetracked, first at the Ricky Tims Quilt Gallery (Ricky Tims, internationally famous quilter, who coined the phrase 'Caveman Quilting'), then at the LaVeta Fine Art Gallery on Main where we met and talked with Bob and Connie Buckner. Bob is a wonderful artist- check out his website at www. robertbuckner.com.
He is also a member of SPACe, so we all met back at the SPACe gallery to see a demo with Vicki Barton a watercolorist from Westminster, Colorado. Everyone gained something from watching Vicki create small gem-like watercolors from nature, with an emphasis on good design, freedom and fun with less stress.

Daily Painter Goes To 7 Mile Plaza

Wednesday Sue Mc and I went out on the 5N road, north of Monte to paint the village of 7Mile PLaza. There is still a lot of snow on the ground but the day was pretty pleasant. I painted with gloves on tho'; that's the true test. A slight breeze put an edge on the sunshine.

Class Notes: What's Underneath?

In the first 3 weeks of the new class session we have tried to get back to basics; even before composition, placement, and color mixing, learning to organize the information before our eyes, is a foundational part of the painting process. "You mean I can't just put the paint on?"
I am not sure a man would get the analogy, but a well dressed women knows a beautiful outfit is well served by the right lingerie. Time (and, or money) spent on the foundation of a painting is always well spent.
I am referring to the sketch. - We imagine it isn't an important part of the technical package because it will be covered up, but those first thoughts on the canvas are part of organizing our visual information; and like nice (and often expensive) lingerie, a strong sketch is worth showing off. I have seen Ann Templeton demo many times and, she will often lay down a sketch in a bright orange or red, with the intention of allowing it to peek out of the final painting. And by the way, her brush sketching is sublime; beautiful and confident.
In class we did small, quick, sketches, one after another.
Doing several sketches at a sitting, wiping each sketch off, as you go, will not only improve drawing skills but also build your confidence with the brush. It may even spoil you for pencil sketching.

Happy Birthday Richard

We made the most of the morning, and by noon the sky had clouded over and the wind was pretty sharp. We headed over to the LaVeta Inn for lunch and a small celebration for Richard's birthday. We were all pleased (and maybe, a little surprised) at how really good the lunch was. We recommend the Gumbo, and the Southwest Salmon Sandwich (even if the latter is a contradiction in terms).

Plein Air SLV goes to LaVeta

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood, of LaVeta. The Plein Air SLV group enjoyed a very pleasant (that means, not FREEZING) morning of painting and lunch in LaVeta; Joel, Perla, Richard, Judith and myself (Coni) all did a good bit of work. Amazing how a day of good weather can raise your spirits; as good as a holiday. Above Richard and Judith are in the field, literally, and I am trying to keep my hands warm while painting the Spanish Peaks.

Inaugural WYOMING PLEIN AIR Event '08

Historic Wyoming beckons. Plein Air Painters looking for a good time, check out the Inaugural Wyoming Plein Air Event from August 1-9, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A "Quick Draw" and live auction will round off the event, which is sponsored by Soutwest Art Magazine, and Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority, among others. Send for info via Email to: info@link-gallery.com.

Nomadas del Arte, paint out on Sunday

It was a dark and stormy night- no, wait; wrong opener.
It was one freezing day in Hyde Park.
A suprising amount of snow greeted us about 20 minutes out of Santa Fe, where plein air painters who had gathered to be part of the Nomadas del Arte show were planning to paint on Sunday morning. Well, Sue and I arrived at the appointed time, 9am, looked around a bit and began to paint. A lone coyote crossed our path but was the only company for a couple of hours. By noon a few hardy souls joined us: Patrice Walker from PAPNM, and Cindy Carrillo with PAAC, but it was VERY cold with a brisk wind picking up, so we packed it in and headed off to find a really big, really hot espresso.
In the comfort of the gallery, we all tell stories about painting in extreme conditions . . . how cold was it really?
- but this day belonged to the plein air warrior women.

Nomadas del Arte

This Daily Painter took a field trip on March 8th to see the Nomadas del Arte show at the Sage Creek Gallery in Santa Fe; one of the biggest gathering of plein air painters - ever!
I can't say that is exactly good- but it was big. Sue Mc and I headed south Saturday to be at the gallery when the doors opened. We could not attend the Friday night opening but every one said it was packed. When you think about it tho', if only 100 of the 200 artists included, showed up, that would make for a packed show. The Sage Creek Gallery is prestigious and beautiful but I found it mind numbing, the way 400 paintings were crowded into 3 small rooms, where viewers moved gingerly between sculptures to keep from upsetting anything and still see the work. The paintings were, however, beautifully shown on the website - check it out at www.nomadasdelarte.com and pick your favorite for "Best in Show". Judges aside, my favorite was 'Amusement Park', a 12"x16" by Robert MacPherson. It was the most gutsy painting in the show. I also loved Michael McClure's 'Brushcreek' a 9"x12" in oil and 'High Country Clouds', a 9"x12" by Anita Mosher.
If you wonder what my criteria is - I am not necessarily choosing the paintings I would buy - but the ones I wish I had painted.
. . .and well, I'd buy them if I could.