My View of Taos

I just got home from 5 days in Taos with the High Desert Painters; a group of 7 that come together from all over the country to New Mexico at least once a year. Read a bit about each painter below in the next post.
I came home with 7 paintings and these are my 3 favorites, - obviously not quite done. No time to meditate on any of them tho', I will be headed back to Taos to paint from Monday thru Wednesday, with the Plein Air Artists of Colorado (PAAC). Whew!
If I am lucky, I might get a load of laundry done.
Hopefully, there will be more paintings to post next week. Stay tuned and where ever you are, I hope your Spring is as lovely as ours.

High Desert Painters in Taos

We walked, we looked,
we painted, we ate, and five days in Taos was not enough.
Ann Templeton at the top, painting at San Geronimo Lodge, Janis Loverin of Ruidoso, New Mexico, Jana Van Wyk of Cary, North Carolina, Nelson Hubley from Novia Scotia (yes, that's Canada), Nita Harper from Southern California and Judy Howells, also from Southern California.
To read more about the group, see more work, links and info, go to the High Desert Painters Website with this link.
Click on each artist's name to see their website.

Reaching Into Heaven

Just the title makes my heart happy. I am adding this link to my list because artist Sheri Gundry has a beautiful and refreshing website. Click on Reaching Into Heaven to see her work and read about creativity and the artist life; it goes deeper than the esthetic,
and I like it.

Springtime in New Mexico

At this time of year Taos is always a good idea. Spring comes very slowly to Southern Colorado and when the possibility of BIG snow in May is very strong, a little escape to Taos is often a much needed shot in the (painting) arm.
I will be in New Mexico all of next week with the High Desert Painters, a plein air group formed in 2004 to paint en plein air around the country and encourage each other as plein air artists. Click here on 'High Desert Painters' to see the HDP website, see the other painters and view their work.
I have spent several days in the studio doing the tedious work of making panels so I am armed and when I get back, hopefully, I will have a few pieces to share. At the end of the next week the Plein Air Painters of Colorado (PAAC) together with the Plein air Artist of New Mexico (PANM) will be gathering in Taos for a Spring Paint out. Sue Mc Cullough and I will join those groups for a few more days of painting in Taos.
May is like that - painters popping out of the woodwork- and into the landscape, a little frenetic and a little crazed. I chalk it up to cabin fever.

Business and Pleasure

Wednesday I made a trip to Taos for some very happy business;
I took 4 of my larger studio pieces down to the Wilder Nightingale Gallery who will be representing me in Taos. Sue McCullough rode along and between us there is always a lot of painting party potential. We called Kemper Coley who had plans to meet Peggy Immel and Dee Beard Dean; before we knew it our little group was painting at the edge of the Taos gorge. My piece is posted at top, Peg is pictured painting down below us, tucked in the trees and Sue and Kemper joked around a little too close to edge of the gorge for my taste. It was one of those perfect, blue sky New Mexico Spring days and in town the crab apple trees are in full bloom; so beautiful.
Click on the painter's names above, to view their work. Very worth seeing. Kemper and Peg are both at the Wilder Nightingale Gallery and Dee Beard Dean is from North Carolina and the founder of Plein Air Painters of the Southeast.
Click on Sue's Blog to see her painting, get a different take on our day and even view a shot of me.

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.

Judson's Plein air Newsletter - April

I am excited to be one the Judsons featured artists for April. The premier outfitter for plein air painters, Judsons has a wonderful catalog and a ton of resources including their newsletter, an online plein air journal, comments, information and articles from artists like ourselves.
Every month an artist is featured and invited to share something about themselves or a plein air story.
In the following post I have recreated my article but if you are interested in receiving the Judson's Newsletter simply email them a request at Judsons Art Outfitters mail@phantomcanyonranch.com

A Moment of Clarity

Coni Grant - Contemporary Plein Air

Nature has always influenced my outlook on life. Painting outside is the best of all worlds. Plein air work forces you to respond from the gut - pitting all you know (even what you don't know that you know) against time and the elements. It can be painting at its most raw, but working in the landscape is its own reward. Dramatic weather, changing conditions, they add to the experience, and to the stories afterward. Any day painting out is a good day.
In 1998, I was so fortunate to study with Charles Movalli, who I consider to be one of my greatest influences. On one perfect morning at Morro Bay, California - light breeze, the sound of small waves lapping against the pier while gulls flew overhead and wonderful fishing boats everywhere, - four or five painters were lined up along the board walk, intent at our french easels. From behind us strolled a couple, enjoying the day, and viewing each artist in turn until they came up behind me and I could just over-hear the man say to the woman on his arm,
"Now THIS is the life".
I will never forget that moment: the day, the breeze, and my clear-as-a-bell thought,
"This IS the life; and I'm livin' it".
When the couple passed, I recognized the man as the well known actor Hector Elizondo.

That was a moment of real clarity for me.

The photo above was taken by fellow painter David Montgomery on LaVeta Pass this winter, and Yes, it was really cold.

Autumn in Red

This is the painting that sold up in Cheyenne - not the 8"x 6" plein air piece in the previous post. 'Autumn in Red' is one of my large studio pieces, 48"x 36", and Rebecca Barrett, owner/operator of the Link Gallery in Cheyenne, has sold several of these large pieces for me. Thanks Rebecca.

Road Trip - Yippei-yi-yo-ki-yay

I took a road trip up to Cheyenne this weekend to visit the Link Gallery and Rebecca Barrett, owner/operator. Rebecca just sold one of my large studio pieces, "Autumn in Red" and I took up new work. That is always a good reason for a road trip.
The painting to the right "Late Show" was painted in Cheyenne last August during the Wyoming Plein Air Event 08.
The town of Cheyenne has really embraced the plein air artists and owned this event.

2009 looks to be bigger than last year with sponsors that include Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority, Cheyenne Depot Museum, the Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, Plains Hotel, Emerson Frames, the Link Gallery, Deselms Fine Art, as well as local banks, and restaurants, and Southwest Magazine. If you are a plein air painter download the Call for Entries info at the Link Gallery Website. Entry deadline is April 30. Don't miss it!