Hazey Days of Summer

June came to Colorado in smokey haze and in spite of high wind warnings Sue and I took the easels out to the east end of town to paint some urban junk that had been tempting us for weeks. We stood out between derelict tanks, broken down shacks and abandoned rail cars; all this combined with a sky the color of the dirt - made for a rather gritty piece.
As it turns out, smoke from the big fire in Arizona was blowing into the Valley turning our beautiful skies gray. In the end we only lasted about 2 hours before wind and blowing dirt sent us running for cover.

I have been thinking about mark making lately. Sounds like 'Drawing', but feels like the only apt description of what I have been considering as I paint; using tools, other than a brush, to apply, lift, move the paint around - make marks - and not just for the heck of it, but to give a sense of the image and even the character of the day.
At the risk of sounding too technique-y, I think there is place for mark making that is harsh, chiseled - broken - in service of the imagery. That would also imply a place for the soft, goojey, wispy or globby, all those technical terms. In the case of this painting, trying to convey a gritty and gray day amidst the abandoned urban junk;
soft and beautiful brushwork need not apply.
This is the envelope I am pushing right now. What I have done here is hardly dangerous, but it's been on my mind. My graduate drawing professor, Gene Schilling talked about drawing like it was a force to be reckoned with; an invitation to the dark side.
Hmmm. . . .

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.

You Are Invited

The 3 Friends Show, featuring the work of Susan McCullough, David Montgomery, and myself - opens tomorrow night, June 3rd - 5:30 pm, at the Creede Repertory Theatre, Upstairs Gallery in Creede.


We hung the show last week and are looking forward to the par-T tomorrow. Sue is busy making truffles and putting together a fruit cascade (hmmm, no I am not sure. . .).
You can get an idea of the work in these photos but to get in on the great food - you have to be at the opening. I think it will be a good party. Hope to see you there.

A big Weekend in LaVeta and Creede

LaVeta was hopping on Memorial Weekend - Saturday night with art openings all over town. In the photo I am standing in front of a display of several of my paintings featured in LaVeta Fine Art Gallery.
Spanish Peaks Art Council Gallery opened a photography show and Pinion Hill Pottery, featured the fabulous and amazing work of Sharon McCoy. Great food everywhere and a beautiful, mild evening - perfect for art and good company in the very charming mountain town of LaVeta.










The Taste of Creede Quick Draw drew artists from all over, and this year, I think the largest group of spectators and bidders that I have ever seen there.
In the bottom photo Stephen Quiller holds my 8"x 10" painting done in the hour - which I am grateful to say, sold quite handily.

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend is always an invitation to enjoy some of the Best of Colorado and this year is no different. In La Veta, the LaVeta Fine Art Gallery will kick off the summer season in the Spanish Peaks area (just south of Colorado Springs and Pueblo) with an opening party and reception Saturday night the 28th from 5-8 pm.
Also on Saturday evening in LaVeta - just around the corner from LaVeta Fine Art Gallery: the opening of the Spanish Peaks Arts Council Gallery 2011 Photography show. Two good reasons to be in LaVeta on Saturday night. Hope to see you there.












In the other direction, high in the San Juan Mountains, Memorial Day means "The Taste of Creede". One of Colorado's most colorful and classic mining towns, Creede knows how to celebrate, featuring artists' demos, restaurant food tasting, music, theatre, and children's activities all weekend. The Silver Chef Cooking Competition is on Saturday.

Sunday, May 29, at 1 pm will be the Quick Draw Contest.
The Quick Draw is hosted by Stephen Quiller, (whose gallery is in Creede) and attracts some of the best artists from several states including Steve Quiller, Kris Gosar, Randy Pijoan, Peggy Stenmark Morgan, Charles Ewing, Jan Thompson, and Frankie Will.

Quick Draw fun starts at 1 pm and artists get one hour to complete a painting. At the auction immediately following, bidders will have a chance to purchase work they just watched being done by top artists.
Creede will be the site of a lot of holiday partying but don't miss the National Small Prints Show hanging at the Creede Repertory Theatre, Lobby Gallery. In the Upstairs Gallery at CRT the 3 Friends, 3 Painters, 3 Points of View show, featuring plein air work by myself, Susan McCullough and David Montgomery is on display as well;
all well worth the beautiful drive into the mountains.

High Desert Painters in Taos

That yellow sign there is absolutely no lie. It always gives me pause at this point, faced with a road that just drops off and the Rio Grande River Gorge straight ahead.
This is the road from the west side of the gorge down to Pilar and the Taos River Road: steep, winding and a lot of signs that warn about falling rocks- you know the ones that show some helpless car threatened with a boulder dropping out of the sky.
This was last Friday's painting adventure as I headed to the Village of Pilar to join up with the High Desert Painters for a day of plein air painting.









We come from all over the country to paint together in Taos, in May: Janis Loverin from Ruidoso, New Mexico, Jana Van Wyk from Cary, North Carolina, and Judy Howells and Nita Harper from Pacific Palisades in California. Sadly, we were missing 2 of our members: Ann Templeton from Texas and Nelson Hubley from Nova Scotia.
It was a week of some harsh weather changes with high winds and rain - not ideal - but Friday was perfect. When we eventually found each other on the hillside above Pilar we enjoyed views in almost every direction.
I drove down from Colorado for the day and consider it a small miracle that we met at all, there being no cell service in this part of the country - but we look for cars, or painting umbrellas and amazingly we connected. Judy Howells and Janis Loverin looked to the view over Pilar and Jana Van Wyk set her sights on the river. The piece on my unmanned easel on the right is of the view to the west and down the canyon.
Click on the photos to view them larger.

The Best Gallery In Taos

Wilder Nightingale Fine Art was voted - People's Choice for Best Gallery in Taos - for the second year in a row. I am so happy to be represented there, and have always considered it to be the most beautiful gallery in Taos.
Congratulations Rob!
The PEOPLE have spoken.

Spring In Taos 2011

It's that time of year when Colorado painters fly south,
-something like Spring Break without the bikinis.
Sue McCullough, David Montgomery and myself headed to New Mexico to meet up with the PAAC (Plein Air Artists Of Colorado) for a 4 day paint out in and around Taos,
New Mexico.
This year Sue and I hooked up with Peg Immel, Taos painter and friend, to explore strange new venues, seek out new vistas, to boldly go where no painters have gone....
sorry, I got a little carried away.
On Wednesday morning we found Peg on LeDoux, the little nook of a street, near the plaza, and home to the Harwood and Blumenschein Galleries. My crazy piece is a view into the courtyard looking directly at the studio/gallery of Sheila O'Malley.
That evening we met up at the San Geronimo Inn for dinner and all-artist gathering.
This event brings together artists from all over the country and it is a treat see again, painters that, over the years have become friends.



Thursday morning we took the river road to the village of Pilar. The photo shows the sketch and start of my painting looking down over the Pilar church. Peg painted near me by the water tower where we had a great view of the valley and the Rio Grand River.
In the afternoon we painted along the river. Here, Sue is holding on for dear life. I had already wrapped up because wind gusts nearly dumped my easel.
Dave Montgomery had been chasing blooms all week so on Friday morning we met in a Taos apple orchard along with Wes Hyde, and Taos artists Ken Daggett and Kemper Coley.
Here is my piece and a shot of Kemper with my painting in the foreground. Click on any of the images to see them larger.
Of course, great painting days are punctuated with evenings around a friendly table; Thank you Peg and Steve, for your wonderful hospitality - and for introducing us to the best beer - I think - ever.

Afternoon at Kevin's

Sounds like I know him - alas -
I don't, but on Friday the PAAC painters were invited to paint at Escondido, the home of Kevin Macpherson.
It was pretty cool. Although he was out of the country, Wanda, his wife gave us a tour of his studio and also his home and art collection;
- Way cool.
At the top is his palette and easel and below Peg gives it a good once over.
I know one thing - I have to stop being so tidy in my studio - it is soo much more 'artsy' to leave paint and tubes lying all over.














In the afternoon we painted in and around "the Pond" that Kevin made famous in his book. It really is a beautiful spot. Below, Sue and Peg paint close to the water.

The High Road '11

Saturday we went south out of Taos along the high road. It was an all-church day and we started at Ojo Sarco with beautiful views of the snow capped mountains. We found spots to paint that looked down on the church from across the road but this horse, though behind a flimsy fence was not too happy with our presence. He would run up and down the field occasionally leaning over to whinny at us. At one point the horse actually got his 2 front legs over the pipe gate almost knocking it over. I found it very hard to concentrate on my painting and Sue finally gave that horse a very stern warning. He listened and stopped bothering us. He went over to bother Peg.
Anxious to finish up before he escaped, we headed to Penasco to the Sugar Nymphs Cafe for some caffeinated inspiration, and a bathroom. It was good on both counts and we followed the road to LLano San Juan.
Sue and I have traveled these roads before but having Peg as navigator and 'cruise director' made all the difference.
In the afternoon we painted the church at Llano San Juan; very picturesque and with safe places to park and stand with easels.
After finishing there we turned north toward Taos and drove by the Placitas church but could not stop to do more than take photos.
Next time. . . . . .



It was a great day and in the evening we joined the PAAC group at the San Geronimo for food and painting stories.
Saturday night we drove back up to Colorado.
I am still sifting through my work, but paintings aside, I think this was our best Taos paint out yet.