Wyoming Plein Air Event

It doesn't get much bigger than this - the sky, I mean. The Wyoming Plein Air Event was pretty big too - attracting painters from all over the country, and even 2 from abroad. Sue McCullough and I spent 3 days in the Snowy Mountains, with fellow painters, Ulrich Gleiter - from Germany, Peg Immel - from Taos and Patrice Walker - from Santa Fe.
I am not sure what is going on in this conference. I think I heard someone say "he went that-a-way".





To the right are some of the event highlights, from my point of view:
Sue holds a brush out at arms length to "sight" a complex alley view.
Peg painted in the same alley, facing the other direction. It was a challenge, dodging passing trucks, forklifts, painting in heat and blowing dirt from the cement factory on the other side of the fence;
worth it though - Peg's piece, shown here won the Artist Choice Award in the Link Gallery. Tough conditions- nice work!






At the opening Saturday night:
in the Link Gallery Ulrich Gleiter stands with his piece "My Wyoming" (the lower painting) which won First Place. Bravo!
Sue McCullough and Scott Eckberg pose in from of their work- Scott's on the left and Sue's on the right, and
Dawn Normali and I stand in front of her amazing painting of a Wyoming farm which won the Artist Choice Award in the Deselms Gallery.

Click on the images to view them larger.

Coni's Wyoming Work

These are the best of my work from the week.
At right, early morning in the Snowy Mountains as the mist rolled over them and the morning sun highlights a distant ridge; below I saw clouds flying up over the ridge as I stood by Brooklyn Lake in the late afternoon.














A view out on the prairie where windmills create wind power and below it, Cottonwoods on the Hereford Ranch.

Cheyenne Quick Draw

No plein air event is complete with out a semi-nerve wracking Quick Draw. Personally, I think Cheyenne's Depot Plaza venue is especially hard because there are few traditional landscape elements.
Top photo is the view from the depot north into the farmer's market, below that is Ulrich painting the model, under that is my long view of the capitol and on the bottom my painting that sold to a local couple wanting a souvenir of their hometown.

Round Up the Dogies- We're headed for Cheyenne

It's time again for the Wyoming Plein Air Event that attracts painters from all over the country, and this year even some from abroad. Artists in Europe are coming to paint the big west and it doesn't get any bigger than in Wyoming.
Sue McCullough and I will spend a week painting the Snowy Mountains, Laramie, Cheyenne and everything will wrap up with a Quick Draw Saturday morning, August 14th, followed by a live auction. That afternoon the show will open at 2 Galleries in Cheyenne: the Link Gallery and the Deselms Gallery- within walking distance of each other.
If you are within 200 miles, this is an event worth taking in. Make a day of it in old town Cheyenne beginning with the Quick Draw at 8:30 on Depot Plaza, and afterwards bid on work you saw painted; then take in the entire show beginning at 4pm. There will be food, the artists on hand, awards and a round up of great plein air work.
Now I have to go make sure I packed my cowboy boots and those spurs I save for special occasions.

Keep the Rio Grand Grande

A premier Art Event -KEEP THE RIO GRANDE GRAND will be one of the best parties this summer with fabulous food and wine, and of course great art, all to support the conservation work of the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust.
The Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust's "Rio Grande Initiative" is dedicated to protecting the river's ranches, wildlife, and scenic beauty. If you are interested in Colorado conservation and the preservation of open spaces, as well as fine art - this event is for you. Join the over 20 artists supporting this cause at the South Fork Community Center, Saturday, Aug. 14, 6-9 pm.
Ticket Price is $30. a person.
To reserve tickets call: 719-657-0800 or info@riograndelandtrust.org
Learn more about the Land Trust at RioGrandeLandTrust.org

Class Notes: We're Painting While the Sun Shines

Summer goes by so fast.
We hang on to every day like we are grasping is from the jaws of death. As August begins I already feel a change in the air - oh so slightly - it reminds me that Fall is just around the corner. The painting class has made the most of the beautiful weather by painting out all over town: at the golf course, the wetlands, the college campus; we dodged rain drops, the college track team, and mosquitos but were rewarded with views of deer and beaver at the river, rainbows after the rain, and beautiful sunsets.
I have used the time to paint small pieces, 6"x8" and 8"x10", focusing on shapes and large scale brushwork. It doesn't hurt either, to work a small format piece when you end up with only 1/2 hour to do it. The top piece, from one afternoon at the marsh, was barely dry when I put it into a frame and delivered it to the LaVeta Fine Art Gallery; it sold with in the week.

Class Notes: Painters Just Want to Get OUT

Tuesday evening the class painted on the edge of town; lots of great views but late afternoon showers were still blowing over and we painted in a light but persistent rain.
More annoying than difficult, it does beg the question - WHY?
Everyone says they want to paint plein air and most of my class painters are very hardy but these are times that separate those that do and those that simply want to - it is an observation and a question of motivation.
I have found that most painters that pursue plein air work have one major thing in common: they love to be OUTSIDE.
We could discuss the importance of direct observation, the benefits of being on site and the finer points of technique in the landscape -
all of it good - but when temps are below freezing, wind threatens to blow you over or, as in this case, the drip, drip, drip soaks you through (my under painting literally slide off the panel) - something must make it more attractive than sitting in a dry studio.
It can't be bragging rights (how cold was it?)
especially when there is no painting to show for it - ouch.

We were rewarded with 2 rainbows and a wonderful sunset, this might be part of it. My studio does not have this kind of view.

Class Notes: Beautiful Days of July

In Colorado, these are the days we live for: sunny and almost no wind, afternoon storms filling the sky with beyond-belief clouds that later part to create amazing sunsets, and beautiful evenings full of stars.
Last week class met overlooking the river.
On the right, I painted looking into the morning sun. The mountains appear as a flat shape, almost the same value as the sky, creating a good foil for the tree shapes below which are partly back lit.
Soon the sun would rise higher and light would define all the different shapes of the mountain,
but that would be a different painting.



Later in the week we went out to the
wetlands near our local golf course
and I turned my back on the sun and
faced a group of trees getting
the full morning light.


These are typical valley views:
cottonwood groves, wetlands,
all on the backdrop of
14,000 ft peaks that surround the valley.
Both paintings here are 8"x10".

Class Notes: Painting at the Marsh

Tuesday evening our painting class met at the marsh for some plein air work as the sun set. At first rain threatened and it was really windy - one reason why the evening class usually doesn't go out until September - but after a bit the wind died down to a mosquito foiling breeze and the evening was perfect. We have painted from this location, just north of Alamosa, many times and it always yields good stuff. The wetland is home to water birds of all kinds, the sunsets are always fabulous, and after the sun has set, Mt. Blanca lights up with alpen glow.
Photos cannot do justice to such a location at the absolute best time of the day. Who would not want to be us on such a beautiful evening out?

My piece is a 6"x 8", at the bottom.

WOMEN OF THE WEST Show, Boulder

Here we are, Women of the West: Cindy Carillo, Dawn Normali, myself and Margaret Jensen.
Cindy came all the way from Arizona, and Dawn and Margaret came from Estes Park.
Maggie Renner-Hellmann, from California, and Sarah Rogers could not make it- but no worries, the evening was very full.

It might have been nice to spend the time just catching up with each other but the show also attracted collectors and new buyers so much of our evening was spent meeting new people and making new connections. To the right here is Cindy with her award winning work and below is Eldon Warren with Ron Wilcocks. Ron and his wife Ann own the Earthwood Gallery in Boulder and also Earthwood Collections and Earthwood Artisans in Estes Park.
At the bottom, Cindy and Dawn in front of Dawn's fabulous piece that was highlighted at the front of the gallery.
I was honored to be in this show that featured the work of such great women artists. It is also a pleasure to call them friends.
The work of each of us is quite distinctive from the others- so makes for a very good show that will run through the end of August. If you are in the Boulder neighborhood this summer stop by Earthwood Gallery on the Pearl Street Mall and check it out.
And one last note: the painting "New Day", that I used to feature this event, 2 posts ago, sold during the course of the evening. Yay!