Friday 19th December 2008 - Devil Kitty

Devil Kitty - 10 x 8" - oil on canvas panel - $395

Thursday 18th December 2008 - Ray Vinella's Class

I was shopping in Wal-Mart last week (oh the glamour!) and as I came out there was this fabulous sunset over Taos Mountain, just wonderful. I make a point of carrying my camera with me for just this kind of thing and painted this picture from the photo yesterday in Ray's class. The adobe building on the right hand side (for those who know Taos) is Applebee's restaurant (more glamour!)

Sunset Over Taos Mountain - 10 x 20" - oil on canvas - $795



I brought this little painting of Ed Sandoval's horses to the group - I had started it the previous Thursday and worked on it some more on duty at the gallery on Friday but it was still not right. Ray gave me a couple of suggestions and it all came together in the end. Funny how some paintings spontaneously work and others take several attempts and may never get there.

Horses in the Snow - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $395

Tuesday 16th December 2008 - Tug on the Heartstrings

I painted this one while on duty at the gallery.

A Tug on the Heartstrings - oil on canvas panel - 10 x 8" - $395

Saturday 13th December 2008 - Portrait of Marty

I asked Marty to sit for the group this week, I've always found his face very interesting. He arrived wearing a woolly hat - which is how I usually see him and got a big surprise when he took it off and a big bush of hair came springing out.

Marty - oil on canvas panel - 16 x 12" - $750

Thursday 11th December 2008 - Ray's

It's strange for me to not be painting, I'm so used to painting most days, but this bug knocked me out for a week. I went to the Saturday painting group but I'm not posting what I did that day, definitely one for the "paint over" pile.

Then on Thursday I went to Ray's group and painted this street scene from my California trip. Heidi and I were heading north out of San Francisco towards the Golden Gate Bridge and the morning sun was hitting the cars parked along the side of the road and I thought that that would make a great painting and took a photo.

I like paintings of city streets but I'd never attempted one before, maybe it's because I'm a city girl, all that time living in London, it's all this open countryside that is new for me. I feel quite inspired that the next time I'm back in London I'll be taking photographs with doing paintings in mind.

San Francisco Street - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $450

Thursday 4th December 2008 - Ray's Class

A bit of an off day for me, maybe I'm coming down with something, feeling tired and sneezing a lot. Ray said getting me through this painting was like pulling teeth. I did enjoy the colours, though.

Near Mendocino, California - oil on canvas panel - 12 x 16" - $750

Wednesday 3rd December 2008 Melissa's Group

Another Wednesday group with Melissa Moe and this week the model is Monica who is a yoga instructor. She is very graceful and has very long limbs and a swan neck. I painted her once before a few months ago.

It was good to get back to painting after all the lovely Thanksgiving distractions.

Monica - 20 x 16" - oil on canvas - sold

Tuesday 25th November 2008 - Watermelon Rock

Shari and I took a drive down to a little south of Pilar to paint the Rio Grande river with the famous local landmark, Watermelon Rock, so named because it changes all kinds of shades of red during the day. It was a grey, cloudy day so when a shaft of light hit the rock and turned it a pinky orange, I painted quickly to get it down.

Watermelon Rock - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - sold

new web site

I made myself a new web site! please click on http://elizabethjose.net - the link at the top left of this page
and have a look...

Saturday 22nd November 2008 - Orange Trees

Again, something a little different. I've been wanting to push my composition and colour a little, to make my paintings more exciting and dramatic. I worked from a photograph I took a couple of weeks ago while the trees were still orange. I really liked the way the bright colour was contrasting with the blue of the distant hills behind.

Orange Trees - 20 x 20" - oil on canvas - $1,200

Friday 21st November 2008 - Kitty

A departure in style for this painting of my Kitty, I wanted to do something a little more colourful than usual.

Christmas Kitty - 12 x 12" - oil on gesso board - $575

Thursday 20th November 2008 - Ray's class

I made Ray smile when he saw this one because the lake with the yellow trees is just across from where he used to live and he'd painted that lake many times. Kevin MacPherson now has Ray's old house and actually published a book of just paintings of this lake.



sold

Wednesday 19th November 2008 - Kaitlin

A second week of the lovely Kaitlin, same pose different angle.

Kaitlin - oil on canvas - 20 x 16" - $1,175

Tuesday 18th November 2008 - California Beach Sunrise

This was painted from one of my favourite California Coastline photos, I was looking forward to painting it. Did the most part in the gallery on Tuesday and finished it off on Thursday.

California Beach Sunrise - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas - $750

Monday 17th November 2008 - Painting with Shari in Arroyo Hondo

I'll post the photo of this painting soon

Saturday 15th November 2008 - Ewan

Ewan stood in for our absent model at the last minute. At 9 years old he is a better model than many of the adults that we hire! My fellow painters agreed that somehow I had made him look older, a preview of the teenager he is to become maybe.

Ewan - oil on canvas panel - 16 x 12" - sold

Wednesday 12th November 2008 - Kaitlin

Kaitlin - oil on canvas - 20 x16" - $1,175

Tuesday 11th November 2008 - Taos Teepee

I had a painting date with Shari and we talked on the phone in the morning and we had both had the idea of painting the mountain and laughed that the mountain was calling us. We arranged to meet by the Overland Sheepskin Ranch where they have great views of the mountain and right next to the sushi place for lunch. I made a couple of calls and both Jane and Lina joined us, so we were a busy little group of artists and a fun lunch party too.

Since the last time I painted there, they have put up this teepee so I decided to make it central to my composition, with the snow on the mountains and the grazing buffalo in the mid ground. I have never painted a teepee before and I found it great fun.


The Teepee and the Mountain - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $750

Monday 10th November 2008 - Fall Colours on the Rio Grande

Another chilly day in Taos, working in the gallery. I painted this one from a photo I took of the Rio Grande, a little south of Pilar.

I had an interesting conversation with a good friend and fellow artist, Rich Nichols. I had noticed that I paint differently when I'm in the gallery. Something to do with being interrupted and strangely I find it easier to focus on smaller details than when I am solely focussed on painting or out painting Plein Aire. I enjoyed painting in details like the rocks in the river and their reflections and the bushes and grasses by the water, whereas when I get into my usual painting flow, it's more about broad strokes. Rich said he paints the same way and usually does 80% of his paintings plein aire and then does the finishing in his studio in the gallery. I find this kind of thing fascinating.

Fall Colours on the Rio Grande - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas panel - sold

Saturday 8th November 2008 - Martha

This week's model at our regular portrait group was Martha, who was a delight to paint!

Martha - oil on canvas panel - 16 x 12" - sold

Thursday 6th November 2008 - more California!

Another California beach painting. I'm really enjoying painting these beach and ocean views, particularly all the greens and blues in the ocean, makes a great change from mountains and sagebrush.

California Coastline - 12 x 16 - oil on canvas - $750

Wednesday 5th November 2008 - Allessandra

A second week with the lovely Allessandra. I was very pleased with the one I did last week and it's already framed and in the gallery. What a great model, or maybe she just inspires me because I was happy with this one too.

Alison - 20 x 16" - oil on canvas - $1,175

Tuesday 4th November 2008 - California

Election Day and the unseasonably warm and sunny weather came to an end and it looked grim and rainy on the Plaza as I was on duty at the gallery, the few visitors coming in to get out of the rain. I really enjoyed painting this sunny beach scene from my trip to California, especially the blues and greens in the sea.

California Coastline - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas - $750

Saturday 1st November 2008 - Portrait of George Chacon

George is a friend and fellow artist and fellow member of the Taos Society of Portrait Artists. When the model didn't show up at Saturday's session he volunteered to sit for us.

It is so interesting to paint or draw someone who's face I know well because you see so much more than usual and there are so many surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed painting George.

Portrait of George Chacon - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - not for sale

Friday 31st October 2008 - Hallowe'en

I spent the day in the gallery and enjoyed doing this little painting from one of my photos of the California coastline from my recent trip. In the afternoon I got dressed up for Hallowe'en and had many many local children come trick or treating to the gallery, it was a lot of fun.

Big Sur Sunset - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $395

Thursday October 30th 2008 - Ray's

I brought one of my California photos to work from to today's group. This one is of a beach in Big Sur coming up to sunset.

Big Sur Sunset - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $295

Wednesday 29th October 2008 - Melissa's

Another new model. I particularly liked the upsweep of her hair, it reminded me of an Edwardian lady. This is one of my favourite paintings I've done in a while.

Lady - 20 x 16" - oil on canvas- $1,175

Saturday 25th October 2008 - Osho

After 2 weeks of camping it was great to get back to my nice, comfy bed! Osho was the model and the last painting I did of her (in a blue hat) is one of the most popular paintings on my fineartamerica web page. I thought this one of her came out rather well.

Osho - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Thursday 9th -23rd October - California!

After all the hard work of Fall Arts, when my good friend Heidi said she was taking a road trip out to California I asked if I could come too. She tied her sea kayak to the rood of the car and I brought my paints and my portfolio too on the off chance I found a gallery I liked out there.

In the end I only did this one painting and a few sketches, I found that without my usual routine of plenty of rest and good breakfast etc before I paint, I wasn't firing on all cylinders. Not to mention all the drinking we were doing down there at sea level!

The Beach at Carmel - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $395

Wendnesday 8th October 2008 - Melissa's group

A second week on this pose and I was glad to get it finished

Pigtails - 20 x 16" - oil on canvas - $1,175

Tuesday 7th October 2008 - Golden trees

Jane and I went plein aire painting near a friend's house in Valle Escondido as she had told us that the trees next to the pond were in full autumn colour. We ran out of time so this one is so far unfinished.

Valle Escondido - 20 x 20" - oil on canvas - unfinished

Thursday 2nd October 2008 - Ray's

Finally finished this one of the Grand Canyon after 3 sessions on it at Ray's class. I took this photo a while ago while travelling in Arizona. I think I'll start a smaller piece next time...

Grand Canyon - 24 x 30" - oil on canvas - $1,750

Wednesday 1st October 2008 - Melissa's

A new model this week and a great change to paint the different skin tones, lots of peach and pink with red hair. I'll finish this one off next week.

20 x 16" - oil on canvas - unfinished

Taos Fall Arts Festival

Not so much time for actually painting when Fall Arts comes around! Framing and picking things up and dropping paintings off and getting the house ready for the Open Studio Tour and then it was 4 openings in 2 nights, the Quickdraw TCA Fundraiser and a Sunday night gig as well as my studio being open to the public all day Saturday and Sunday.

I painted this portrait of Obama at the Quickdraw event, 40 or so local artists have a morning to create a piece of artwork and at 1PM we put down our brushes wherever we are in the piece and then it is auctioned off, still wet, for charity.

Obama - 20 x 20" - oil on canvas - SOLD

Wednesday 24th September 2008 - Melissa's

The second week of this pose with the lovely Nina. I did a little more work on the one I started last week and then did this smaller sketch from a different angle. A good day's work!



Longing - 16 x 20" - $975
Longing II - 12 x 16" - $575

Friday 19th September 2008 - Taos Ski Valley

Shari and I took a drive up t the ski valley to see if we could find some aspen trees with Fall colours. They are only just starting to turn, little patches of bright yellow here and there. We found a shady spot to paint in but got quite cold when the sun went behind a cloud and then too hot when it came out again - these high altitudes!



Taos Ski Valley - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Thursday 18th September 2008 - Grand Canyon

I saw a painting of the Grand Canyon this week with lots of juicy mauves in the distance and found a photo I took at the Grand Canyon a while ago and decided to work on this in Ray's class this week. I also took it in with me for while I was on duty in the gallery this Saturday and did a little work on it. It still needs a lot more work.

Grand Canyon - oil on canvas - 24 x 30" - unfinished

Wednesday 17th September 2008 - Nina

Nina is such a lovely model!

The day before I was on duty, manning the gallery, and I brought along a book by Richard Schmidt and his painting techniques for the figure. It was very interesting and he gets some very unusual effects. I let what I had read influence me in this painting and started with a darker and looser under-painting for texture and depth to make the skin tones glow against the background.

I was pleased with the way this one came out and will experiment with these new ideas some more.

Longing - 16 x 20" - oil on canvas - $1,175

Saturday 13th September 2008 -

This model is a neighbour of one of our regular painters and stood in at the last minute when the booked model cancelled. I was re-using a canvas board, painting over another picture that hadn't come out so well. I had only sanded down the surface to make it smooth but not put a coat of primer on it so that the old painting showed still. It gave an interesting, mottled effect in the background that I enhanced a little rather than covered over.

Portrait in Pink - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Thursday 11th September 2008 - Misty Gorge

I painted this one over 2 sessions at Ray's class. I originally did a small painting of 8 x 10" on the day I took the photo. This piece sold in a fundraiser at the Country Club last year. I thought a larger sized piece would work quite well - not as big as the 30 x 40 Elk at Maroon Bells but still larger than I usually paint landscapes.

I really enjoyed the colour mixing for the gorge and sky in the distance. I told Ray that I was going to paint the sky a shade of orange and he fought me all the way but when it was done he agreed with me that it worked.

Misty Gorge - 24 x 30" - oil on canvas - sold

Wednesday 10th September 2008 - Lesley

Lesley modelled for us this Wednesday. It was a lovely session, all women artists for some reason. We put on nice music as we were painting and sculpting and sang along.

The next day I got a phone call from Lesley saying that she wanted to buy it. It had turned out well and it was a good likeness and I was delighted to sell it to her.

Lesley - oil on canvas panel - 10 x 8" - SOLD

Tuesday 9th September 2008 - a Field of Sunflowers

It was a glorious day! A whole bunch of us painters gathered in the field of sunflowers to paint - Barbara Bartels, Ken Daggett, Kemper Coley, Michelle Chrisman, Shari and I. It would have been hard not to be cheerful with such glorious yellow shining out at me.


A Field of Sunflowers - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Saturday 6th September 2008 - Tony

Tony was the model for this Saturday's group. Although it is a reasonable likeness, it is not the favourite painting I've done recently - something to do with the hangover I had that morning?

sold

Thursday 4th September 2008 - Ray's Class

see next Thursday's entry for the painting I started in Ray's class this week

Satruday 30th August 2008 - Ewan

Ewan is Rosa's brother and the son of a good friend of mine. I think he was envious of his big sister earning the model fee and was eager to have a go at modelling himself. he did a great job and held very still.

Ewan - oil on canvas panel - 16 x 12" - sold

Friday 29th August 2008 - Hollyhocks at the Blumenschein

I met up with Michelle and a painter friend of hers from Santa Fe and we painted the flowers at the Blumenschein Home and Museum.

I did one like this a few weeks ago and it sold very quickly - the hollyhocks and adobe theme is quite popular.

Hollyhocks at the Blumenschein - 9 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $475

Thursday 28th August 2008 - Ray's Class

I liked this portrait of Ruben that I did a couple of weeks ago but I felt it could be better, so I took it to Ray's class to see what his feedback would be. He told me the background colour was too close to the colour of the face, so I changed it to the dark blue grey and I think it works very well. I had noticed that the forearm wasn't quite long enough to be in proportion so I changed that too. A couple more little details and i think the painting is much better for it.


Portrait of Ruben Machado - 20 x 16" - oil on canvas - $1,175