Solar Fest day 2

I completely overdid it on Friday, 4 paintings in one afternoon! I decided to take it little slower today and just did the 2 paintings. I was exhausted by 6PM and went home for a quiet evening, saving some energy for the last day.

Solar fest paintings, 10 x 8" - oil on panel - $295

Solar Fest!

My 3rd year as an invited artist at Solar Fest. I started off with this little sketch of the first festival goers setting up their chairs in the shade with the teepees for the bands in the background - I painted out all the security fences.

This year the artists have podiums either side of the stage - I felt a bit like a go-go dancer up there! I sketched this one of Sharon Gilchrist and her band.

Hal Ketchum was probably my favourite band of the day, great band, strong songs and Hal is a really good singer.

I was still up there painting on my podium as the sun went down - a beautiful Taos sunset. I didn't get too far with this one od the Bodeans as the light got too dim to really see.


Taos Solar Fest oil sketches - oil on canvas - 8 x 10" - $295 each

Thursday 26th June 2008 - Ray's class

Another hard morning's painting - Ray likes to work us! I finished off the Maroon Bells painting and was very happy with the way it turned out. I'm planning to do a larger version - 30 x 40"

On Tuesday I went with Tara and her husband David to Ojo Caliente for a soak in the hot mineral springs and we really did mean to paint on the way home but we were just too relaxed! We took a number of pictures of the views coming back and I did the painting above from one of these. This is the road back from Ojo via Pilar where you take a dirt road steeply down into the Gorge - a little scary!



Late Afternoon Gorge - oil on canvas - 11 x 14" - $475
Maroon Bells - oil on canvas - 12 x 16" - $575

Wednesday 25th June 2008 - Orlando

Orlando's last session in this pose but I was ready to start another painting. I enjoyed having an overall sketchy feeling this time, only getting a more finished look on the head.

Orlando - oil on canvas - 20 x 16 - $1,175

Friday 20th June 2008 - Maroon Bells

After Ray's class on Thursday, I drove up to Colorado to catch the Aspen Jazz Festival. On the Friday I went to paint Maroon Bells nearby. I didn't realise that in high season there is a bus service so I had to carry my easel and paints onto the bus and then pack up way before I was finished to catch the last bus back or be stranded overnight. I only got about one and a quarter hours painting done in that time.

This photo was taken by somebody out for the afternoon hiking and he kindly sent it to me. The finished piece will be appearing later in the blog.

Thursday 19th Jume - Ray's class

Another Thursday of hard painting. It is wonderful to have the guidance and feedback of such a master and I think the results are showing in my painting already. I certainly hear his voice in my head now as I'm painting.



I did these 2 paintings from photographs I took while out on a hike with my friend Isabelle last weekend.

Shady Path - 14 x 11" - oil on canvas - $575
Curious calf - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas - $395

Wednesday 18th June 2008 - Orlando

Orlando is such a joy to paint! The sweetest man you could imagine as well as having a great physique. Since he started modelling for us he has been taking qualifications to guide river kayaking/rafting trips and we have been watching as his muscles change shape a little each time.

Orlando - oil on canvas - 30 x 15" - $1,350

Saturday 14th June 2008 - Zoe

A lovely morning's painting in the courtyard of Cafe Loka, spoiled a little by my having a bit of a hangover!

Zoe - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $575

Friday 13th June 2008 - Truck

Not an unlucky day at all as it turned out. I met up with a newer friend and painting buddy, Tara Wheeler and we painted the truck and the mountains from behind the Overland Sheepskin Ranch, north of Taos and had lunch at the Sushi place afterwards.



I played God and moved the wildflowers several feet to the left so they would fit into the canvas. It was also the first time I'd ever painted cows, they are the brown spots to the right of the painting.

Taos Mountain and the Truck - 15 x 30" - oil on canvas - $1,350

Thursday 12th June 2008 - Ray Vinella's class

My third class with Ray Vinella. I took these photographs over the weekend on my trip to Colorado; the evening sun on the mountains behind the big stage for the chilli cook-off and beer fest in Snowmass Village and the aspens taken from Independence Pass.

I'm really enjoying the class and I'm happy with the results so far. Ray really is a great teacher and we also have a lot of fun.

Evening light at Snowmass Village - oil on canvas - 10 x 20" - $600

Aspens from Independence Pass - oil on canvas - 14 x 11" - $475

Wednesday 11th June 2008 - Genevieve

Orlando will be back in a week for his second session on last Wednesday's pose and Genevieve came just for the week. She comes from a French family and gpent part of her childhood growing up in France as well as California. I really enjoyed painting her because she looked so very French to me.



Genevieve - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $575

Art in Action!

My friend Pamela sent me this photo yesterday.



I had painted Eden last summer in the portrait group on a Saturday. We were painting outside in the Fechin garden and I felt that the painting came out rather well. Pamela saw the painting at my house and since she is good friends with Eden and her mother Laura, she bought the painting and held onto it for quite a while to give it to her at her graduation just a couple of weeks ago. looks like it gave her quite a surprise!

It is lovely to have my paintings go off into their new lives, to be enjoyed and treasured.

Thursday 5th June 2008 - Ray Vinella's class

I went to a talk by Ray Vinella a couple of weeks ago that really inspired me and joined his Thursday class last week. I didn't much like what I did last week and didn't post it on my blog, but I was much happeir with what I did this week.



I was aiming for atmospheric perspective on this study of the Taos Pueblo, a sense of form and distance.

Taos Pueblo - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas - $295



I painted Adeline in this pose last summer and it didn't come out very well but I kept the photograph and had another go at it today.

Adeline in her braid wraps - 14 x 11" - oil on canvas - $475

Wednesday 4th June 2008 - Orlando

I painted a portrait of Orlando last year, really interesting man, jewelry designer. He made a wonderful figure model this week. I'll finish this one off next time.



Orlando - 30 x 15" - oil on canvas - unfinished

Tuesday 3rd June 2008 - Irises in Paule's Garden

I painted this spot this time last year and Paule said she would invite us over to paint when the Irises were in bloom again, they look so pretty reflected in the water. The painting I did of this last year sold quickly and i got many calls and e-mails about it afterwards.



It was a hot day, Jane, Peggy, Michelle and Shari had the right idea and chose shady spots to paint in. Talk about mad dogs and englishmen - I stood in full sun to get the view i wanted and even with sunblock got a little sunburned. I did the smaller painting afterwards from under a tree.



An Englishwoman's garden in Taos - 20 x 20" - oil on canvas - $1,200
Reflections of Irises -8 x 10" - oil on canvas - $295

Monday 2nd June 2008 - studio

I finally got around to finishing off this painting of Robin that I started a couple of months ago!



Her outfit was what she would wear to a ceremonial dance, so I painted in the Pueblo behind her, trying to capture the feel of a sunset.

Waiting for the Dance - 20 x 16" - oil on canvas - $975

Saturday 31st May 2008 - Rita

This saturday we had Rita modelling for us. I really enjoyed trying to get the transparency of her beaded shirt. With her hair piled up and the strong colouring, it reminded me of a Manet paintings and I darkened the background to emphasis that effect.



Rita - oil on canvas - 16 x 12" - $575

Friday 30th May 2008 - The River at Pilar

I met up with Lina, Shari and Michelle to paint this spot in Pilar overlooking the Rio Grande River. I particularly enjoyed painting the trees and the reflections in the river.



The River at Pilar - 20 x 20" - oil on canvas - $1,200

Wednesday 28th May 2008 - Danea again

A second session with Danea in this lovely pose. She is 8 months pregnant and told me she felt quite blissed out on all the hormones. The baby was quite active while she was posing and moved around visibly in her bump.



I went to Danea's baby shower on the following Sunday. Danea is a wonderful massage therapist and all the other guests were also masseurs except for myself and another artist. We performed a moving ceremony where we put ourselves into the role of fairy godmothers and picked out beads to create a necklace for Danea to wear or have close by for the birthing. We each gave our individual blessings as we strung the beads. Very Taos!

Danea, 8 months and counting - 22 x 30" - oil on canvas - $1,750

Tuesday 27th May 2008 - Palette Knife Experiment

I went to a couple of art talks on Monday and came away really inspired to push myself a little harder with the painting. In the middle of the night I woke up and found myself wanting to try to paint in the style of my good friend Michelle Chrisman, whose work is very different from mine. She starts with a bright undercoat and then uses a palette knife to apply the paint in thick squishy bright colours - what I call lickable paint.



It was really fun to paint in a completely different way and i felt that I learned something from going out on a limb like this.

Gorge - 12 x 12" - oil on canvas - make me an offer if you're interested!