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