8 x 10" paintings - portraits

8 x 10" paintings - landscapes

another catch up blogging session

dear blog followers,

I've been in a strange space with my painting recently, not my usual self. I apologise for not keeping up to date with the blog. I have mostly been painting very small canvasses, 8 x 10", smaller projects, and working on my paint application and light effects. I love to get your feedback!

many thanks,

Elizabeth

landscapes

figurative paintings

there are a few more that I haven't photographed and photoshopped yet.

the angel series

apologies

dear blog followers,

I apologise for the long gap between postings - the longer the gap, the harder it is to break it. I'll post a digest of the last few months and then hope to get back into a good routine once I'm back up to date.

Thanking you for your patience!

Elizabeth

Saturday 25th July 2009 - Habitat for Humanity fundraiser

A busy day for me! First the portrait group in the morning where we were painting the lovely Paula from Brazil, and then the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser event all afternoon - that's a lot of painting!



Here I am in my little booth with my angel painting.



My friend that took the photo said that with the light behind me I look as though I have a halo too!
Paula - oil on canvas - 16 x 12" - $750
The Angle Gabriel - 30 x 30" - oil on gallery wrap canvas - unfinished

Friday 24th July 2009 - Radio show

I was showing my paintings on the radio again! That amuses me mightily! So I take the painting into the studio and we discuss it on the air. I brought in my second angel painting that I'm still working on. We were promoting the Habitat for Humanity fund-raising event that was to take place the next day.

Saturday 18th July 2009 - Genevieve

The Saturday Portrait Group and this week the model was Genevieve. I particularly liked her dramatic colouring and her bold jewellery.

Genevieve - oil on canvas - 14 x 11" -$595

Friday 17th July 2009 - Angel

Big changes going on for me at the moment. I've been thinking about painting angels for quite some time now but not knowing exactly where to start. I'm pretty sure it was connected to the massive cleanse I started, cleaning up my act so to speak, but the ideas about angel paintings got stronger until I just had to start.

It's a different way of working for me, slower and more deliberate and lots of checking in with myself about what it is exactly that I am aiming to express and achieve with each painting. This goes beyond capturing a light effect on a landscape or a likeness in a portrait.

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

Saturday 11th July 2009 - Rosa

Rosa is the daughter of a friend, rapidly turning into a young woman.

Rosa - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - SOLD

Thursday 2nd July 2009

I finished this one off in the studio. If you'd like to compare it to the earlier photo, you'll find that I sharpened up the values by lightening the sky and the road/paving, took out the blue gate which wasn't adding anything, warmed up the shadows under the portale of the shops behind and brightened up the flowers.

Hollyhocks at Caffe Tazza - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $750

Tuesday 30th June 2009 - Hollyhocks at Caffe Tazza

Jane and I walked around looking for the perfect painting spot for the wonderful hollyhocks that are blooming all over Taos but ended up in our favourite spot at the Caffe Tazza - the other places were either too close to traffic or too exposed - easy to get sunburn this time of year at this altitude. I finished this one off later in the studio.

Hollyhocks at Caffe Tazza - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $395

Monday 29th June 2009 - Lush Green in the Gorge

A big group of painters got together at an overlook of the gorge I hadn't been to before. Clarence Medina, Kemper Coley, Michelle Chrisman, Sheila O'Malley along with my regular painting buddies Shari Kestenbaum-Ubeschell and Jane Grover.

The gorge looked so green after all the rain we've been having. I found a shady spot by a tree but packed up earlier than I might have when nasty biting insects appeared - my goodness those bites were itchy in the following days!

Here is a photo of the lovely Shari that I took that day



Lush Green in the Gorge - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel - $395

Saturday 27th June 2009 - Jennifer

Jennifer is a singer songwriter, so I asked her to come dressed for the portrait in her musician image, posed her as though she were taking a break from singing, relaxed and casual. I was very happy with the way this one came out.



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

Friday 26th June 2009 - Hollyhocks at Caffe Tazza

I love "hollyhock season" here in Taos, they are such glorious flowers.

Hollyhocks at Caffe Tazza - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Thursday 25th June 2009 - Aspen Summer

I went looking for gallery representation in Aspen last week while I was there for the Jazz festival, a couple of galleries have shown interest, so watch this space for news on that one. I took a photograph up the main street to capture the shadows of the trees over the grassy summer ski runs behind the Victorian style shops, a great scene.

Aspen Summer - 8 x 10" = oil on canvas panel - $395

Saturday 13th June 2009 - The Pink Parasol

Another day of painting in the Blumenschein garden. This time the model was Kafire.

The Pink Parasol - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Thursday 11th June 2009 - Ray's Group

The finished Taos Pueblo painting! I went to the Memorial Day celebrations at the Pueblo with my friend Tony who was visiting from London. There were various speeches and a 21 gun salute followed by a feast to which we were invited. It was quite a special day. I was also allowed to take photographs, which is not always the case, so I took dozens to do paintings from.



Taos Pueblo - 10 x 30" - oil on canvas - $975
Pueblo Scene - 12 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $575

Wednesday 10th June 2009 - The Twist

And here is the finished painting.

The Twist - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Sunday 7th June 2009 - Irises at the Blumenschein

Another day of painting at the Blumenschein opening weekend. This time I chose a shady spot under the portal - I had to sleep off mild sunstroke after painting out in the courtyard the day before. Lots of painters showed up so it was a sociable day.

Irises at the Blumenschein - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Saturday 6th June 2009 - Go-go Boots in the Garden

It was the day of the Summer of Love Parade and the Opening weekend of the Blumenschein Home Museum, where we were painting in the courtyard and enjoying the flowers. Our lovely model, Jen, got into the summer of love spirit in this groovy outfit and we listened to hits from 1969 as we painted, good fun!

Go-go Boots in the Garden - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas panel - $750

Friday 5th June 2009 - A Grey Day in Pilar

Jane, Shari and another painting buddy, Marian Jackson, went to Pilar looking for ruins to paint for a local art event. In the end I chose to paint this overlook instead. The relative cool of the day made a nice change as it has been getting quite hot. The downside was that we were bitten my mosquitos.

I will be entering this painting in the local fundraiser for the Fechin House Art Museum event called "Russian Nights" where it will be auctioned off for charity.

A Grey Day in Pilar - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas panel -

Thursday 4th June 2009 - Ray's Group

I started the Taos Pueblo painting this week, the photo will be posted when it is finished.

Friday 29th May 2009 - Bent Street Bench

I met up with Jane and Shari and another painting buddy, Michelle Chrisman, at Bent Street where the flowers were looking lovely.

Bent Street Bench - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas - $750

Wedensday 27th May 2009 - Melissa's Group

I painted this one in one session at Melissa's group. You can see the finished painting further up the blog.

The Twist - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas panel - unfinished

Friday 21st May 2009 - Dancing Tree

My goodness this painting has taken me a long time! I like to get a painting finished in one or two sessions so that my energy stays fresh and this one took at least four sessions on it and much looking at it in between. I was determined to make it work! I finally got it to a place where I was happy with it on Friday.

Dancing Tree - 24 x 30" - oil on canvas - $1,750

Wednesday 20th May 2009 - Irises at Cafe Renato

The lilacs are already over and the irises are coming into full bloom. These ones outside Cafe Renato are just gorgeous.

Irises at Cafe Renato - oil on canvas panel - 12 x 16" - $750

Saturday 16th May 2009 - Portrait Group

I really enjoyed the unusual contours of this young man's face, the chiselled jaw and cheekbones. I had fun with the colour as well.



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

Friday 15th May 2009 - Lilacs on Ledoux Street

A gorgeous day out painting with Shari and Jane, enjoying the colours of Spring.

Lilacs on Ledoux Street - 11 x 14" - oil on canvas panel - $595

Wednesday 13th may 2009 Lilacs at the Couse House

The Lilacs have been amazing this year, must have been the wet winter and the warm Spring. Shari and I painted these lovely lilac bushes at the Couse House on a glorious Spring morning.

Lilacs at the Couse House - 14 x 18" - oil on canvas - $625

Monday 11th May 2009 - Hacienda del Sol

A new home for my paintings!

Some good friends of mine, Reg and Dale, have taken over the running of a luxury B & B here in Taos and invited me to hang some of my paintings in their communal areas. This is me with Reg and my recently reworked truck painting.

It truly is a lovely place with south-west style interiors and great gardens with views of Taos mountain. They also invited me and my artist friends to come paint in their gardens.

"One of the 10 most Romantic Inns in the U.S." - USA Today

www.taoshaciendadelsol.com

Friday 8th May 2009 - Gorge

On duty in the gallery and worked on this one during the day. Shari showed Jane and I this spot on the gorge north of Hondo, some way down a dirt road that you wouldn't find unless you were really looking for it. We took photos that day but it was too windy to paint.

After doing those big views on tiny canvasses, it was nice to spread out on this larger canvas. As the day wore on I realised that the cold I've been trying to kick for weeks really hadn't gone and I felt really quite ill and spent the whole weekend resting. I look forward to working on this one some more when I'm fully recovered.

Gorge Tree - 24 x30 - oil on canvas - unfinished.