Busy Beginning of Spring 2016

I've had a busy beginning of Spring 2016 and happy to say that after my husband and I being sick for about a month beginning around Christmas time last year and then losses of dear friends and family it's good to be in the season of renewal and new beginnings.

Since my last post I finished my original oil painting "Birds of a Feather" on 10"x8" canvas shown to the left. I actually started the painting and was hoping to have it ready for opening and show with bird paintings and jewelry for the month of March at Essence Gallery and Boutique though missed the deadline for that. This week is the last week for the show at the gallery in Old Town Albuquerque, if you get a chance to stop in and check it out I would encourage you to do so. There will be an opening for a new show in April for the works of Fermin Hernandez April 1st from 5-9pm with the show continuing through April 30th.

My husband installed new shelving in my art studio for me and I
began the process of cleaning and reorganizing along with my receiving art supplies I'd ordered from Dick Blick Art Materials. Here are some photos of part of our reorganizing. We are hoping to install new floor covering and paint sometime this summer also.

March 12th I began a little study series of this special little teapot
that I received from my dear friend who lost her mother in January. The photo to the left is the beginning and to the right is the finished watercolor and acrylic painting on 5.5"x8.5" sketch paper finished March 15th.

Next painting was for Challenge 4 of "Let's Paint New Mexico"
2016. First to the left is the photo that was sent to me by LPNM and to the right is my oil painting rendition and interpretation of that photo. I have to say I was not thrilled when I got the photo and thought of skipping this challenge, then reminded myself of my commitment to paint every challenge. I titled this "Modern Abstract Floral" and it is on 8"x10" canvas (7/8" profile) and available for purchase directly from me (contact me via email if interested).

Just last week my husband and I made a surprise visit to my mom in Oklahoma just before Easter and here are some of the things we saw on our trip.

We enjoyed a wonderful day Easter Sunday with dear friends who have become our adopted family here in New Mexico in Corrales.

Coming up later this week will be the opening of the #TwitterArtExhibit at Trygve Lie Gallery in New York City 31 March 2016 from 6-8:30 pm. The exhibit and show run through 21 April 2016 if you're not able to make it to the opening. This year they surpassed their wildest dreams and have postcards from artists around the world available for purchase for $35 with 100% of the funds benefiting Foster Pride NYC (a very worthwhile charity for foster children).

Yesterday we also put out our hummingbird feeders and outdoor furniture in welcoming spring in New Mexico. As is typical of New Mexico springtime we are also preparing for blowing dirt and dust with high wind speeds. Until my next update I thank you for your interest in my art and for visiting my art blog. Please come back again and my website at www.neelygomez.com is now working again also.

Feels Like Spring and "Let's Paint New Mexico 2016" Challenge 3

To the right is my oil painting submission "Hovering Beauty" for challenge three of "Let's Paint New Mexico 2016" on 10"x8" canvas. Due to many newer participants in our "Let's Paint New Mexico" group the administrator decided to continue sending us photos for each of us to paint our rendition in whatever medium we choose though we will not be held to a deadline.

It has been warmer the past month and definitely the trees and birds think that spring have arrived. Here is a photo of our resident hawk who now visits daily along with many other birds.

I'm happy that my painting "Stormy Sunset" sold from Essence Gallery and Boutique in Old Town the beginning of February to a woman from California. I also sold my painting"Sandia Sunset" to a dear friend who has already placed it in a place of honor in her home.

I just received an art supply order from Dick Blick yesterday and today began reorganizing and cleaning my art studio. We bought some shelving and my husband installed some new shelves yesterday also. Today I enjoyed restocking my books and inspirational artwork and gifts, etc. onto those shelves.
Here is a photo of my inspiration wall and book shelves. Hopefully this summer we can paint with a beautiful light umber color as I fell in love with I.E. Couse's studio wall color in Taos, NM when we toured there a little over a year ago.

If you are local to the area or will be in town please drop by Essence Gallery and Boutique in Old Town Albuquerque for their show which opens tonight "Feathered Friends". Various artists will be exhibiting paintings of various birds through the month of March.

The #twitterartexhibit will open this year in New York City March 31st 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Trygve Lie Gallery, 317 E. 52nd Street, New York, 10022. The show runs March 31st through April 21st. All postcard submissions will be sold for $35 each with 100% of the proceeds going to a chosen charity. This year that charity will be "Foster Pride" and their "HandMade" program, in which young women in foster care learn to create and market a unique line of crocheted goods.  It is always my honor and privilege to participate in the Twitter Art Exhibity and I am exceedingly happy to hear this year they have exceeded their expectations already receiving 1,000 registered making submissions.

#24 Through #30 Challenge "30 Paintings in 30 Days" and Lessons Learned

#24 was actually my Challenge 2 painting for "Let's Paint New Mexico" that I thought I would also use as a challenge painting for my 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. A photo was sent to all participating artists for LPNM and we paint our own rendition in whatever medium we choose in our own style of painting for each challenge painting. I painted this very late at night as I was staying up painting most of the nights towards the end of my 30 paintings challenge. That morning I visited my dear friend and we went for a walk in the Bosque. Sandhill Cranes were at her house when I arrived that morning and surprisingly as I got out of my car started walking toward and up to me. Usually they go the other direction. I was able to take quite a few photos of them. I decided to distinguish my own LPNM challenge painting from the others I would add some cranes to this painting. This painting "Bosque Cranes" on 10'x8" canvas is typical of this area because of the cranes wintering here in the fields and Bosque. This painting is now framed and available for purchase at Essence Gallery and Boutique in Old Town Albuquerque.

#25 "Sunlit Canyon" an original oil painting on 10"x8" canvas was something that came straight from my mind. As I was painting these challenge paintings I realized I was putting immense pressure on myself to paint quickly to be able to finish the challenge on time. In the midst of that pressure I realized how much respect and appreciation I have for artists who can paint fast and produce many paintings though for me when I do that my paintings sometimes lack the quality and inspiration my paintings do where I take my time. This painting was done as well as #24 posted above after I took some time for myself, did some journeling, meditation and prayer.

#26 "Highway 4 Jemez" is my original abstract on 8"x10" canvas. By the time I was to this part of these challenge paintings I have to say that I was very aware that rushing myself while painting is not conducive to my own good health, creativity and serenity. I just wanted to catch up and finish the challenge.

#27 above and to the right is a watercolor on 6"x4" watercolor postcard which I have not titled yet. I was hurrying and trying to catch up as I did this little painting.

#28 to the left started out as a watercolor. As I painted this I was not happy with parts of it and decided to use acrylic. At one point it seemed to be finished and I added the gold pen embellishment. As happens at times, the perfectionist artist in me came out and I kept trying to "fix" the facial features. I know that watercolor is not forgiving or easy to go back and fix though being rushed and feeling pressured I wasn't about to start over on something else. So ... the lesson in this little painting "50's Dancer" on 6"x4" watercolor postcard was "leave it alone and step away from the painting" (which I obviously didn't do, but what a great lesson it was).

#29 "Hollyhocks of New Mexico" watercolor, acrylic and pen and ink on 6"x4" postcard was inspired by the photo for a challenge painting by LPNM that I wanted to try in a different medium. To be honest with you I was so very tired, almost to the point of exhaustion by the time I finished this painting I was happy that it turned out as well as it did.

#30 A watercolor, acrylic painting detailed with pen and ink on 6"x4" watercolor postcard was inspired by a hanging plant in my backyard and my final painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge".

I challenged myself doing these paintings. Some paintings turned out very nicely and others were ones I hesitated to even post. It was a challenge, a personal challenge for me. Perhaps had I been able to paint one painting a day I would have made this challenge much easier on myself. Life happens, I had many obstacles after deciding to do this challenge and losses of friends and family members. Painting so much helped me to release and express some of those feelings and that is always good. The lessons learned are that as an artist I don't need to "compete" with any other artist or try to paint like anyone else. I also don't need to paint quickly as it only stresses me out and the results lack the quality, inspiration and uniqueness that is ME. What a wonderful discovery to make. I am genuinely grateful and appreciate all my artist friends with their different styles of painting, unique obstacles and successes. I think before doing this challenge I may have been a bit envious of artists who can paint quickly and produce many paintings. What I now know about myself is that as I take my time and paint what I love I am using the talent my creator has given me and it is my PLEASURE to share it with others. I live and I learn. I hope to never stop learning and growing. Thank you for taking the time to read, comment and encourage me. I am forever grateful for all those positives in my life on my journey to becoming a better artist and person.

#13 through #23 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge Finished January 30th, 2016

#13 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge is an original oil painting on mini 4"x4" canvas which was inspired by a trip my husband and I took last year in our fifth wheel and while camping at Jemez Falls Campground we got a permit at the Valles Caldera to drive deep into the Valles. I believe it was the second day after opening up the Valles Caldera to the public. This RV trip turned out to be our last one in our fifth wheel as we sold it to a dear friend the last part of the year. I am always so inspired by the Valles Caldera and just loved this little cabin set in it. I know that the show Longmire was filmed in the Valles Caldera though not sure if this cabin was included in that filming.

The night that I was deciding what to paint for #14 of my 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge I realized I had gotten behind quite a few paintings and started feeling a bit pressured (by myself really) and if I was going to catch up I needed to have a strategy for doing that. So ... one of the challenge paintings from "Let's Paint New Mexico" I had done didn't seem quite finished to me. I decided to use pen and ink in finishing that off. Hence #14 to the right is the detailed pen and ink to finish "Folklorico Fun".

#15 was another original oil painting inspired by the Valles Caldera mentioned in the posting for #13 above. This was further into the Valles on our drive and this painting is on 10"x10" gallery wrapped canvas. I still have the sides to finish off and wire it before offering it for sale.

#16 was another "strategy" of mine in catching up and this one is another miniature painting, an original oil on 4"x4" canvas I decided to call "Mini Muted Experiment". Even though I was doing this quickly to catch up, when finished I really liked the flow of this little painting. I etched into part of it and that was what I considered to be, on my part, a bit experimental.

While in Old Town Albuquerque one day in the summer of 2015 I took a picture of some of the beautiful flowers there against a backdrop of dark dark bluish black and #17 is another miniature painting. It is an original oil painting on 4"x4" canvas. As I finished painting this one for my 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge and hadn't thought of a name for it I learned a dear cousin, Angela, was in the hospital. She messaged me that she just loved this little painting and thought a good title for it would be "My Secret Garden" and so that became the name of this painting.

#18 was painted thinking of my cousin, Angela, and is an original oil painting finished with gold pen embellishment on 8"x10" canvas "The Bright Spot in My Life". Since painting this I'm glad to say my cousin is home from the hospital and this painting due to arrive at her home this very day. I hope the reminder there is always a bright spot in our lives, even when things seem bleak or overwhelming, will help to also know others have experienced huge obstacles and moved through and past them. You just never know what is around the very next corner in life. I'm very grateful to have the family and friends, as well as rock in my life, God, to remind ME of the places I've been and obstacles overcoming in having the wonderfully positive, blessed and creative life I do today.

#19 is another inspired original oil painting on 10"x10" gallery wrapped canvas by the Valles Caldera in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. This was a different log cabin in a different area than the ones painted in previous challenge paintings.  The terrain in this painting was similar to #15 posted above. This painting remains untitled for now and also needs finishing by painting the edges and wiring it to make it available for purchase also.

#20 is an original oil painting on 10"x8" canvas "Light Mountain Hue". I think because of the tightness of my #19 painting I wanted to do a more abstract painting and looser when I started painting #20. This painting was inspired by the Sandia Mountains. I see these mountains all the time as they are the backdrop of my drive from my home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico south to Albuquerque.

Before going on to my next challenge painting, I decided I wanted to finish up my #9 painting "Couse's Back Studio, Taos" as the annual "Hearts and Stars" auction and benefit event was fast approaching and I wanted to send this to Rob Nightingale of Wilder Nightingale Fine Art Gallery in Taos in time for their event the beginning of February. So to the left is my finished painting. Because I am writing this update for my blog in hindsight, I realized after finishing this that their requirement was for 8"x10" or smaller painting and this one is 10"x10". I also learned that "Hearts and Stars" was cancelled due to Rob becoming very ill. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family and friends that he will recover.

#21 was another small original oil painting this time on 6.25"x4.75" canvas sheet "That Mountain Off Highway 550". I see this mountain all the time as we drive up Highway 550 from Bernalillo/Rio Rancho up toward the cutoff near the town of San Ysidro that takes you to the Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera.

I guess you've probably figured out that because I was still a bit behind my strategy in catching up was to paint small. So #22 is a small original acrylic painting with pen and ink embellishment on 6"x4" watercolor postcard "Take Time to Smell the Flowers". I actually thought the title was somewhat ironic as I was feeling so much pressure (from myself) to catch up and be able to finish this challenge and was becoming pretty stressed and felt rushed toward the end (smile). I love my "pink lemonade honeysuckle" in my backyard which did inspire this little painting.

#23 "Visions of Hollyhocks of Spring" is another original acrylic with pen and ink embellishment on 4"x6" watercolor postcard. We have had a wonderful wet, snowy and cold winter here in New Mexico, although by the time I was painting this near the end of January I wanted to find bright, warm and cheery things to paint. The last two posted challenge paintings are more in the style of painting I use to paint birdhouses and somewhat folk art type paintings on gifts I give to my dear friends.

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Catching Up

To the left is my original acrylic on 10"x10" gallery wrapped canvas I painted late into the night/early morning I titled "That Last Beautiful Sunrise" as I thought of my best friend's mom. She passed away peacefully that morning.  I'm so grateful for being able to go over to her house and make tamales with her and her family just before Christmas and before my husband and I got sick with colds. I will miss her though she left quite a legacy with her children and family. This was painting Number 5 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge I decided to do beginning in January. Different circumstances caused me to fall behind and so in catching up I will post the different entries up to this point today.

To the right is my original acrylic and watercolor painting Number 6 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days and also my #twitterartexhibit entry/submission "Welcome to New Mexico". The Twitter Art Exhibit is being held this year in the beginning of March in New York City. All artist participants submit an original postcard size piece of art, they are sold at $35 each with the proceeds going to a worthy local charity picked before the show. The Twitter Art Exhibit board and members are all voluntary workers with a love of art and in the spirit of generously supporting worthy charities needing financial help and support.

Number 7 of 30 Paintings in 30 days is my original oil painting "Deep Into the Canyon" on 8"x10" canvas. Thank you to my friend Angela for providing me the photo she took and gave me permission to use to do a painting. I'm very grateful to my friends and supporters who continue to encourage me and show up at events in supporting my art. She and her husband are also collectors of my artwork having purchased an oil painting displayed at Essence Gallery and Boutique in Old Town Albuquerque which had been painted as a challenge painting for "Let's Paint New Mexico" in 2015. They both love the Tierra Amarilla and Abiquiu area and I believe the photo was taken in one of those areas.

Number 8 painting is my original oil painting "From Sandia Pueblo" on 8"x10" canvas, shown to the right. Painting this was a bit different for me though I felt totally inspired by the pueblo and it's people. Interesting to me that the large Sandia Mountain in the background was painted in a very loose and impressionistic style yet the foreground was more detailed and sharpened. As I painted it I remembered going to "feast days" last year with two friends and the wonderful hospitality, cultural depth and beauty I felt. I enjoyed the "challenge" also of doing three paintings in one night to try and catch up and this was the second of three paintings done that night.

Next is my original oil painting on 10"x10" gallery wrapped canvas that is of yet unfinished though Number 9 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge "Couse's Back Studio, Taos" which may also be my submission and donation piece of art to be auctioned off at the Taos "Hearts and Stars" benefit to be held in March to benefit the Taos Men's Shelter hosted by Rob Nightingale of Wilder Nightingale Fine Art. My husband and I were blessed by our visit to the Couse-Sharp House in Taos a couple of years ago and a tour with Couse granddaughter, Virginia and her wonderful husband, Ernie who passed away late in 2015. It was indeed an enchanted weekend we enjoyed in Taos exploring galleries, home studios, Harwood Museum, meeting and interacting with people such as Ernie and Virginia and making it an "art experience".


Staying up late and trying to catch up recently I finished the next three paintings in one night.  The first one, Number 10 to the right, "Young and Pretty" is a mini acrylic painting with silver pen embellishment on a small 4"x4" canvas.

My original oil painting "Roses on Red" on 8"x8" gallery wrapped canvas is shown to the left and it is Number 11 of my 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge paintings.

The last one would be Number 11 and my original acrylic with pen and ink on 6"x4.5" canvas sheet painted gold "Corrales Gold". This catches me up to this morning with my 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. I'm planning on doing quite a lot of painting in the next couple days and have just received my newest 2nd challenge photo for "Let's Paint New Mexico 2016" and will probably include that as both my challenge for LPNM and my 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Funny how I thought I might slow things down in 2016 but I've actually revved them up (smile). Thank you for visiting and joining me on my artistic journey and for 2016!

"Classic Still in Teal"
oil on 8"x8" gallery wrapped canvas

To the left is the photo sent to me by "Let's Paint New Mexico" for
their first "challenge" of 2016. Each artist participating gets to choose how to interpret and translate their own artwork from this photo. I chose to paint fairly closely to the original an oil painting "Classic Still in Teal" on 8"x8" gallery wrapped canvas as my submission and have placed a photo to your right. This painting is available for purchase directly from me for $125 including shipping. Two more paintings (this I am counting as #4 of 30) and I will be caught up with the "30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge" I am also participating in with other artist friends.

Welcome 2016 - It is Going to be an Awesome Year - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Into the Sun"
20"x16" oil on canvas

"Abstract After Okeeffe"
oil on 10"x8" canvas

Starting out the New Year of 2016 both my husband and I were

"Snowy Wonderland"
mini oil on 4"x4"canvas

recovering from a cold we caught just before Christmas though are now feeling back to normal. We've had an abundance of wintry, very cold weather here in New Mexico with snow and ice and something not normal for this area ... freezing fog. I have grown to love the four seasons found in New Mexico and also love winter where most everything goes dormant and almost colorless. It's a good time for me to catch up, clean up, reorganize and think about future growth and expansion personally and as an artist. I decided to start out the New Year with a bang, so to speak, and am participating in the 30 paintings in 30 days which began January 1st along with many artist friends.  So here are my first three paintings for this New Year and January of 2016.

I am also participating in the new "challenges" for the "Let's Paint New Mexico" art group online and will be posting those possibly included in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

Updating from Placitas Holiday Faire and through Christmas and 2015

To the left are some of the paintings, prints, cards and other painted items I took to our weekend event at the Placitas Holiday Faire. My husband and I were there both Saturday and Sunday where he sold some of his handmade original crosses, metalwork and recycled plumbing lamps.  To the right is a picture of our table all set up. We enjoyed meeting other artists, vendors, made quite a few sales and saw some return customers as well as meeting new ones.

Next we got ready for the "Let's Paint New Mexico" & Jewelry Art Show at Essence Gallery and Boutique in Old Town Albuquerque.  I've been involved in LPNM for a few years, however, this was our first collective art show and it was wonderful to see the combined talent and art from so many members displayed together showing our different and unique interpretation of photos we were sent to create our art. Photos are my own three entries I entered in this show, none were "judged" though all were displayed and for sale. It was also an opportunity to meet so many artists that I had only had the pleasure of "meeting online" on Facebook mostly. My husband and I started out the evening of the opening reception with dinner at the famous Church Street Cafe just up the street from the gallery, making it into a "date night", which we haven't had for quite some time. Meeting the other artists was wonderful and people in Old Town to celebrate "Holiday Stroll" which was also that same time and night. We got to see the lighting of the Christmas tree in Old Town and the place was packed.  Really it was a very festive, beautiful although cold night filled with lots of beautiful art, jewelry, people and celebration.

Much thanks to Dee Sanchez, the administrator of "Let's Paint New Mexico" and Jillian Maresco, owner and manager of Essence Gallery and Boutique for pulling it all together and making it a wonderful show and experience for all of us. Thank you also to everyone who came, not only to the opening reception but also throughout the month of December to view, buy and admire the beautiful artwork.  This show runs through January 28th although will be closed for two weeks starting January 9th as the owner of the gallery celebrates her own wedding and honeymoon in grand style.

To close out 2015 I finished my Challenge F "Folklorico Fun" for "Let's Paint New Mexico" challenges for 2015.  Here is the photo of the final painting embellished with blank Sharpie pen, it is an oil painting on 8"x10" canvas.

We had a very wintry Christmas and into the New Year of 2016 and are
grateful for all of the opportunities and wonderful abundance we had in 2015. Both my husband and I caught colds just before Christmas and are just now feeling back to normal and are grateful plans we had before Christmas changed and we got to spend our time relaxing, resting and enjoying being home with not much hoopla for the holidays.