One Ongoing Project Finished - Moving On

So here are some pictures of the ongoing painting on a flowerpot I've been doing for awhile, finally finished.  I think it turned out nicely.

Alive & Well - R&R in our RV & Continuing Projects

Honestly, I have not vanished from the face of the earth though after a very busy time and finishing up some ongoing projects I took a brief absence of posting. Will try and catch you up with a few pictures.

First is a picture of a friend with his finished oil painting of the cranes from photos he'd taken at Bosque de Apache.  I'm so glad he liked it and continues to gift me with beautiful photos he's taken that are so inspiring to me.


Another friend gifted me with two beautiful handmade birdhouses and after thinking long and hard about it decided that rather than gift them to anyone else I have begun painting both to give back to her.

My husband and I took a few days to relax in the Jemez Mountains in our RV.  It was beautiful and we were pleased with afternoon monsoons and healing rains.  I did some painting while there.

"Tranquil Waters"

Coming home from RVing we thought our resident
hummingbirds had departed though after filling the two feeders in our backyard they returned as evidenced by this photo I took the other day.  The flower seed I scattered months ago is sprouting everywhere and I hope to have some beautiful pictures of that to post soon.  Life is good and New Mexico is always inspiring and beautiful for me.

Busy Past Few Days though Most Projects Now Finished

It has been busy the past few weeks though I'm happy to say I've now completed most of the projects I'd been working on. I finished painting three friendship recipe plaques and one has already been delivered to my dear friend. To the left is a picture of the three finished plaques.

Next I finished an oil painting of cranes for another friend but won't post pictures of that painting until after I give it to him and his wife. I hope they really like it, I painted from photos he'd taken at Bosque de Apache in southern New Mexico and rather than just copy I put together several photos into one composition.

front view

side view

Lastly I finished painting a birdhouse to be presented to a dear friend coming from AZ to participate in a local event as thanks for her generous sharing and will post pictures of the different sides of the birdhouse. I had already posted in an earlier post the other side that had an eagle painted so won't post a picture of that side again.

view of back

Two Paintings Finished Three Days Ago

I've been busy painting the past few days.

Three days ago I finished an original oil painting I'd started on a thrift store bought handmade gallery wrapped 10"x10" canvas. "Mountainside View" is shown in the photo at the left.  This painting will be donated for a raffle coming up soon.

I also picked up an oil painting I had done a couple of years ago and the photo at the right shows an abstract reworked and finished on 8"x10" canvas panel. I named this one "Fall Tree Blur".

Out of State Visitors and Continuing on a Few Projects

This morning we were blessed with an unusual sight of clouds rolling over and
enveloping the Sandia Mountains due to the return of our monsoons and much needed and appreciated rain to New Mexico.  Here's a picture I took this morning.

We had old friends visit and spend the night with us from out of state on Friday.  I worked with them at the U.S. Forest Service in Rimforest and the Arrowhead Ranger Station in the San Bernardino Mountains of California and hadn't seen them in 15 or more years.  They got a respite from the heat of Borrego Springs and we got to enjoy catching up and showing them a little of our area.

Here are some pictures of some of the artwork I've been working on with some ongoing projects.  I have a ways to go before I'm finished but am taking my time and enjoying the process.

Another Beautiful New Mexico Sunset Seen Last Night from Our Backyard

We have been blessed with much needed rain the past week or so and last night, as we sat in our backyard looking east, this is the beautiful sunset we saw.  Of course I had to go grab my camera and am so glad I did.

Once again we've had rain tonight, though lighter than it has been here in our neighborhood.  Santa Fe and the west side of Albuquerque are being pounded and having some flooding and though very grateful for much needed rain I hope that all traveling to and in the area especially in the afternoons keep an eye on the sky and the weather and stay safe.

Busy Painting and Planting and Excited to Have Out of State Friends

A couple of weeks ago my husband taped off a section of our back wall and
prepped it with white primer and last week I painted in the sky and background mountains with some foreground.  Here is a picture of it in process.

Yesterday I finished the wall painting, planted flowers
and added garden soil and compost to our garden.
I've planted wildflowers, butterfly and hummingbird flower seed and cosmos and they are just beginning to grow and bloom.  Here are pictures from yesterday after finishing.

This morning the white paint drips below the wall painting were driving the artist in me crazy so I got my brushes and paints out and painted over.  I actually pleasantly surprised myself at the finished picture I'll show you here, as you can't even tell there were paint drips.

We are now done with the backyard preparation for out of state friends I used to work with at the Forest Service coming to visit as well as some family members this month.

"Hummingbird Tribute" Small 4"x5" Acrylic Painting for the Little Hummingbird that Didn't Make it

The other evening I found myself in my art studio doing some writing and happened to remember I'd prepped a small 4"x5" canvas with red background and picked up my paints and started painting.  The painting at the left was what came out of that spontaneous action.  Yesterday morning I picked it back up and finished it off, realizing that to me it represented that small hummingbird spirit I hand fed last Sunday morning that didn't make it.  Even though sad I know it is nature and all of my heartfelt concern and help sometimes cannot override what happens naturally in nature guided and nurtured by the Great Creator.  I was honored when a distant cousin remarked that she loved this little painting so much she'd even consider getting a tattoo of it (smile).  I have no tattoos myself though I felt VERY honored by her comment.

Honorable Mention Ribbon Received from New Mexico Art League "Celebration of Summer" Event

Pleasantly surprised yesterday at the New Mexico Art League's "Celebration of Summer" event to find a ribbon next to my watercolor painting "Abiquiu Summer" with an honorable mention award.  My husband and I actually arrived late about 5pm (the event was 3-6pm) to an ongoing wonderful celebration with painting demonstrations, sales of plants, soaps, and coffee cart with specialty drink and items.  The artwork and raffle items were beautifully displayed and a friend and I, even though last minute partakers of raffle tickets, won raffle items which just topped off a fun, beautiful and friend filled day.

The morning started out with my hubby finding a hummingbird struggling in our backyard after apparently falling from the feeder (maybe a frenzied attack from another hummer, we don't know).
Here are some pictures my husband took of me gingerly feeding the little guy some sugar water in the hopes that it would recover and fly off.  That didn't happen and we were a bit sad in the afternoon when we found it didn't make it so we buried it in our garden area not far from where our beautiful australian shepherd rescued dog lies.

The surprise of the award and seeing friends and laughing and sharing really helped remind us that there is always beauty to be found, even in the midst of sadness and nature sometimes taking it's course.

The artwork displayed at the New Mexico Art League in Albuquerque will remain on display and for sale for a month, I was told. Starting bids are $25 for children's artwork and $75 for adult artwork. There is some beautiful artwork there to be seen so if you are in the area please stop by and see it!!!

Finished "Abiquiu Summer" Watercolor on 8"x10" Ampersand Aquaboard to be Auctioned Sunday, June 23rd

"Abiquiu Summer"

I hope my friends and supporters join us this Sunday, June 23rd from 3-6pm at the New Mexico Art League for their "Summer Celebration" and auction where my original 8"x10" watercolor "Abiquiu Summer" on Ampersand Aquaboard will be auctioned off.  I'm very excited to have been invited to participate in this and my first such event in New Mexico since moving here seven years ago.  To the left is the finished painting, the foreground was worked on a bit since the original painting was done.

"Storm from Shore"

Here is another 8"x10" painting I did this past week though this is an original oil painting "Storm from Shore" on canvas. Through connecting with other artists and seeing some of their beautiful seascapes this painting came out of the blue as I've not painted a seascape in a few years focussing instead on the beauty that is New Mexico. I couldn't get a better picture of this painting yet so there is a small glare on the upper left, sorry about that. Hopefully I can get a better photo with truer light and color sometime soon.

Another Busy Day of Painting

Here are some pictures of paintings I've done in the past several days as it seems I've "been on a roll" with painting (smile).

"Overlooking the Canyon"

To the left is my original acrylic and oil painting "Overlooking the Canyon painted on 18" x 24" canvas, started a few weeks ago and finished June 14th.

"Puesta del sol cobre las Colinas"

To the right is "Puesta de sol cobre las Colinas"
translated into English "Sunset Over the Hills" an original watercolor painting on 8" x 10" Ampersand Aquaboard.

By the way, I absolutely LOVE the Ampersand Aquaboard and have already ordered a few more from my favorite art supply store, Dick Blick online.

Busy and Productive Day Today

I started my day out today watering my garden very early since records were set yesterday for high temperature of 100 degrees, followed by a 45 minute walk on the treadmill, making spaghetti for dinner tonight so that I wouldn't have any excuses in getting in my art studio and painting.

"Untitled"

The first painting I did today is an oil painting, as yet untitled, on 8"x10" canvas pictured to the left.  Next I did another oil painting, same size and thought it was finished but after looking at a picture of it decided that it isn't finished yet after all (smile). I then started some flower painting on a terra cotta flower pot for my neighbor and continued an oil painting (larger sized) of cranes for a friend.

"Abiquiu Summer"

I thought I was finished and my husband and I sat down and had spaghetti for dinner and watched the news, keeping an eye on the fires burning here in New Mexico.

After dinner and the news I found myself back in my art studio and here is the watercolor painting (to the right) I'm calling "Abiquiu Summer" I did in just a few minutes on 8"x10" Ampersand Aquaboard.

Need Better Photos though Posting Quickly

"Jemez Rocks Red"

Yes, I do know I need better photos though these were taken with my IPhone hurriedly to post quickly the art I've been doing the past few days.  To the left is a 4"x6" acrylic with Sharpie pen painting on wood block I did last Friday.

Saturday was a busy day filled with lots of friends, a picnic with bake sale (which I was in charge of) and games.  Loads of fun and a great beginning to the summer.

"Summery Chimayo"

To the right is a fun little 8 1/2"x11" pastel I drew yesterday while resting after my 30 minute treadmill walk and catching up with old tv show (I began watching it while walking and wanted to finish the episode).  This drawing strictly for fun and just to do something creative.

Still got my thinking cap on for a "summer theme" 8x10" painting for the New Mexico Art League and am on a bit of a deadline (has to be finished, framed and ready to hang by June 20th).

One of the Reasons I LOVE New Mexico -- See for Yourself

"Rio Rancho, New Mexico Sunset"

This sunset photo was taken last night from our backyard.  It reminds me of just one of the reasons I love New Mexico, it's beautiful sunsets. It was a beautiful evening with scattered clouds and thunderheads leaving casts of yellows, pinks, blues, purples all across the sky - very peaceful and serene.

Excited Over New Opportunity & Inspired

Excited to get a phone call from the New Mexico Art League asking if I would donate a "summer theme" 8x10" painting for their newly renovated building reveal June 20th. Of course I WILL!

"Storm on the Rocks"

Yesterday I stopped and picked up art supplies. I guess my new pallet knife inspired me because I picked up a small 4x6" oil painting on wooden block I'd started and here is the finished result to the right.

Next time you visit I hope to have paintings and finished project pictures to show you of what inspires and captivates me in New Mexico and my world.

Beauty of the Sandias and Yard Sale Finds for Creativity

"Sandia Mountains from Plactias"

I took this picture to the left yesterday as I was leaving a gathering and potluck with a group of friends in Placitas about twenty minutes from my house.  I love how the Sandia Mountains turn green at the top in summer here and even though we are having the worst drought in all the United States, I am hoping to see a return of our summer monsoons to keep things green and gorgeous.

"Modern Vision"

Saturday I picked up a handmade gallery wrapped 11 1/2"x13" canvas that had been painted on to reuse the canvas.  Last night I painted late into the night and the picture to the right is the result. It is acrylic with pen and I'm calling it "Modern Vision".

Transitioning to Change and Reenergizing

I made a trip to El Paso, Texas with girlfriends the week before Memorial weekend and returning home Sunday heard a tornado was in the area of my mom in Oklahoma.  Luckily it took a turn a little bit north and she called to tell me she had gone to a storm cellar and safe though shaken. Monday the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma had me on pins and needles again having an aunt and cousin with family who live there and also family all over Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and other states affected by bad weather. Happy to hear that though some damage to vehicles from hail everyone in my family were safe with no other damage.

Blue Grosbeak

Oriole

Making changes to my schedule and routine have
helped me to take better care of myself. I'm getting up early with my hubby, enjoying our yard, our time in the morning to sit on our back patio with coffee and conversation and enjoy the birds and life going on in our backyard after a treadmill walk. This may seem trivial to some though after a traffic accident last year getting back into a regular exercise routine has been harder than I'd imagined it would be and adjusting my schedule throws off my creative schedule also.

"Jemez Cholla"
Acrylic with Silver Pen
on 11"x14" Wood Panel

Happily last night I found myself back in my art studio painting late into the night.  I am still in the midst of quite a few ongoing art projects but waiting for a shipment from Dick Blick to finish those. So ... here is my latest creative burst of energy I finished early this morning.  I call it "Jemez Cholla" and it is a bit different than my usual paintings in that I wanted to accentuate the cholla in the foreground and used some silver pen embellishment as well as highlighting colors to give some dimension.

Quick Drive to Jemez Mountains and Momentary Delay to Ongoing Projects

We made a short trip driving up to the Jemez
Mountains a few days ago, what a great break in routine and revitalizer for me ALWAYS. Here are some of the pictures taken during that trip.


Finished and delivered one birdhouse love gift for a friend and one friendship recipe plaque and ran out of my usual BLAIR retouch varnish for last finishing spray so went shopping locally. I couldn't find the BLAIR and got another brand of retouch varnish spray and so dissappointed after spraying it that all the Sharpie pen writing smeared. Had to repaint much of it and put all of my ongoing projects on hold until I could find what I always use.  Went on Twitter and sent tweets to a few art supply companies with only Dick Blick responding and quickly that they have the exact thing I need in stock.  I just LOVE Dick Blick art supplies and once again am amazed and grateful for their wonderful customer service, inventory and attention to detail.  I WILL be ordering from them and finish the ongoing projects in another couple of weeks.

This may give me the break from these ongoing projects to do some oil, acrylic and/or watercolor painting in the meantime.