Art Supplies Arrived Yesterday - Had to Use my New Schminke Watercolors

Received an order from Dick Blick for a few art items yesterday and after installing my 30"x40" original oil painting "Old Fashioned View of New Mexico" #480 Cumbres Toltec Railroad in the ordered frame and temporarily placing it in our family room, thought I would try out my new Schminke watercolors.  You would think that I would tire of this particular floral that I took photos of when we lived in Cherry Valley, CA tho you would be wrong.  Hence the name of this small original watercolor on 4"x6" Canson Postcard (I also received with my order) is "Repetitious Floral".  Now to rest after updating this page and enjoy some football with my husband.

Challenge 9 - Let's Paint New Mexico Submission Painted this Morning

Waking up this morning to rather cold weather temperature outside showing between 10 and 20 degrees and I've been wanting to do another submission for the Let's paint New Mexico Art Blog so decided to start painting this morning.  To the left is my submission for Challenge 9 for the art blog.

I'm also enjoying many new art connections on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn which is quite inspiring and motivational for me.  I hope that 2013 will be a wonderful new time of renewal, refreshing and reconnecting with old friends and making many new ones.  I am so excited and happy to be alive and always growing emotionally, spiritually and artistically.

Happy to post that once posted to Facebook, this blog and Twitter this painting has been sold.

After Christmas Pre New Year's Resting & Creative Process

  Christmas day as I was unwrapping the ham my husband had requested I cook for dinner from the netting it was wrapped in I was reminded how dangerous our civilization is to our native birds and creatures.  I am an avid lover of nature, the birds and animals and have, for years, cut up whatever netting or plastic that comes from the grocery store that birds could get caught up in and either killed or maimed from.  So ... getting angry as I unwrapped this ham the first watercolor painting done on 5"x7" Canson Watercolor Paper was born which I titled "Protect Our Environment" - Netting Kills.  The second was just something that, after my anger about the netting subsided, came about in a more peaceful and thoughtful way and somehow it reminds me a bit of the scales of a fish tho it remains untitled for now.  

The third painting began as a watercolor tho when I discovered I'd dripped a large spot on the upper left part of the painting I used some acrylic paint there and in the foreground right. Upon noticing a pen spill surrounding the apple in this painting I decided to try and disguise it with the pen dots around the apple itself.  Thus this painting which is a combination watercolor, acrylic, pen on Canson 8"x11.5" Drawing Paper I titled "Convluted Still".

Painting Done in my Art Studio December 23rd, 2013 -- Missed My Studio & Painting

"Canyon Splendor"
4x6" oil on wood panel

"Eye of the beholder"
oil on 4x6" wood panel

Yesterday, Sunday, December 23rd I thought I'd just go paint a little in my art studio but realized once I started painting that I guess I had alot of stored up "something" because I couldn't seem to put down that paint brush.  I have to say that I really did NOT want to post some of the painting I did though in being open and honest, as I've learned to be, I strive to be true to myself as an artist and what my process truly is.  I painted on five paintings tho haven't been able to get a good photo of the last one so will post that one later.

"Don't Try This at Home"
oil on 7x7" writing paper

Back Home After Pre-Christmas Visit to California

"Christmas Ornaments"

"Fall in Redlands"

Just back from a 12 day pre-Christmas visit to California to see our family there and help support a family member having surgery.  Funny how now that I've gotten back into the habit of doing artwork more consistently even being away from home I decided to take my watercolors and sketch pad and found time to do a couple of pieces just to keep the creative juices flowing.

The drive from New Mexico to California was uneventful with wonderful weather and while in Redlands, CA we had a few days of rain which was very refreshing and almost felt like you could HEAR the trees and plants soaking it all up.  We left Redlands and visited family in Lancaster, CA and the day before we left had quite a bit of wind with some rain and that storm moved across the states and was to be hitting our area of New Mexico the day we left to drive home.  Surprisingly to us it was beautiful and clear every mile that we traveled leaving around 9:45am from Lancaster and arriving home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico just at 10pm (had to stop and pick up a turkey and swiss sub from Dion's Pizza before coming home that we'd phoned in ... smile).  We had heard the weather was very tricky around Continental Divide, New Mexico and watching the outside temperature it did get down to 10 degrees there though we were safe and warm in the car as well as the roads being totally clear and tho we did see snow along the way it was not a problem.

View of San Francisco Peak from Williams, Arizona

Christmas has always been a very special time of the year and holiday for me and this year even though we decided because of this trip we wouldn't get a tree or really decorate our house as we normally do because of being out of the area we feel very blessed that we got to enjoy some special time with our family BEFORE Christmas this year.

Having a multicultural family and friends from all walks of life I'd like to wish you all, no matter what religious affiliation or none, a very meaningful and joyful holiday season and Merry Christmas. May the spirit guide, protect and bless you.

"Corrales Harvest" Acrylic on 5"x7" Canson Watercolor Greeting Card

"Corrales Harvest"
5x7" acrylic

A friend mentioned the blog "Let's Paint New Mexico" at http://www.letspaintnewmexico.com/ and after checking it out I decided I wanted to participate. I painted this acrylic on 5"x7" Canson Greeting Card I'm calling "Corrales Harvest" for Challenge 8, my version. What fun and something new and exciting to do with some other New Mexican artists.  I just love all the art connections I'm making.

I submitted this little painting for the "Let's Paint New Mexico" art blog but there was some type of misunderstanding and it wasn't included in Challenge 8. I'm hoping in the future you'll be able to see and compare my own and other artist's version of a photo presented for different artists to paint.

Two Acrylic Paintings Done Three Nights Ago

29th Anniversary
5x7" acrylic

In the Dark of Night
4x5.5" acrylic

I had a busy week last week with Thanksgiving, my birthday and my 29th wedding anniversary tho I enjoyed all three and even found time to do these small paintings in acrylic.

Painted November 21st 2012 - Original Acrylic Painting "Sandhill Sunset"

"Sandhill Sunset"
5x7" acrylic

I had fun painting this original acrylic on 5"x7" Canson Watercolor Greeting Card and named this one "Sandhill Sunset". I thank my friend, Norm, for giving me permission to make a painting out of his photograph.  I like the way it turned out!

Two Original Acrylic Paintings on 5"x7" Canson Watercolor Greeting Cards

"Marie's Teapot"
5x7" acrylic

It has been a wonderfully relaxing weekend topped off tonight with a little painting in my art studio.  The first painting is "Marie's Teapot" an original acrylic painting on 5"x7" Canson Watercolor Greeting Card.

"The Plant Mister"
5x7" acrylic

The second, also an original acrylic painting on 5"x7" Canson Watercolor Greeting Card is "The Plant Mister".

Celebrated a birthday yesterday and our 29th wedding anniversary tomorrow.  I am so grateful for each and every moment I have had with my husband and pray we have many more years together, doing creative things, traveling and just enjoying life together.

Twitter Art Exhibit in Los Angeles January 2013

The Twitter Art Exhibit notified me today they received both of my submissions by mail. I'm so excited to be invited and now participating in this for the first time.  For more information please see http://tmblr.co/ZQajhuXf1bjH

A Few Hours in my Art Studio Painting Yesterday 18 November 2012

Yesterday I enjoyed a little time in my art studio doing some reworking of a couple of oil paintings and painting a small postcard sized acrylic painting, finishing it off with pen.

The first rework I did was a painting that started out in an icon workshop I decided to take.  We carved the board and talked about the significance of certain practices with traditional icon painting.  We arrived at a point in the workshop where it was mentioned to make an alter and place your icon on it around which candles should also be placed and then to worship and pray to this icon.  I had some issues with doing that part of the class and made my feelings known and withdrew.  The icon starting out was to be of Gabriel and that is what was carved onto the board there in the workshop.  As you can see my painting is of a woman so I consider this to be a "painting" of an angelic woman rather than an icon.  Also considering I used oil paints rather than traditional organic materials and painted my own version, the interpretation is strictly my own.  Even though the texture is rough I am quite happy with the result and now considered this to be "finished".

The second rework is of "San Antonio Church" an original oil painting of a church in the town of Placitas, New Mexico.  I believe I talked a little more at length about this painting in a previous posting below.

The last painting I did is on a small postcard sized piece of paper and is an original acrylic finished with black pen.  I had alot of fun just relaxing with this little painting even though not sure what I'll call it right now.

This morning I woke up feeling invigorated and decided it was time to get back on my treadmill and start getting in better shape.  I will ease back into this routine tho it feels better than I can say to feel healthy, happy and mostly recovered from the traffic accident which sidelined me awhile a little over six months ago.  Life is very very good and I'm so grateful I am here to enjoy every moment of it!

Having Fun in my Art Studio Sunday, November 12, 2012

Yesterday I started out in my art studio reworking an earlier oval floral and then just felt like goofing around and having some fun doing some drawing and painting small postcard sized acrylic paintings, finishing them up with pen.  Here are some photos of both.

It has been cold here in New Mexico, think the temperature was 15 degrees yesterday morning.  I get excited when I know these temperatures and wintery weather have returned because the sandhill cranes that migrate to and winter here in our area are usually found in the open fields along Highway 313 on Sandia Pueblo lands and also at the Albuquerque Open Space area made for the cranes off of Coors in Albuquerque.  I love the times of snuggling with my husband and drinking some hot chocolate or chai latte tea, knowing that biscochitos are not far off in celebration of Christmas.  We finally, this year, may visit El Modelo in Albuquerque for some tamales also.  I hope that wherever YOU are, you are enjoying this season and I pray that all those affected by the recent storms and horrific weather events receive all the help, hope and love in being supported by others through their struggles in recovering.

Submitted Artwork to #twitterartexhibit and Wonderful Day of Art Today

This morning on the way to enjoying a day of art at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque we stopped by the post office to mail my submissions to the #twitterartexhibit.  One of the submissions is shown in a previous posting on this artblog below in October and the picture to the left is a postcard size acrylic I painted this morning as my second submission.

What a wonderful day of visiting artist friends and viewing such beautiful artwork.  We started out at the show for the Pastel Society at Expo New Mexico, then walked a short distance to Weems Artfest and I have to say this was the best time I've had at this show in the years we've been going. After Weems we went to the African American building toward the front of Expo New Mexico and viewed all the entries for RGAA's Encantada art show.  That wasn't even the finish of our day as we were given a tour of the theater in the same building by two very informative and wonderful gentleman who explained the different jazz artists and movie showings and venues that are presented in this beautiful theater.

On the way home I was taking pictures as it was such a beautiful day, quite crisp and fresh after a light rain the entire time we were walking around Expo New Mexico, and the shadows were just gorgeous on the Sandia Mountains just north of Albuquerque off of Interstate 25 on our way home.  You can judge for yourself with the picture I've posted here.  What a wonderful end to a glorious, fun day being motivated, encouraged, inspired and grateful to be alive and living in such a beautiful natural environment.

November Update

October was a busy month for me and November is already becoming a bit busy too.  I raffled off an original 5"x7" original acrylic painting on wood board I call "Experimental Abstract Still" toward the end of October.  Here is a picture of it to the right.

So grateful to be released by my chiropractor this past week with clean bill of health from the traffic accident I was in way back in May of this year.

The painting to the left started out in an icon workshop I was attending.  We got as far as carving the board and life got busy and I left the workshop.  About a week ago I picked it back up and decided that rather than using organic materials as was suggested in the workshop I would paint my own version using my own colors and oil paints.  This is obviously a work in progress.

I've been connecting with other artists and enjoying some interest in my artwork from some local businesses.  This is so exciting for me as it helped me to get out of my comfort zone and self promote which I am not used to doing or real comfortable with.  While reading Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" one of the things I discovered about myself is that rather than having a huge fear of failure as many people do, I tend to have a fear of success.  That has been an obstacle in many ways in the past tho I feel like in connecting with other artists and putting myself out there and acknowledging that I, like my artwork, am a work in progress, that I just get to be myself and paint what I love and enjoy the process of self discovery.  I feel very blessed and grateful to have been given these gifts and do intend to paint as my way of giving back to my creator.

Finished 30"x40" Original Oil Painting "#480 Cumbres Toltec Old Fashioned View of New Mexico"

I started this painting quite a little while ago and thought I was finished.  Every few days or whenever I felt unsettled by it I found myself redoing parts of it.  I did the last of the revisions this morning, I THINK (haha).  I'm calling this finished as I need to now move onto to other things and I do feel like it is more to my liking now.  I would love to see this displayed at the Oshier Station of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Rail Road though I have plenty of time to figure out the best options in talking to them and of seeing my vision fulfilled.

Small Drawings and Painting Painted a Few Days Ago

Doodling the other day with Sharpie pens I made this little postcard size (4"x6") drawing.  This saying is something I paint onto the birdhouses I paint for friends sometimes.

This is also postcard size on Strathmore Watercolor Postcard with Sharpie pen used to highlight the floral. I painted the watercolor after being invited to participate in the #twitterartexhibit as practice as you are to submit a postcard size original work of art.

In updating this on November 9th, I will add that I did submit this postcard sized watercolor to the #twitterartexhibit along with one other entry I will post above on the 9th of November as this was the date I sent them via mail to Los Angeles for the exhibit.

Beginnings of "San Antonio Church, Placitas, New Mexico" Original Oil on 5"x7" Wood Panel

I have had a package with grids in it for quite a few years and had not used it.  We came to New Mexico, I think it was twelve years ago, rented a car and drove all over the state but particularly loved Placitas and this little church in the picture to the left.  Last night I decided to finally try using the grid system so sketched the grid and this morning began this little oil painting below the picture about 6 a.m.  I only had about forty minutes to paint before getting ready and going to the dentist to have a crown put on.  I'm so excited now at this new process and can't wait to get on with this painting, however, I have a full day today and only time this morning to post this picture before spending time with dear friends.  I hope to return to this maybe this evening or tomorrow afternoon.  It feels like a new phase for me ... how exciting!

This little painting started out beautifully and then somehow along the line when I thought it was looking wonderful I invited someone to look at it and got some suggestions ... my first mistake was my invitation.  I thought I would have learned by now that I should trust my own gut feelings about my artwork more than midstream suggestions.  So, I redid it and then was so upset with myself that it was not the beautiful little painting I was inspired to paint.  I have to say it's okay and I know that not everything is going to look wonderful.  I have learned a lesson AGAIN and hope I don't make that mistake anymore.  Here is the finished little painting.  I had to just let go of all the expectations I had had and finish and move on to something else.  

When I planted cosmos and wildflower seeds three or four different times in early spring I was hoping for a burst of color but have been pleasantly surprised by the variety and abundance of blooms we've been enjoying in my backyard.  Cold weather is upon us, I think, so am enjoying this last blast of color, so inspiring for me!

"Underwater Calm" Original Oil Painting on 5"x7" Wood Panel

Painting quite a bit yesterday and the picture to the right just somewhat came out of my thoughts as I sat down in front of the small wood panel.  I named it "Underwater Calm" as I find the colors and feeling of calm I had while painting it came through rather nicely.

Two Drawings/Paintings Done Last Couple of Days

The drawing to the right is oil pastels on Strathmore Art Papers and just a way of getting my creative juices flowing as the concept came from my head.  Sometimes I like to paint from a still set up in my studio, others from photos, and then these from my thoughts.

This small painting I did this morning. It is a watercolor with Sharpie Pen on Canson Watercolor Greeting Cards paper.  Have not thought of the name for this one.  I am happy to return to brighter colors and lightness of strokes and look forward to playing around in all different kinds of mediums in expressing myself the next few months while confined more to my studio and being inside.

Reworked "Red Bouquet" from 2005 on 11x14" Canvas Panel & "Time to Open the Boxes" Acrylic with Pen on 5x7" Wood Board - 7 Oct 2012

Funny that one of my fellow artists tweeted me yesterday to "paint, paint, paint" and that was exactly what I did.  I started out in the afternoon around 3:00 and the last time I looked at the clock early this morning when finished I think it may have read 3:30 (and YES, that's a.m.).

The first painting is an original oil painting I painted in 2005 on 11x14" canvas panel that I happened to see yesterday afternoon and decided I would redo the background.  This one I named "Red Bouquet".

The second is an original acrylic embellished with pen on 5x7" wood panel which I've named "Time to Open the Boxes".  If you look closely you'll notice the box on the left has written on it "Hopes and Dreams" and the one on the right "Gifts and Blessings".  Tho small all of the fine detail was time consuming and yet I feel very good at the final result and thank my friend who suggested yesterday morning that I paint, paint, paint!

"A Hint of New Mexico's Beauty" Original Oil Painting on 5"x7" Wooden Board Painted This Morning

Wow, I got on a roll today and painted most of the day.  Put some finishing touches on a large 30"x40" oil painting I thought I finished a couple days ago, painted this small 5"x7" oil painting and then put all the colors on another birdhouse I'm painting to mail to an out of state friend I promised a birdhouse to. It certainly feels good to have the motivation, positive energy and desire to just paint, paint, paint!

Photos Taken September 27th on Drive to see the Fall Colors

We decided to take a drive yesterday into the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico to see the fall colors.  Higher up almost to the Valle Caldera it did seem to be starting to change colors tho think we're a little early.  Here is a sampling of some of the beauty in these mountains I will post.  We took the road through Los Alamos into Pojaque and over to the Santa Fe Bypass and took some beautiful pics of the fall color of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above Santa Fe.  We hit a few wonderful showers of rain tho it was brief and light.  The beauty of New Mexico is such an inspiration to me and reminds me of how much natural beauty lies within it's boundaries.  I hope you enjoy this brief visual visit.

Another Birdhouse Painted for a Friend - Front View

Finally got to give my friend the birdhouse I painted for her a few weeks ago yesterday.  Here's a picture of the front of it.  I love doing these for friends and try to make them individual and personal for them.

Finished another birdhouse for a friend and even though I haven't presented it to her yet, think it's okay to post a picture of it since she is not online.  The picture will be to the right.