"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.    

Inspiration and Motivation through Friends

Just a quick update to let all my friends, especially those that are also artists and new friends gained through Twitter and networking, how much your encouragement, creating and displaying your own artwork and wonderfully accepting and helpful comments and support help me.  I feel even more supported and encouraged since getting on Twitter. Funny how some folks think I'm trying to get a gazillion followers .... NOT! I love being so connected with other creatives. Someone in the entertainment industry recently asked me what my interest was and honestly it's not their notoriety or being well known as much as just loving to know what inspires, motivates and grows other creatives. I have always enjoyed biographies and autobiographies in discovering the real commonality and genuineness of others.

I woke up this morning early, went and got my one hour massage and chiropractic adjustment and am enjoying being alive, able to paint, visit with my friends, consider some new opportunities with my art and generally living to the full.  I have finished painting two birdhouses for friends and started on a very large one to send to an out of state friend. I am so honored with the friendships I have here in New Mexico.  Stand by for updates as I continue this growing process and thank you for taking the time to visit my art blog.

Quick Diversion from Large Oil Painting in Progress

Since our recent RV trip to Northern New Mexico and train ride on the Cumbres Toltec, a friend moving to another state gave me a larger 30"x40" canvas she had begun painting on.  As I began painting an oil on the canvas I realized that the painting underneath can still be seen and that I need to go back to the way I painted in the beginning with oils and paint thin to thick.  So in order to build up the painting to the texture I want and cover the painting beneath I now have painted twice and this process will be a little more time consuming than what I've recently been used to.  I will post when this larger painting is finished.

The photo to the right is of a watercolor and colored Sharpie markers with acrylic background I titled "Pink Peony", an original painting I did last night as a diversion and break away from the larger oil painting.

"Melancholy Floral" Original Oil Painting on 11"x14" Oval Canvas Finished Yesterday

The original floral painting to the right looked very different from this finished version.  It seems that in the midst of painting this I started looking at other floral paintings of friends and in that process of comparing myself and my artwork to others I got caught up in that grey space.  I know better than to do this tho sometimes it just seems to happen, a reminder that I am very much a human being and very much still in the process of evolving as an artist.  I could have scratched it all and started over but decided that no, even though I kept going back and forth with the thoughts of "oh, I really LIKE this to no, I DON'T like it" it is what it is and in the end, yes, I DO like it as it is uniquely me and it's okay that I am who I am and don't need to try to be any other version of myself..  

Funny that on typing these comments and being true to myself and honest about those feelings I have lifted myself out of that space and even tho a bit overcast today in New Mexico am going to fully enjoy this beautiful day that is before me. No painting today even tho I did start on something that had been sitting around for awhile barely started ... will leave that for ANOTHER day (smile).  Beauty awaits!

Beautiful Roses from my Husband -- A Painting in the Works ???

My husband and I were at the local supermarket last Friday when the lady at the flower counter let me know that their roses regularly $13 were on sale for $7 ... so, being the lover of nature that I am, I decided I would buy not one but two of the bouquets.  I did need to do the floral arranging myself tho they provided the roses, the preservative and the yellow/gold material.  I think I did a fairly good job at arranging and took a few pictures of my arrangement ... now comes the decision about a painting.  Stand by for upcoming pictures of another floral.  I'm having alot of fun these days painting and enjoying nature.  What a gift we are given by the creator of all the beauty to behold if we just open our eyes and make the time to SEE.

Original Acrylic "Fire on the Mountain" on 11"x14" Canvas Panel

While on a little mini RV vacation to Heron Lake in Northern New Mexico last week I painted this original acrylic on canvas panel I'm calling "Fire on the Mountain" and then embellished it with gold pen before calling it finished.  We had a wonderful time, there were no fires that I know of around us and while there from Sunday until Thursday we enjoyed a train ride from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado on the Cumbres Toltec Railroad, had an excellent dinner at High Country Saloon and Restaurant in Chama and watched our neighbors set up their easels and start a couple of landscapes while I painted this painting inside our RV.  What a wonderful and relaxing time away.

"Happy Birthday Jessi" Original Acrylic on Wood Board Painted 25 August 2012

Although I only had an hour and a half before going to see friends I decided on Saturday morning that this wood board was calling me to paint something on it ... hence, my original floral "Happy Birthday Jessi" I painted on August 25th.  I still made it to see my friends and later on that day posted this to my Twitter page.  Considering it was painted in an hour and a half I think it turned out exceptionally well and I am very happy with the results.