San Felipe Pueblo Christmas Bazaar was Wonderful - Feeling Creative

My husband and I had a wonderful time last weekend (Saturday and Sunday) at the San Felipe Pueblo Christmas Bazaar.  We gained more experience, made new friends, had some sales, and really enjoyed all the other vendors and beautiful artwork as well as being invited and so warmly welcomed to be a part of this event. Towards the end of the event on Sunday fully decorated Christmas trees were raffled off to benefit the San Felipe Pueblo Elementary School and they also raffled off some beautiful artwork and items donated by vendors.


Here are some pictures taken over the weekend.

I was asked to participate again next year in the Twitter Art Exhibit (#TwitterArtExhibit) which will be held where it started out in Moss, Norway. The opening will be Thursday, March 12, 2015 from 7-9pm with the show running from March 12 through March 26, 2015.

More information can be found at:  http://www.twitterartexhibit.org/

Here is a picture of an original acrylic painting I did last night/early this morning.  I plan on painting
several postcard size paintings and then choose one to submit for the Twitter Art Exhibit.  This one is "Taos Inspiration" and is 6"x4.5" on watercolor postcard. I even decided to paint a "faux frame".  I like the way it turned out.

The Placitas Holiday Fair - Placitas, NM - November 22 & 23, 2014

Sampling of what will be available of my artwork & creations

It has been a busy time the past month for both my husband and myself. We were asked to participate in the annual San Antonio Mission Holiday Fair coming up this next weekend in Placitas, New Mexico. We hope to see those of you who are close enough there and look forward to our first art event together, combining both of our creative talents. Here is more information:

SAN ANTONIO MISSION HOLIDAY FAIR

A holiday fair will be held on November 22 and 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the San Antonio Mission on Avenida San Antonio in Placitas.  It will be a great weekend for finding a perfect gift for yourself or others.  Light refreshments will be available.  Follow the red holiday stocking signs.

Wonderful Artistic Getaway Last Weekend in Taos, New Mexico

Side/Back View San Francisco de Asis

San Francisco de Asis 

Some of the wonderful places we visited were, of course, San Francisco Asis church at Ranchos de Taos. This church is probably one of the most photographed and painted churches in New Mexico, probably because of it's unique architecture.  It is, indeed, a very beautiful church set in a beautiful location. We had lunch at the Ranchos de Taos Plaza Grill sitting almost next to it. The food was spectacular as well as the service. We also visited Total Arts Gallery, Wilder Nightingale Gallery and Copper Moon Gallery.

Ernie and Virginia at Couse-Sharp House, Taos, NM

What an unexpected surprise to get a tour of the Couse-Sharp House by E.I. Couse's granddaughter, Virginia, and her husband, Ernie.  E.I. Couse was one of the eight founding members of the Taos Society of Artists.  We were allowed to take pictures and enjoy a personal look into the life of E.I. Couse and his painting process in this beautifully preserved home, studio and gallery. It was a dream for this artist and left me with much gratitude and inspiration.

Thanks to all for their wonderful hospitality, knowledge and humor. It was wonderful!!!

We then enjoyed some personal time catching up with a dear friend of 24 years who had flown into Taos from Seattle, Washington. We stayed at the Sagebrush Inn and enjoyed breakfast and dinner there with friends.  Here is a picture of one of their beautiful fireplaces.

The staff and time spent there were wonderful, helping us to enjoy a peaceful and restful mini vacation.

Jo Anne Neely Gomez
Harwood Museum of Art

Sunday was spent first having a wonderful breakfast at Doc Martin's inside The Taos Inn then visiting Harwood Museum of Art, R.C. Gorman's House & Studio, The Blumenschein House/Museum, walking the Taos Plaza and early dinner at Guadalajara Grill.

It was a gorgeous drive home from Taos with the chamisa in bloom and beautiful, clear, blue skies with a smattering of clouds and perfect weather. The weekend in Taos was for this artist a "dream weekend" and relaxing, peaceful and awe inspiring.  Thank you Taos for your warm welcome, culture, beauty and art.

Rio Grande River south of Taos, NM

Beautiful September in New Mexico with Fall Approaching

I just had to take a picture of these beautiful flowers in bloom while visiting my dear friend in Corrales this past week.  I love the fall in New Mexico as it is getting a bit chilly in the mornings though warming up to beautiful and pleasantly warm afternoons with gorgeous blue skies and everything green.  Just as I'm really enjoying the beauty of it all it seems the leaves start yellowing and dropping as winter arrives.  Just this week my pink lemonade honeysuckles in my backyard have dropped almost all of their leaves at the same time as it is in full bloom once again.  This has been a wonderful year in New Mexico with the return of the monsoons and bringing new life and reserves much needed.

Here is a picture of an original painting I call "Greening Up", it is an oil painting on 10"x8" wood panel and from my imagination/mind, not from photographs.

I was commissioned to paint a birdhouse for a friend so here are pictures of it after the final protective spray.  I sometimes still lack the confidence to paint from photos so this was a wonderful experience as I had to talk myself through the negative thoughts in the beginning of the process (the photo painting is the side of the birdhouse with the bridge with flowers and a house at the end).  I'm happy with the finished result and hope my friend loves it too (she was elated with the "bridge" side).

Summer in New Mexico with a Return of Monsoons

It has been a beautiful, refreshing and wonderful summer in New Mexico with a return of our monsoons bringing much needed rain and nourishment.  

My husband took this picture with his iPad of just one of the storms that brought lightning, thunder and rain.  

Even though this summer has brought with it, for me personally, losses of family members and friends I have been reminded what a great gift life is each and every day.  

Here are some pictures of the beauty I have found all around me here in New Mexico and in my own backyard as reminders that if I continue to put one foot in front of the other on my path and journey through this life my Creator blesses me with so many gifts, even in some of the worst times, renewing my faith and hope.  I am blessed to be alive this day and to be able to express and honor by creating my art in giving back.

 

And here is some of my art I've done recently.

"Putting the Pieces Back Together Again"

"Final Flight" Truly Mixed Media 

Back Home, though Busy, After Wonderful Friend Filled Weekend at The Lodge at Santa Fe

I enjoyed a wonderful friend filled weekend last weekend away from home at the beautiful The Lodge at Santa Fe.  This week, after returning, has been busy, busy, busy though on my way home from a committee meeting in Placitas with a group of friends Wednesday night my friend leaned out and took this beautiful picture of the sunset as I was driving home to Rio Rancho.

Last night as my husband and I relaxed on our patio enjoying the cool down from a hot day I snapped a couple of shots of the sunset.  I absolutely love the beauty of New Mexico sunsets and skies, they are incredible and welcome.

Pre Memorial Day Drive and Inspiration for "Experiment"

Here are some pictures from a drive we took before Memorial Day.  It was a beautiful day and great to get out into nature and gain some inspiration and peace of mind.  I love exploring with my husband, he is always so willing to see new places or revisit places we've seen but not for awhile.

And here is my "experient" acrylic painting on 10"x8" wood board that was inspired by a church off Highway 14 in New Mexico between Tijeras and Santa Fe I'm calling "Old San Francisco Church NM".

"Quieting the Mind, Releasing the Spirit"

The original oil painting "Quieting the Mind, Releasing the Spirit" was painted last night.  I dedicate this painting to the memory of two people from my past that I just discovered recently passed away last year. Although I thought I had grieved the loss of the relationships with both quite a few years ago, I realized in the midst of this painting that what I had not grieved was the sadness of the mental illness that was present in both and I was unaware of during the years we interacted.  They were instrumental in my finding that deep part of myself that is strong, loving, compassionate, non judgmental and independent.

By the time I finished this painting, which surprisingly took me very little time, I felt very blessed and grateful that today I am exactly where I'm supposed to be, with the people in my life God has placed so carefully there and that this mother and son are finally reunited with others they loved and have gained a peace that surpasses all human understanding.  Besides the title speaking of them, it speaks of my own spirit.  What a wonderful way to begin a new season, feeling creative and appreciating everything that God has so graciously placed in my life -- for all those people, places and things I am very grateful.

Back to Creativity & Enjoying Beautiful New Mexico Spring Weather

Got my new iPhone and happy to say the pictures I've taken with it have turned out nicely ... well, here ...
judge for yourself.  It has been a pretty smooth transition although I have to say I was having a bit of withdrawal not having my phone for a few days (I recycled it, getting a really good deal through our carrier).

Thinking about the difference between last year, this time, and this year I am reminded we really didn't have a spring last year.  It seemed that we went straight from winter into summer.  This year has been just gorgeous and although anyone from New Mexico can attest to the fact that usually spring sucks as far as blowing wind and dirt goes, we have had a wonderful winter and a cooler spring this year and even expecting monsoons to return this summer.  I love living in New Mexico with it's slower pace of life, natural beauty, cultural history and appreciation and an abundance of artists and art venues to both challenge and grow me as an artist.

Here is a colored pencil drawing I did recently and a mixed media piece just to keep those creative juices flowing.  I just today finished painting a birdhouse for an upcoming raffle and can now move on into more serious painting.  I'm so looking forward to a beautiful summer of painting and enjoying living, seeing new and beautiful areas of New Mexico.

Happy Mother's Day to all you Lovely Ladies Out There

Taking a short break from technology this weekend and for a few days.  Thought while absent I'd post an older oil painting I did back in 1999.  It started out as a portrait of a native lady though we'd just been through the hospitalization and death of my mother-in-law after a car accident and my own lumpectomy.  I was pleasantly surprised on finishing it that my husband said to me, "Oh wow, do you know you whose face that is? It looks like my mom and grandmother."  Funny how all my emotion comes out sometimes as I paint and, hence, the name of this oil painting became "Grandmother Serrano".

Happy Mother's Day! I'm very grateful I still have my own mother though she lives a distance away and missing her today as well as my mother-in-law and all those ladies who have served in the capacity of caring, wonderful, nurturing and loving mothers to me. God has blessed me with many friends who fill the void and ask little of me in return -- Thanks to all of you!

Wow - Busy Month - Here are Some Photos Taken Recently

It's been quite awhile since I've updated my art blog though I'm happy to say it's only because life has gotten very busy and I've been enjoying an amazingly balanced month of April.  I did do some painting, sketching and artwork although most of my time has been spent meeting with friends, gardening, taking care of business and enjoying some wonderful family time with my husband.

Here are some pictures taken recently of the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow - the largest in the United States - held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I believe they said for this grand entry there were 2,000 dancers on the floor and it was AWESOME!!!

Next are a couple of pictures of some young dancers.  I asked the parents permission first and then the dancers themselves and they were happy to pose for the pictures.  The first had her eyes "squinched closed" but after some prompting I got the picture and right after a very big smile -- oh well, too late for the picture though I thought they both turned out well.  

The Beauty of Spring & Return to Painting

The bird shown is a newcomer to our backyard as springtime arrived. I put out our hummingbird feeders the beginning of April and we have already had one early arrival feeding from them.


The last month I had a resurgence of interest in my family genealogy.  I have found over years of being the family genealogist that when the urge to research and update my family history emerges I have to go with it because the intensity it takes to do the work and quick burnout that sometimes happens can be all consuming.  Thankfully I had done most of the work years ago (I started in 1981) and this was fairly short lived though very fulfilling and productive.

Here is a photo of the finished 11"x15" acrylic painting inspired by Wes and Maura Studi of Santa Fe, New Mexico.  My husband and I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Studi at the grand opening of Buffalo Thunder Resort just north of Santa Fe a few years ago. Although portraiture is not my specialty I enjoyed trying to convey the great love evident through the painting and symbolism in items in the background. The background includes an eagle in flight symbolic of Mr. Studi's release of an eagle over the gorge near Taos, New Mexico last year at the celebration of preservation of the area and becoming a national treasure. After mounting, matting and framing it I hope to be able to present it to them with much respect for their commitment to the arts, cultural history, family and New Mexico.

Lastly, this morning as I looked at the blank canvas of a 16"x20" gessoed masonite board I painted this original acrylic painting I'm calling "Godly Brilliance".

I look forward to an amazing spring and summer this year, due to rain and God's abundant blessings.  Stay tuned, I expect to be very busy this year and posting new artworks and pleasures.

Springtime has Arrived

As we approach the beginning of Spring tomorrow and daylight savings time on Sunday I am so grateful that whatever virus or "bug" I seem to have had last week seems to have gone away.  I found myself yesterday in my art studio reworking the foreground on this 7 1/2"x7 1/2" tile acrylic painting I did quite awhile ago. When I bought the tile I decided I'd paint over it, did that and when finished realized the hangers positioned it hanging upside down so my husband came to my rescue and custom made the display for it.

I am also in the process of painting four birdhouses and finished the base coats and did a little more detail work before spraying them to move into the final phase on each one of all the real detail painting to finish them up.


Here is an original oil painting on 16"x20" canvas I finished and sprayed with the final spray.  I THINK this is finished and don't have a name for it as of yet so only time will tell if I pick it up again or not (smile).