Spring Plein Air

Fellow artist Sue Parry and I went out to paint the glorious spring day yesterday. It was a three-painting day for me--always a joy!

I began warming up with a modified contour of the mesa that intrigued me and started adding water color to capture how I felt about the scene.  Along the way, I decided I liked two things:  One, drawing rhythm of the landscape and not every detail; two, that I didn't paint every detail.  I got a little carried away with the drawing before I stopped, but I still like the effect.  "Spring in the Air," 6"x8" pen and watercolor.

Having warmed up, I moved into doing a small pastel piece of the same scene, flipping the orientation to vertical.  I seldom work this small in pastel, so I challenged myself to pull this off.  I love the vibrant colors and the textures of the mesas and pushing the warm and cool contrast.  It's a little too fussy overall for what I thought I wanted, but I enjoy it.  This one is "Spring Mesa," 7"x5" pastel on board.

With about 30 minutes to spare, I decided to tackle another pastel on a 6x8" board with a different viewpoint.  Deciding to draw the contours in a cad red light was so exciting that I decided to see how far I could push the fantasy!  I really wanted to exaggerate the warm and cool contrast, choosing only the violet and the turquoise to parry against the cad red and gold, and finishing the sky with a dark blue.  In about 20 minutes, I thought I had pulled it off.  I love the result!

"Spring Evening," 6"x8" pastel on board.

PayPal Options and Ruby Jewel

Heads up!  I have added payment by PayPal options to my classes at the right top of my blog.  You can use credit cards, as well as funds transfer.

Note that two of the classes have discounted rates for early registration/payment.  The "Brush-free Oil Painting", April 18-20, is 10% off if you register by April 1 with full payment of $180 (instead of $200).  "Creative Composition" is only $295 for the five days (June 18-22) if you register and pay by June 1.  Otherwise it is $325.

This is my latest painting, "Ruby Jewel", 6"x6" oil on gallery wrapped canvas.  I am thinking about adding a "Buy Now" button for these small pieces.  What do you think?

Eagle Ranch Show Ongoing

Remember that the "Small Works Exhibit" at Eagle Ranch Art Gallery is on display until March 31.  We have several bids already on the silent auction piece.  You can bid for it online at the Eagle Ranch Art Gallery website. Here is an image of the painting.



Use this link to learn how to place your bid:  http://www.heartofthedesert.com/gallery.asp 

Here is a hint of what one of the walls in the show looks like:

Eagle Ranch Gallery Small Works Exhibit

I am really excited about my "Small Works Exhibit" that is opening TODAY at Eagle Ranch Art Gallery, 7288 Hwy 54/70, just north of La Luz.  I took LOTS of small paintings and they look FABULOUS hanging in the Eagle Ranch Art Gallery!!  Thank you, Marianne Schweers and Eagle Ranch, for this opportunity to share my artwork.

The opening reception is this Friday, March 2, 6-8 p.m.  We will have art, live music, refreshments and FUN!  Indian Plains Flute musician Ed Pias is playing for our event.  His beautiful melodies make a great backdrop for the art and conversation.

I will give away a mini oil painting at 7 p.m. as a bonus for some lucky attendee at the reception. I am also offering a 5% discount for art purchases made at the reception.  What a deal!

For the entire month of March, I am featuring a silent auction for one of my 14"x11" (small work) pastels.  The subject is yellow irises that I painted at the Hondo Iris Farm last May.  This is also an example of what we will paint during my "Painting Irises" class on May 11 at the Hondo Iris Farm.  If you want to paint irises, sign up today!  I am offering free shipping for the painting, if you live out of town.  So you have no excuses not to bid!  The opening bid is only $335 for a painting that retails for $635--what a deal!

Come see the show, 8 to 6 Mon.-Sat., 9-6 Sundays, until March 31.