A New Gallery

I have picked up a new gallery to show my work.  It is called the Gallery at the Windsor, a gorgeous gallery, and I am very pleased to be in such company of very talented artists.  Located in Del Norte, Colorado, stop in to see my work- the painting above, "A New Season" 12x16 is in the gallery along with 6 other paintings.

I will be taking off to the La Veta Plein Air Event for a three day paint out and competition. The painting will only be on Friday and Saturday but David and I will try to get over there on Thursday to pick out some good painting spots.  I am looking forward to it.

Heading off to Salida

I will be taking off to Salida for the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival - hopefully I will get some great plein air paintings done.  This will be the last small painting that I will post on Daily Paintworks until I get back.. It is 6x6 and can be purchased by clicking here

Taking Off

Ranch Reflections
9x12

Sunday, I will be heading up to Estes Park with Coni for the Plein Air Rockies. We will be staying with Peg Immel and Patrice Walker at a nice little place on the edge of town. I  feel pretty ready and hope that the weather will stay nice- we plan on painting early at sunrise and sunset- trying to capture the best color of the day.- well that is the plan anyway.

I have been packing so carefully as in the past I have forgotten things and wished that I would have taken the time to get everything that I needed.  I was extremely careful with colors- trying to not forget any that I might need- which isn't a problem with white as I hide it around my Cruiser and painting bags like an alcoholic hides small bottles of a favorite liquor.

I was walking around Alco the other day and found these:
LED lighted glasses! You too can own a pair of these!!! I am hoping they will work well for painting nocturnes in Estes Park- the lights aren't as bright as other LED lights and all I need is more of a light glow than anything else.  I will report on these babies later!  Well I will try to post from Estes if at all possible- I may just collapse into bed when not painting so I can't make any promises.

La Garita

La Garita is the closest I can get to the mountains in the smallest amount of time. It consists of many ranches and a small general store that serves great lunches for an incredibly low price.  There is also a church standing alone at the base of the rock ledges which are basically the gateway to the mountains to west. I don't know the history of this church- wish I did, but I know that there is a coalition working to restore the church to it's better days.  I've heard that the inside is something to see so I will have to explore a little the next time that I make the trek to La Garita

Standing Alone
12x16

La Garita
9x12

The painting above is not too far from the church.  In the late afternoon, I drove up a rocky dirt road, bouncing all of the way to get to this spot.  It was a nice view.  The drought conditions in the San Luis Valley are clearly evident in this painting as the grass is yellow, not a beautiful green as I have seen in years past.

The PAAC show was packed!

Ulrich Gleiter and Susan McCullough

It was a hot summer night at the annual juried Plein Air Artists Colorado (PAAC) show in Cherry Creek.   Coni and I drove up carrying Uli's art supplies which had been stored in my barn all winter.  Poor Uli was having a rough stretch with staying in airports all night and getting a rental car with bald front tires so he was a little beat.  It was nice to have him come to the very crowded show at Saks though before he and Peg Immel were to take off to the Telluride paint out taking place this week.  I hope that they are having a good time- I can't wait for the report.

Large crowd at the PAAC show

Coni Grant and Don Groesser

Well, the show was so full that many of the artists, myself included, stood outside and talked. I love seeing all of the Denver painters as I don't get to paint with them often - only at the Taos paint out in the spring. And we of course got to see Eldon Warren , a good friend and his wife Debra. I think Eldon and I will finally get to paint together in Estes Park in August.

Peg Immel

Peg, a well known plein air painter,  came to the show with her husband Steve Immel, a well known photographer.  We all (Peg, Steve, Coni, Uli, Erin, my daughter, and I) went to the Bistro Vendome for

desert after the show.  We were hoping to sit on the patio but it didn't work out this time- sad since it is a magical place.

End of the Season

Peg Immel came over from Taos to paint at the ranch- what a beautiful day it was.  We enjoyed the warm sunshine and realized that this beautiful fall season is almost over- We painted the classic ranch view- a view of Mt Blanca from the Rio Grande River.  I never tire of painting this scene- actually it looks so different every time I paint it, how could I tire of it?

Art Show at the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center

The Rio Grande Headwaters Trust Plein Air Show at the Valley Regional Medical Center was well attended and a great exhibit of plein work that had been completed at both the May 22, and June 12 paint outs.

The food was really perfect as usual (I don't know who makes the food for these events- they do a fantastic job.)

Most of the paintings will travel to the South Fork Community building for the August 14 art show - the big one!  I will be trading a few paintings around for the big show and there will be more artists represented in that event as well.

North of Penitente Canyon

I decided to visit someplace that I've never been before today.  Many people have talked about Penitente Canyon and Peg Immel even had talked about going there to paint sometime, but I was never sure that I had actually been to Penitente Canyon.  I know that sounds stupid but there are so many rock outcroppings around La Garita that I thought that maybe I had driven through it and just not known it.  So today I was going to find the answer to the question- "Have I really ever been to Penitente Canyon?"


Well I hadn't- I took off from Del Norte and took the road from Del Norte to La Garita, which is something I don't do-( I usually go to La Garita from highway 285) and  there was a sign for Penitente Canyon and so I took off down the road.  Just to make sure that I didn't pass it by, I stopped at every forest road that had a canyon marker just to make sure that I didn't miss it.  I had almost reached the small La Garita church which I could see in the distance and do love so well and lo and behold -- there it was- a large sign for Penitente Canyon!  I drove in and there were people everywhere. Here all this time when I was painting the La Garita church I felt like I was in this isolated little area and not two miles away is this major pilgrimage to Penitente and I didn't even have a clue.

It was cool- little rocks sticking up everywhee and beautiful green bushes but- IT WAS CROWDED! So, I knew some spots that look just like it on the La Garita Road and went there.  This area is north of Penitente and there is a trail that takes off between the rocks and probably in all likelihood, ends up at Penitente Canyon. This was tough to paint - not too many shadows...

Last Painting from the Zapata paint out

After we painted above the Zapata, Coni, David and I went back to the main ladge.  David decided to go paint the model they had set up and Coni and I chose to stick around the main area. She needed to finish her sunset painting and I decided to paint this scene.  It was difficult as the clouds were dancing around throwing shadows everywhere!  Then after, I had my prep sketch completed the peak was completely obliterated by any sunlight patches that had been present earlier.  I finally waited it out long enough and a few rays fell onto the peak and I was able to finish.  That was it for paintings.  We had a show and tell of plein air equipment the next day ( Wednesday) and it was interesting. Here are pictures of the lake we painted in the morning and of the plein air equipment show the next day....

Here is Coni sketching...

                                    

David is across the small lake.....

Teresa Vito is showing how effortless the z box plein air easel is.  This girl is one of the funniest artists I know.

Here is a picture of demonstrations of plein air equipment- plein air painters can be so very inventive. Janet Phillips, in the white shirt was our host for the event. She and her husband Duke are in charge of the Zapata Ranch - she is great! 

Soward Ranch paint out

On the last post I ahowed a picture of Bristol Head Mountain from the west looking at the mountain.  Well, we drove to the Soward Ranch and this is the view looking at the mountain from the east.  It was really obscurred by fog and honestly, very dramatic.  Here is a better picture of the mountain-----

I decided to give it a shot for my first painting for the paint out-- the weather had been rather rainy but was clearing fast so I really thought I could pull this off-- I never seem to get to paint mountains as much as I'd like so decided to do it when halfway through the painting the wind started to blow-- HORRIBLY-- I was standing by David Montgomery and he wisely moved close to some shelter.  I couldn't because I was painting with a pond in the front of me and had decided to put it in the painting- so I was stuck.  My umbrella flew off- and I retrieved it and just kept painting..  It's funny- when painting outside I have developed some type of concentration that earlier in my painting years, would not have been able to keep.  Also I am fortunate to have a Soltek easel that is like a rock in the wind..

I was finally able to finish..

As you can see- I pushed the drama of this mountain and I am now working on a larger version of this painting. .. I noticed that my painting is much lighter than the picture of Bristol and I really was able to see much more into the shadows than the picture shows- that's why I hate to paint from pictures.. Afterwards I tried to hang out by this cool building..

And get a little out of the wind before I started my next painting.

Off to the Soward Ranch- a plein air paint out

Saturday, June 12, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm will be the last plein air paint out to benefit the Rio Grande Headwaters Trust which will be above Creede at the Soward Ranch.


Directions:

Driving directions to Soward Ranch: (about 35 minutes from Creede)
1) From Creede, continue North on CO-149 (toward Lake City) approx. 6-7 miles;
2) turn LEFT onto Middle Creek Road (there are several prominent mailboxes there as a landmark)

3) continue on Middle Creek Road approximately 3.9 miles- bear right at  the fork in the road
4) at approximately 4.8 miles from the turnoff onto Middle Creek Road you'll cross another cattle guard and see a sign on the right that reads: "Soward Ranch"
5) Go LEFT at the next fork in the road- parking will be straight ahead between the barn and Rec room building

Hosted by the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust - www.riograndelandtrust.org

It should be fun as the scenery up there is absolutely fantastic - hope to see everyone there!

Willow at the Ranch

This willow tree makes it difficult for the guys to hay on the west side of the ranch.  In fact, they finally had to create another road through some pasture to get to the other side- good thing- it would have been sad if they had started hacking off branches.  I'm not sure how old this tree is but I'm pretty sure it's a granddaddy. I painted this at about 7 in the morning- great light.

Quick Draw in Creede!!!

Today will be filled with graduation parties good times with a lot of wonderful graduates and their parents. This year I had a reprieve from giving a graduation party but will be ready to do my last for 2011- Jason will be graduating next year and that will be it for high school activities. After 4 children- I think I will be ready - but our small community of Sargent is based around the schools- out in the middle of grain and potato fields- and I think I will miss it and all of the activities and the kids, yes especially the kids....

I will be participating in the quick draw in Creede tomorrow, Sunday, so please come up and see us painting on location under the tents in Creede. It is a great way to get a good deal on a piece of art.. Hope to see you there!

The above painting was painted at the ranch - early morning- the bugs aren't out yet- thank goodness!

After participating in the Headwaters Trust plein air event, I headed to Santa Maria, a private trout club at the base of Bristol Mountain. Jim and my son Jason had already headed up earlier and so took off at about 3:00 and watched the sky stay completely brown with dust all the way there. It was rather depressing- like a huge fire was burning close by. I got settled in to the fishing trailer and the guys were nowhere to be seen- I thought "could they be fishing in this horrible wind?" Yes they were..

Good thing because Jason woke up with the stomach flu at about 12:30 that night and plans kind of changed.. No more fishing for the guys and I stayed up on the mountain a little longer so that I could at least get one painting done. Since this area is above Creede- it wasn't even close to budding out anywhere so I had a difficult time finding anywhere that was very inspiring.

I finally settled on a group of Aspen in an area out of the wind- oh yeah - the wind was blowing by then..

I painted the above 8x10 and drove home and went through my bout with the stomach flu the next day..

A Successful Day At the Gilmore Ranch

The Paint out to benefit the Rio Grande Headwaters Trust was a blast! It was so much fun to see all of the artists and collectors that are really into conservation as well as supporting the art. I painted the scene above-- the wind was horrible so to stay out of it- I picked a view to where I could be protected-- and this one fit the bill- I thought it was a great design and I loved the colors. I can't show the painting yet as it sold to Jim Gilmore and I left it at the ranch for the board meeting that will take place for the Headwaters Trust. I also sold another one to an art loving valley couple as well- one of my favorites. I need to sign it and frame the Gilmore painting so I will post pictures soon...

Immediately after the paint out I headed to Santa Maria Reservoir to meet my family but that is a different story. Later....

Bound for Taos

Today Coni and I will be heading to Taos for the PAAC paint out- first we will paint with the High Desert Painters ( Tuesday and Wednesday) and the with the PAAC for the rest of the week. The PAAC (Plein Air Artists Colorado) group will be there until Sunday and we will be painting Arroyo Hondo, Pilar, Arroyo Seco and a few surrounding towns. I am looking forward to it- Taos is so magical in the Spring- like a breath of fresh air- and I need that right now. The above painting is the ranch- it;s starting to green up and I love the reddish willows that are everywhere- they do grow profusely.

Plein air at First Light

I got up early and went to the ranch as the sun was rising. Actually, sunrise really isn't that early anymore. The light was beautiful - hitting the trees - making them appear as if they were stained glass.

I had an audience as I painted early in the morning- they really were a pretty quiet bunch until they decided to take off and thrash through the willows...

A Short Fall

12x16

This was painted on one of the two days that the leaves were on the trees and colorful. I was glad that I took the time to paint this tree in my front yard a couple of weeks ago because sadly the freeze and winds shortened the color display tremendously. The mountains in the background are the Sangres - I painted them with as few strokes as possible- the light changed pretty quickly so I was moving fast.


I was planning on painting the Crestone paintout today but am feeling under the weather and as my son is home with the flu, I know better than to push it. Hopefully I will be able to get into the studio soon as I plan to have an open house around the 3rd week in November and need to get some paintings hung and would like to get some small pieces painted.

Last Day: Colorado Mountain Plein Air

The last day I was able to paint in the Colorado Plein Air Festival, I drove to Marshall Pass. The weather was quite sketchy so I tried to get up and painting rather quickly- the above painting is of Antora Mountain - there are great views of it all along the drive up Marshall Pass- the weather didn't stay like this for long however so I took off down the mountain as the clouds were quite ominous and as I rounded the bend I saw a nice little view of aspen- the sun popped out just long enough for me to paint it rather quickly

and as I was packing up, the weather moved right in- and that was the end of my week of painting... The party was fun but I was too busy talking to take any pictures of the event-

Fall Color

11x14
This is a view to the west from my backyard painted on Sunday afternoon. There was a nasty looking storm which provided great color for the the backdrop of this stand of trees. Tomorrow I will be heading to the Colorado Mountain Plein Air festival to get Coni and my canvases stamped and hopefully a couple of good paintings done