LLANO SAN JUAN - UNDERPAINTING

"LLANO SAN JUAN" - Underpainting
36"x48" Original Oil on fine Belgian Linen.
To be framed in silver with linen liner.

Am hoping that this painting will have a quiet, "waking up" feeling to it. It is a large canvas, which I prepared with three coats of gesso mixed with Payne's Grey. This "grisaille" sets the tone for the painting -- it also takes down the color a bit so that the end result is more subtle, less "cartoony". For the underpainting my palette colors have been mixed with MG White and Turpentine. I have used bristle brushes to paint and "draw" in the composition. I am trying to build a rhythm with the shapes and lights and darks.....hoping to draw the viewer's eye into the canvas and keep it there for a long time. There are so many elements that go into this first step -- it is the foundation of the painting -- the next step will be the glazes......Stay tuned.

Be the first to see this completed painting -- you are invited to join my list of Art Friends. Send your e.mail address to me at dclair@donnaclairart.com -- your privacy is fully protected and your information will never be given to a third party.

EL CORAZON DEL NORTE - SOLD!

"EL CORAZON DEL NORTE" - SOLD!
30"x40" Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen
Framed in Gold with Linen Liner

San Antonio Catholic Church in the heart of the Hispanic village of Valdez in northern New Mexico (view from the Rim Road). This painting was completed 27 December 2007. For price and availability, please e.mail at dclair@donnaclairart.com or call my Taos Studio at (575) 758-7454.

CORAZON DEL NORTE - PHASE II - GLAZES

"CORAZON DEL NORTE" - GLAZES
30"x40" Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen

This is the second phase of this painting -- adding the dark, transparent and semi-transparent glazes over the underpainting after it has dried. For the dark greens: Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna -- then for the richer, lighter areas of the trees - Chrome Oxide Green Opaque and Cadmium Orange. The grasses - Burnt Sienna, Olive Green some Transparent Gold Ochre and some Alizarin Crimson. This step adds the richness to all the colors as the light is refracted through to the underpainting. These dark areas also make the opaque colors appear to dance off the canvas! Projected completion date for this work is January 7th, 2008.

EL CORAZON DEL NORTE - Underpainting

"EL CORAZON DEL NORTE"
(UNDERPAINTING)
30"x40" Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen

30 November -- The weather is really rainy and snowy -- more snow expected tomorrow; a perfect time to just block in new canvases I plan to complete over the winter months. Each canvas has a drying time of about ten days before I can work with the glazes on top of the underpainting --so I block in several pieces at a time, while I am excited about my new material -- over the next few weeks, I will paint these canvases in my head a hundred times before they are completed! Stay tuned!

SUMMER ELEGY - UNDERPAINTING

"SUMMER ELEGY" - UNDERPAINTING
40"X30" Original Oil on Belgian Linen

Am so happy with all the new material gathered in the past six weeks, I have decided to begin several large canvases and work on them through the winter months. So, I will be "blocking in" a few more and will keep you posted on their progress via this journal.

This painting is blocked in loosely with my usual palette(see blog index), MG White and turpentine. As with "Valdez Autumn", it will need to dry a week to ten days before I can work on it again, due to the turpentine in my painting medium. Stay tuned.

VALDEZ AUTUMN - UNDERPAINTING

#108 - VALDEZ AUTUMN DAY - Underpainting
30"X30" Original Oil on Fine Artist's Canvas

Here is the very beginning of a new painting (most colors are mixed with MG Fast Drying White and Turpentine-- My colors in the sky are Indanthrone Blue and a little Thalo Green. The highlights in the clouds are MG with a little Cadmium Red and Cadmium Yellow; the greys are a combination of Davy's Grey and Payne's Grey mixed with the white. The darks in the mountain are a combination of straight Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna -- the lighter colors are the sky colors mixed with the dark combination. The trees and chamisa - different combinations of the following: Cadmium Red, Cadmium Ochre, Chrome Oxide Green Opaque, Cadmium Orange, some Diox Purple and the joys of a "DIRTY BRUSH" -- Don't rinse your brushes after each color -- just keep on going with all the colors -- it adds a certain coherence to the color mixtures. This underpainting needs to dry for about a week before I attempt the glazing process. Stay tuned!

GIVING THANKS

GIVING THANKS 2007

Just watched the news and all the frenzy about whether or not the stores will be up or down in sales this Christmas season.......this obvious time filler seems so superficial considering all that is going on in the rest of the world.

Sometimes it's so easy to believe the commercials and think that there is something missing in our lives if we don't have the latest, greatest or biggest thing. This morning I sat down and journaled a "thank you" list. Prominent on that list is this place where I am blessed to live and paint......and all the people who are so generous in their support of my work! I am truly grateful to each and every one who has ever cheered me along the way!

The book on my easel, "Women Painters of the World", came from an old and dear friend's library. As you can see -- the blank canvases are piled up on the floor, on the easel -- my taboret is brimming with new tubes of paint -- and I'm ready for my winter work! - absolutely nothing is missing and life is truly rich and full!

Wishing everyone out there in the "real world" a peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving -- Hug each other today!

Donna Clair, Taos, N.M.

WORK IN PROGRESS - "SIESTA" ORIG. OIL

"SIESTA" - WORK IN PROGRESS

24"x24" Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen
To be framed in Gold with Linen Liner
For more information, please call my Taos Studio at
(505)758-7454

"DIAS DE ORO" - COMPLETED ORIGINAL OIL

"LOS DIAS DE ORO"
Completed October 9, 2007

36"x48" - Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen
Framed in Gold with Linen Liner
For price and availability, please call my Taos Studio at (575) 758-7454

LOS DIAS DE ORO -- PHASE II - GLAZES

WORK IN PROGRESS - LOS DIAS DE ORO
(Color notes from July Blogpost)
(GLAZES II) - 36"x48" Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen
Projected date of completion - 10/10/07

In my last post to this web log, I demonstrated the difference between the underpainting and the beginning of the glazing process -- laying in the dark, transparent colors. This week I covered the entire canvas with glazes -- even thinning opaque paints to a semi-transparent consistency.

The two autumn trees: I thinned Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow and Cadmium Red and brushed those colors over the shape of the trees to "tone" the ground. Then I began laying in the darker colors (Alizarin Crimson, Diox. Purple, C. Ox. Green Opaque) to create volume and shadows. I used Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna and Chrome Oxide Green Opaque in the pinon trees at the top of the painting. The pastureland in the foreground and middle ground is a combination of all these colors to varying degrees of light and dark. I will let these colors set up for a few days before working into them again, otherwise the turpentine in my painting medium will mix with the heavier, opaque paints and create "mud".

If you have any questions regarding this new painting, just give me a call at (505) 758-7454.

"DIAS DE ORO" - ORIGINAL OIL (UNDERPAINTING)

WORK IN PROGRESS- "LOS DIAS DE ORO"
(UNDERPAINTING - From July Blogpost)

36"X48" - Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen
To be framed in Gold with Linen Liner

My colors in this underpainting are laid in loosely and mixed with MG Underpainting White and Turpentine using a variety of bristle brushes. Colors in the trees: Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Chrome Oxide Green Opaque. Shadows: Combination of Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna, Diox. Purple and Chrome Oxide Green Opaque. This underpainting will need to dry completely (about a week) before I can work into the colors again with the glazes (darks).

If you have any questions, please e.mail or call my Taos Studio at (505) 758-7454.

"ARROYO SECO" - STUDIO EDITION PRINT

"ARROYO SECO" - Archival Giclee

Now available from THE HIGH ROAD CATALOGUE at
www.DonnaClairArt.com
Archival giclee on fine art professional paper
17"x22" sheet size -- $100.00
13"x19" sheet size -- $60.00
Free shipping and handling within Cont. U.S.
To order call my Taos Studio at (505)758-7454

"NIGHTSKY WANDERER",ORIGINAL OIL - SOLD

"NIGHTSKY WANDERER"-SOLD
Completed 8/27/07
24"x30" Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen
Framed in Silver with Linen Liner
For price and availability, please call my Taos Studio at (505)758-7454.

PALETTE FOR NIGHTSKY WANDERER

8/27/07 -MIXING PALETTE FOR NIGHTSKY WANDERER

ELEGY FOR SUMMER - STUDIO EDITION PRINT

'ELEGY FOR SUMMER" - STUDIO EDITION

Now available as an exhibition-quality archival giclee
Hand-titled and Hand-signed - in clear PolyFoldLock Envelope
Large Size - $100.00 - 17"x22" Sheet Size
Small Size - $60.00 - 13"x19" Sheet Size
To see the full High Road Catalogue, go to
www.donnaclairart.com
To order this print, please call my Taos Studio at (505)758-7454

MORNING POEM - SOLD!

"MORNING POEM"
Completed 8/20/07
SOLD - 8/21/07

18"x18" Original Oil on Fine Artist's Canvas
Framed in Silver with Linen Liner

TAOS EVENING LIGHT -STUDIO EDITION PRINT

#1307 - "TAOS EVENING LIGHT" - STUDIO EDITION PRINT

It's monsoon season again -- a late afternoon storm is moving off into the Pecos Wilderness -- everything is fresh and cool after the rain -- and the scent of sage is in the high desert air and thunder can be heard in the distance..... Now available as a Studio Edition Print (17"x22" sheet size) - $100. All major credit cards accepted. Free shipping and handling within the Cont. U.S. -- Printed to order, call my Taos Studio at (505)758-7454.

HIGH ROAD AUTUMN -Orig. Oil - SOLD

"HIGH ROAD AUTUMN" - SOLD
Completed 8/9/07

11"X14" Original Oil on Cold-Pressed Italian Gessoboard
Framed in Gold with Linen Liner.
For more information, please call my Taos Studio at (505) 758-7454.

HIGH ROAD AUTUMN - Underpainting

"HIGH ROAD AUTUMN"
(UNDERPAINTING)

11"x14" Original Oil on Cold-Pressed Italian Gessoboard
Primary palette colors (see right-hand column for my list of colors) mixed with MG White and Turpentine. Allow to dry completely before adding glazes.

DON EUSAVIO'S PARADISE - STUDIO EDITION

"DON EUSAVIO'S PARADISE"
New Studio Edition Print

A long time ago in Truchas, New Mexico -- My neighbor, Don Eusavio, bringing his wood supply in for the day -- quiet, peace, serenity, does life get any better than this?

Now available as a Studio Edition Print on archival fine art paper (17"x22" sheet size) - $100.00 To order larger prints, just visit my website at www.donnaclairart.com. Visa, Mastercard, Amer. Exp. and Discover accepted. To order, just call my Taos studio at (505758-7454.