HOW I PAINT - WHAT TO PAINT? FIELD WORK

HOW I PAINT - FIELD WORK:  CHOOSING MY SUBJECT MATTER.  Before leaving Chicago for Santa Fe, N.M. 48 years ago, I was able to be one of thousands who lined up at the Art Institute for the major Andrew Wyeth retrospective.  After waiting in lines that stretched almost to Lake Michigan, we were only given seconds to view each painting.  This exhibit had a powerful effect on me in that I realized Wyeth focused on what he knew best - his own love of place where his spirit was completely "at home".  After visits to Mexico and Guatemala, it took me a while before I came to know "my place".  This knowing settled in slowly once I came to know and love northern New Mexico - especially my sometimes home, Truchas, and the surrounding villages.  Authenticity is important to me - I paint what I know - and especially the places I love best. 

CHIMAYO, N.M. - Oct. 18, 2014

FROM THE TOP OF THE HILL - CHIMAYO, N.M. - Starting some sketches today - organizing paints, setting up a new palette.... life is good!

ON THE ROAD IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO - 10/18/2014

ON THE ROAD with the Dollie Sisters yesterday (Jan McDowell and Jolene Allen) - Almost 250 new pics! The trees are at their glorious peak all over the north country - Truchas, Chimayo, Dixon - heavy frosts are late this year. Canvases are gessoed in many different sizes - making a list and ordering the paints tomorrow. One or two more trips to my favorite places and then it is time to settle in for my winter work! What an amazing day!

U. S. HILL (Taos, New Mexico) - 8"x10" Original Oil, Framed

U. S. HILL (Taos, New Mexico) - 8"x10" Original Oil, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner - Sold.

GARCIA PARK (Taos, New Mexico) - 30"x60" Original Oil

GARCIA PARK (Taos, New Mexico) - 30"x60" Original Oil on Belgian Linen - wrap-around painting.  Now available for purchase. - Preview.

BEING GRATEFUL TODAY......

EARLY SNOW CLOUDS AT PICURIS - Archival Print from an original painting - you are invited to visit The High Road Print Catalog.

Oh yes!  It's that time of year again - fall sneaked up on us here about two nights ago - a chill in the air.  This morning landlord checking the heating zones in the house so I won't freeze and fall on a brush midstroke!  Moved to New Mexico 47 years ago this month.  This morning I was looking at all these images in this catalog - painted over my years in Truchas - and I wondered how it happened that I got so lucky to land in this place - such a chaotic set of circumstances brought me here all that long time ago - another storm of events brought me full circle to Tesuque - right up the street from El Nido where I had my first New Mexico "art show" - bet those paintings still resonate with the sweat and stomps of flamenco dancer Vicente Romero!  Just coming home to myself again (I am slow to change) -  carry these places with me every day when I sit down at that big easel of mine.  What I am feeling today is a deep and profound gratitude.

ON THE EASEL TODAY: CALLECITA DE TESUQUE, 40"x40" Original Oil

On the Easel:  CALLECITA DE TESUQUE, 40"x40" Original Oil on Belgian Linen.

CORAZON SAGRADO (Tesuque Village, N.M.) - 20"x20" Original Oil

CORAZON SAGRADO (Tesuque Village, New Mexico) - 20"x20" Original Oil, wrap-around painting.  $750.00 - Preview/Purchase.

PUESTA DEL SOL (Taos, N.M.), New 30"x40" Original Oil - Sold

Studio No. 3414 - PUESTA DEL SOL (Taos Mountain, Taos, New Mexico) - New 30"x40" Original Oil on Belgian Linen, unframed. $3500.  Completed 8/13/14 - Sold

0N THE EASEL - PUESTA DEL SOL - 30"x40" Work in Progress

ON THE EASEL NOW -- WORK IN PROGRESS - STUDIO NO.3414 - PUESTA DEL SOL (Taos, New Mexico) 30"x40" Original Oil on Belgian Linen. ( This is the second in a series of 30 new paintings from northernNew Mexico) The color notes and process of the beginning of this painting are posted below.

EL RITO DEL NORTE, 20"x16" Original Oil, Framed

Studio No. 2814 - EL RITO DEL NORTE (Garcia Park, Taos, New Mexico) - 20"x16" Original Oil, Framed - $800.00.  Preview/purchase.

U.S. HILL (Taos, New Mexico) 8"x10" Original Oil, Framed

 

U.S. HILL (Taos, New Mexico) - 8"x10" Original Oil, framed - $350.00.  Preview/purchase.

LLANO SAN JUAN - 11"x14" Original Oil, Framed

LLANO SAN JUAN (Llano San Juan de Nepomuseno, New Mexico) - 11"x14" Original Oil, Framed - $500 - Preview/purchase.

DOWN A COUNTRY LANE - 12"x9" Original Oil, Framed

 

DOWN A COUNTRY LANE (Tesuque, New Mexico) - 12"x9" original oil, framed in gold with linen liner -$450.00 - To preview/purchase.

WINTERLIGHT (Tesuque, New Mexico) 48"x36" Original Oil

Studio No. 214 - WINTERLIGHT (Tesuque, New Mexico) - 48"x36" Original Oil on Belgian Linen, unframed  - now available for purchase - $4500.00.  Preview/Purchase.

TWILIGHT ON TAOS MOUNTAIN - New 16"x20" Orig. Oil - Sold

 

Studio No. 2614 - TWILIGHT ON TAOS MOUNTAIN - New 16"x20" Original Oil on Belgian Linen, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner.  Completed 8/3/14.  SOLD

GARCIA PARK (Taos, New Mexico) New 8"x16" Orig. Oil - Sold

 GARCIA PARK (Taos, New Mexico) New 8"x16" Original Oil on Canvas, unframed.  Completed 7/31/14 - Sold

PROGRESS!

ABIQUIU - New 40"x40" - painted the bottom of the canvas this week - upside down to dry for ten days or so and then on its way to a new happy home in Ohio!

PUESTA DEL SOL - 30"x40" Original Oil - Work in Progress (Underpainting)

Studio No. 3414 - PUESTA DEL SOL - 30"x40" Original Oil on Belgian Linen - Work in Progress (Underpainting).  Color Notes: All basic  colors mixed with Grumbacher MG Underpainting White and Turp.  Sky - Dioxazine Purple.  Mountains - Cerulean Blue, Sky Color.  Trees:  Cadmium Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre.  Foreground:  Chrome Oxide Green Opaque, Olive Green, Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna.

ABIQUIU - New 40"x40" Original Oil - Sold

Studio No. 3314 - ABIQUIU - New 40"x40" Original Oil on Belgian Linen, wrap-around painting. $4000.00  Completed 7/23/14.  Sold