Losing John......12/25/2014

Santa Fe, New Mexico - In the early minutes of Christmas morning 2014, my beautiful 49 year old son, John, died.  Parts of me died with him and life was forever changed.  Deep grief is a dangerous adventure - a hostile and treacherous landscape with no visible escape route.  Stumbling through most of 2015, I made mental Post-it notes to eat, sleep, paint, function - urgent care became routine.  I was broken and I did not want to mend.

EACH DAY A NEW BEGINNING....

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." Martin Buber

PLACITAS - 40"x30" Original Oil, Framed

CAPILLA DE PLACITAS (Placitas, New Mexico) - 40"x30" Original Oil, framed. Now available for purchase at our 3 Artists of Taos Open Studio exhibit - 27th, 28th and 29th from 12 to 5PM - Preview Studio Inventory.

EL LLANO (El Llano, New Mexico) - NEW 8"x10" Original Oil

EL LLANO (El Llano, New Mexico) - NEW 8"x10" Original Oil on Italian Gessoed panel, framed - now available for purchase at my online Collector's Gallery - Preview Painting.

3 ARTISTS OF TAOS OPEN STUDIO EXHIBIT - MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

SURPRISE! Little did I know when I landed here six months ago that I would meet up with two very talented gentlemen artists as Doug Yeager and Seamus Berkeley!  Sometime in January or February we began to collaborate on an art event - and here is the result.  We have "planning" meetings often over coffee and lots of (Lots!) of pie!   Art Friends near and far are invited!  If you have any questions, give me a call at (575)758-1580.  Looking forward to seeing many, many happy art lovers!  Bienvenidos! Best regards, Donna

VISTAS DEL NORTE

Memorial Day Weekend - May 27, 28 and 29 from 12:00 to 5:00 PM - Taos, New Mexico

Featuring artwork of  Donna Clair, Doug Yeager and Seamus Berkeley (Become acquainted with their work by visiting their individual websites - an armchair preview of ‘Vistas del Norte'!)

Taos, New Mexico — There is a mysterious quality to the atmosphere in northern New Mexico which is not easy to explain it must be experienced. Whether it is the wide open brilliant blue sky, the crisp bright light, the living mountains or the ancient history, artists arrive daily seeking their creative home. Some leave after a few months or years. Others choose to stay and become rooted and energized by all that inspires their art.Three well-recognized New Mexico artists have come together to offer their paintings and photography in an open studio exhibit 'Vistas del Norte' — views of the north. Each brings to their work a unique perspective influenced by life in Taos and the surrounding north country.You are invited to take part in their journey this Memorial Day weekend.  Enjoy!

DON JUAN'S PARADISE (Valdez, New Mexico) - Fine art prints, greeting cards...

DON JUAN'S PARADISE (Valdez, New Mexico) - Fine art prints framed or unframed for home and office, greeting cards, posters and many other great items now available at Fine Art America - Preview prints.

MARGARET JAMISON....

Margaret Jamison - art dealer, mentor, role model, best friend - still missed. Portrait by Julian Robles, Taos artist.

3 ARTISTS OF TAOS - MEMORIAL DAY STUDIO EXHIBITS!

3 ARTISTS OF TAOS - VISTAS DEL NORTE - Doug Yeager, Seamus Berkeley and I getting together to plan for our Studio Exhibits over the Memorial Day Weekend - May 27,28 and 29th. Have really been enjoying planning this event so far.....

Ready, Set, PAINT!!!

Working on fine tuning my website this morning (yes, that is an essential to being an artist now) with master tech, Dan Kuehn of Questa, New Mexico.  Still painting for our studio exhibit 3 ARTISTS OF TAOS - Vistas del Norte which takes place here in Taos over the Memorial Day weekend - 27, 28 and 29.  Doug Yeager and I started hanging his photos and my paintings yesterday - really looks good!   

CAMINITO DE TESUQUE....

10 May 2017 - Framing paintings today in preparation for our studio shows here in Taos over the Memorial Day weekend.  CAMINITO DE TESUQUE (Tesuque, New Mexico) - 28"x22" Original Oil on Belgian Linen, framed, will be featured in my studio.  You are invited!  Ordered three 30"x40" canvases yesterday and more turpentine.  I see a new painting through the sliding glass door looking down Santistevan Lane.  It is so good to be home again!  These places are so familiar! Preview studio inventory!

AFTERNOON VISITORS (Truchas, New Mexico) - Prints, greeting cards....

AFTERNOON VISITORS (Remembering the view from my little adobe house in Truchas, New Mexico) - Fine art prints, greeting cards and many other great items for home and office now available at Fine Art America!

MY TAOS WILDFLOWERS - Fine art prints, greeting cards.......

MY TAOS WILDFLOWERS (Taos, New Mexico) - Fine art prints, greeting cards and many other great items for home and office now available at Fine Art America!

ACEQUIA DEL LLANO - Fine art prints, greeting cards.....

ACEQUIA DEL LLANO - Fine art prints for home and office, greeting cards, posters and many other great items now available at FINE ART AMERICA!

IN THE STUDIO TODAY...

5/3/2017 - Varnishing, signing and framing paintings all the rest of this week in preparation for our 3 Artists of Taos studio exhibits - Vistas Del Norte - Memorial Day Weekend.  The studio walls should come to life with all this new work!

A HAPPY LITTLE CLOUD - NEW 36"x60" Original Oil

Studio No. 1417 - A HAPPY LITTLE CLOUD (Looking across the Rio Grande Gorge toward Three Peaks - Taos, New Mexico) - New 36"x60" Original Oil - Preview painting.

FINDING MY WAY.....

1 May 2017 - PASSING STORM - 8"x10" Original Oil on Italian gessoed panel, framed - now available through Collector's Gallery on my website.  Today marks six months after my huge move to this new studio in Taos.  Am still adjusting to all the changes.  The pace has definitely picked up!  Am again working with my friend Dan Kuehn to redo my website so that my entire studio inventory is now available exclusively through my Collector's Gallery.  Seamus Berkeley, Doug Yeager and I have formed a group - 3 ARTISTS OF TAOS.  We are planning a series of studio exhibits - the first will be for the three days over the Memorial Day Weekend.  Today I will complete a 36"x60" canvas called "A Happy Little Cloud" - everything is moving at a pretty swift pace - so far so good - Progress!

LILAS DE TAOS - Fine Art prints, greeting cards.....

LILAS DE TAOS (Taos, New Mexico) - Fine art prints, posters, greeting cards and many other great items now available at FINE ART AMERICA!

OVERNIGHT DRYING GLAZING MEDIUM

OVERNIGHT DRYING GLAZING MEDIUM - 6 Ounces of Distilled Turpentine (Winsor-Newton), one ounce Stand Oil, one ounce damar varnish, 1/4 teaspoon Cobalt Dryer.  Caution: Mix in glass container with cap or seal.  This recipe was given to me almost fifty years ago by well-known California painter, Bob Clark.  I use this medium for oils the way water is used in watercolors.  Colors can be laid over the underpainting once it is dry.  Darker colors are perfect colors for glazing (Shadows).  Opaque colors can also be used as semi-transparent colors. 

OVERLOOK (TRUCHAS, N.M.) - 48"X12" ORIG. OIL

STUDIO N0. 717 - OVERLOOK (Truchas, New Mexico) - 48"x12" Original Oil on Canvas, framed.  Now available for purchase. Preview painting.

OVERLOOK (Truchas, N.M.) 48"x12 Work In Prog. Glazes

Studio No. 717 - OVERLOOK (Truchas, New Mexico) - 48"x12" Work in Progress (Glazes) - Glazes are applied with painting medium.  The fast-drying medium has turpentine in it, so it is well to let this phase of the painting sit until the color is dry to the touch.  Color notes:   Trees: Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna and Chrome Oxide Green Opaque.  Snow:  Permalba Titanium White, Holbein Rose Grey, touch of cobalt blue - some Payne's Grey.