Wandering in Taos or Your Bloomers are Showing

The month of May springs wild in these parts (pun intended). This year I noticed a cherry bush in my yard starting to bloom and knew that in Taos and the lower Rio Grande valley that things would really be popping. Although we are at a similar elevation as Taos here in Alamosa, we are usually at least a week behind the Spring warm up.
So I packed up my painting gear and headed south. My first stop is a favorite spot near Arroyo Hondo along one of the acequias (irrigation ditchs). I was not disappointed.

I was fortunate to get acquainted with the local property owner who invited me to paint anywhere along her fruit-tree-lined acequia.
Nothing like passing the afternoon inhaling the sweet perfume of the blossoming trees and shrubs.

During the next couple of days I wandered extensively, seaching-out, finding and painting the bloomers in northern New Mexico. One spectacular tree was right along the highway in the middle of Taos. Another find was a tip from painter and friend Peggy Immel of Taos. She led us to a century-old apple orchard with great views of Taos Mountain and El Salto.

After a break, I returned to Taos to participate in the annual Paint Out event with the Plein Air Artists of Colorado (PAAC) where a couple dozen painters buzzed around the Taos area for several days. The group arranged to paint up the Taos Canyon on the property of legendary painter Kevin MacPherson. One of his prime views is the small lake below him. He was able to put together a remarkable epic undertaking by painting the lake everyday for a year, commemorating this process in a fascinating book.

A group of us tried our hand at painting this landmark including my usual cohorts Sue McCullough and Coni Grant.

After this kind of accumulation of plein air work comes the process home in the studio of touch up, fine tune, leave it alone or gesso-over time.

I am pleased to report that I have at least two survivors that made it and are now in my current show up at the Walden Gallery in Taos. I am featured along with Marie Massey into June. A reception is imminent on Saturday, May 28 from 5 to 7 pm.

So if you are in the area, please stop in. The show will be up until the end of June.

The images:

Top: "Along the King's Road" 9x12 oil

2nd: "Acequia Footbridge" 9x12 oil

3rd: PAAC Ladies Painting at MacPherson's Pond

Bottom: "Bloomtime" 16x20 oil

The Clean Studio

The Masonic Building- my studio is above "Shoes and Apparel"

I mentioned several months ago that I had cleaned my studio and someone requested that I take some pictures to share. I would like to think that I had piqued their interest about what my studio situation was since they had not seen it yet. I also wondered that perhaps they thought that the studio cleaning was a major historical event and needed documentation.

Entrance from the hall with my "Brag Wall"

The north windows

This also enters into the area of ---- what is clean?

When I was single I had landlords who complimented me on how tidy I was- for a man. When I got married I was informed that, in reality, I was a slob of major status.

Studio cleaning for me is also different than other, say, domestic cleaning. I have noticed that when I clean my studio I also drift into organizing my brain at the same time, especially if I have been on artistic hiatus. As I pick up and move things around I run a “movie” about the visual stimulus received from paintings and drawings scattered about and see how those affect the projects that I would like to start anew. Sometimes a trash object will not contribute much to the screenplay, such as mummified pizza crust.

I really like my studio. The north facing 12 foot high windows offer ample and sometimes almost excessive light. I also like the historic building it is in with its 1887 Chicago-style looks and innovative skylights on the top floor shared by 3 other artists in their own spaces. I find it ironic that I concentrate so much on wilderness landscapes from a studio that is in the heart of the most urban area within a hundred miles. It is also ironical to call downtown Alamosa urban.

The Easel, normally in the center of the room

I will open my relatively clean studio to the Alamosa Art Walk on Saturday, April 16 and encourage you all to stop in and walk up the 26 steps to my place. And NO white gloves, please.

At the Reception

I wanted to share pictures of my recent reception at a display of some of my work.
My advice to those who actually want to see and absorb artwork is to come back after an opening when the crowds have thinned.
Openings can easily become about socializing and reconnecting with others. Or meeting new people with at least art appreciation in common.
Well- let’s not forget the treats either. As much as I like to ignore this aspect of bringing in the public, my higher aspects are often interrupted- as in;
“Look at the way the artist played with that highlight in the corner--- oh man, take a look at that brownie!”
There is also the expectation of live music and wine where permitted.
The high-end art reception incorporates a combination of the arts- visual, culinary, musical and vineyard; a sensory inundation.
And then there are my receptions……………..

When a show features me I try not to be rude as I flit from person to person or am escorted off by someone to explain something in a piece. It is a fine balance between focusing my attention on an individual and not totally ignoring someone else. To those who have felt my interaction with you too short- my apologies.
Sadly that is the nature of the gig.
Better to come and visit at the studio where we can have real quality time and really get into the world of art and what I do. And of course after a half hour or so you may decide that the brief encounter at the opening was-------- sufficient after all!

Paintings on Display, Reception Imminent!

I was invited to display some of my artwork at the Alamosa SLV Medical Center in December. When the center expanded several years ago they had the foresight to build into the design a very elegant art space. It is a sun-drenched place situated in front of a wall of windows. They call it the Artrium.

I think my paintings are at their best when viewed under natural light since they are all painted in natural light, whether outdoors or in my amply sunny studio.

After the paintings were up we decided to have an opening to take advantage of the opportunity- sort of a spontaneous response.

I also try to help out causes dear to my heart when I can. So we decided to offer a 30% contribution to our local La Puente Homeless Center for any sales that ensue.

So here is the pitch:

Artists Reception 4 to 7 p.m. February 11, 2011 at the Alamosa SLV Regional Medical Center, 2nd Floor Artrium.

Open to the public and refreshments will be served.

The show is up now and until March 20 so if you can't make the reception please come by and check it out when you can.

Painting shown "Lemon Cliffs" 18x24 oil on linen

InSpired

I have long been attracted to rock formations which are so prevalent in the dry West where the geology isn’t covered up by “pesky” vegetation. This piece portrays a famous landmark in northern New Mexico called Chimney Rock at Ghost Ranch. Can’t say much for the creativity of place-namers…. I am sure there are hundreds of Chimney Rocks throughout the country. I would love to know what the Native Americans called it; probably different names by different clans throughout time.

In looking at the attraction to these landmarks there are some obvious aspects such as an easily identifiable natural feature that you can communicate, such as “two miles south of Chimney Rock.” Then there is the piece about the imagery of free standing rock pillars.

The obvious association with rock spires is the phallus shape which conjures up things about masculinity and power. But I also think there is the hopeful recognition in the resemblance to monumental scale humans, perhaps the original inspiration for commemorative statuary. In an animistic bend we can enliven these giant formations with a living presence – the Rock People.

When I visit the area around Ghost Ranch I am cognizant of the mechanics of geology through my years of study, with the “explaining” of how the sediment was laid down, layer after layer, with each stratum telling its own tale. Then the layers being compressed underground for eons and its reemergence as it slowly gets worn down into sediment again by the wind and moisture, freezing and thawing.

This explaining diminishes the magic if you let it. Science can trivialize the wonder of nature with the notion that things happen “normally.”

Science used properly can amplify your appreciation of what you see. “This used to be an ocean beach dune and is now in the side of a cliff 2000 miles away from the sea!”
Such information baffles me back into the magic of our Earth.
Oh- and look over there at that hoo-doo- I see a face!

The painting : "Inspired" oil on canvas 24" x 18"

Like Lazarus

I have had many collaborations with musician Don Richmond over the years. He has honored me with including my artwork on four projects so far: two for his solo projects and one for a release with Hired Hands. The latest is a piece I did for his latest solo project “Like Lazarus.”

We had talked for several years about this album - as he gelled the tunes together the cover image came to him as well. Pivotal in both projects was his miraculous comeback from life- threatening cancer. It is truly a gift to us all to hear him sing and play this collection of music, much of it born from his magical adventure. To quote another musician- long may you run!
He wanted imagery relating to rebirth. The resurrection of Lazarus with the help of Jesus is a very iconic template which he refers to in one song. He wanted me to portray the newly revived Don gazing out at the world from the portal of the tomb- eyes blinded by the magnificence of a first morning.
I had a first version that was more in tune with my naturalistic portrayal of the landscape but it wasn’t quite “acid” enough- a reference no doubt to movies we have both seen.
So I cranked up the chroma and color intensity as well as the magic as well.
This allowed me to push my envelope and go where I don’t usually go.
In a word Fun.
The coyote was adorned with an aura and the halo around Sierra Blanca was revealed to all.
So enjoy this image and bug Don to see the original- its bigger than the CD cover.
Pick up this very fine collection of music and even better try and find the time to see Don perform in person. He is having several CD release events and you can check it out by the link provided. Thanks for reading!

The painting: "Like Lazarus" oil on linen 16"x20"

To check out Donnie's Doings go to http://www.donrichmond.com/

At the Oasis

I was invited to enjoy and paint the Medano and Zapata Ranches here in the San Luis Valley at the base of Sierra Blanca and near the Great Sand Dunes. This was the second year I have participated in this event sponsored by the wonderful Phillips Family and the Nature Conservancy.

They invite an interesting mix of artists from various perspectives and media. Plein-air painters, etchers, sculptors and too many more to list. The focus is to “gather material.”

This year there were 29 artists including local friends Coni Grant and Sue McCullough.
So that was the set up. I was amused to see the artists wandering about in this magical part of the world, like children let loose for recess. Lots of wide-eyed looks and statements that usually end up with trailing adjectives. Me included. Even though I live close–by, there is a special wonderment in being in intimate day-to-day relation with the meadows, cottonwoods, looming peaks and enigmatic dunes. Not so much with the mosquitos…
And the bison- 2400 of the grunting beasts, with hundreds of calves. You could drive through a herd of several hundred animals in the morning and in the afternoon return to find them gone and nowhere to be seen for 10 miles along the flat horizon. Like ghosts or dreams. The trampled ground and poop piles testifying to their reality.
Found in this terrain are campsites from 12,000 years ago, where ancient people hunted ice-age bison, twice as big as the modern animals with 6 feet spanning between their horns atop their huge heads.
There is a poetic continuity in keeping with the bison theme for millennia. The modern animals were brought in to repopulate the herds exterminated in the 1800’s- a short break in the long timeline.
I feel blessed by people with money who invest in the retention of this landscape to keep it in tune with its ancient rhythms.
I only wish I could paint it better! Oh well- one more special opportunity to wander.
Thanks.

the pictures:

"Magic Morning" plein air oil , 12" x 9"

A bison herd on the Medano Ranch

Coni and Sue painting