Juried Entries for the Santa Rita Art League Show

The first painting shown is a watercolor on stretched paper entitled "Sunset Splendor".  I choose that title because the photo I worked from was taken about 5:00 p.m. the first June we lived in Arizona. The painting was an experiment to see if a watercolor could be painted then sprayed with a protective spray then framed without glass.  It worked and it was selected for the Juried Show to open on December 8th here in Green Valley at CPAC.  The second painting is a pastel done from a photo taken outside Orderville, Utah this past August.  I like this painting as it reminds me of the farms around Indiana.  It was selected as an alternate for the juried show.   

Sunset Splendor
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Long Valley Farm

Until last night both paintings hung in the show.  My sister  Pat bought the Sunset Splendor so only one is currently available.  Thanks Pat!

Now Showing in Southern Arizona!

Yesterday was a big day as I hung paintings in two local shows.  My artwork can be see at the following:
Tucson Pastel Society Miniature Show
Classic, Casa Blanca Plaza, 6026 N. Oracle, Tucson

White Dove                 Pastel
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Morning Bouquet       Pastel

Long Valley Stream                   Pastel

Artist 13 Show, Canoa Hills Recreation Center, Green Valley, AZ

Dancing in the Light/ Take a Bow  Oil

Rocky Mountain Susans Oil

Morning Bluff                                  Oil

Elephant Head Evening                 Oil

Fall comes to Madera Canyon

Madera Canyon Show Off

This is the view from the trail head where I painted with some of the ladies in the Tucson Pastel Group.  The day started cool but the sun was bright as it usually is here in Arizona.  We spotted the cottonwood up the ridge toward Mt. Wrightson turning it's beautiful fall colors and we had our subject for the day! At the end of our day we were surprised by a very large rattlesnake who was slithering by where we were painting.  He took one look at us and headed in the other direction. 

Old Tucson

Barrio Blue

This is a painting I have been thinking about doing for over a year and it was finally it's turn on the easel.  I am beyond pleased to see it come to life.  I took the picture down in the Barrio in Old Tucson, an area with beautiful textured historic buildings that give you a real sense of the history of this area.   

Tumacaccori Continued

Mission Bell

I did work on this paining a bit more in the studio but it took a few more sessions before I was happy with it.  The first change was to add more color to the walls of the mission. Yesterday I finished it up with the cross on the top.

Morning Trip to Tumacaccori National Park

Last Thursday I decided to take off on my own to do some painting.  I choose the park site because  it is a beautiful place and it is perfectly safe for my solo painting expedition.  I arrived bright and early to find I was too early, an hour to kill.  Headed up the road a bit to Tubac where I looked around to see if painting there might make more sense.  No scene caught my attention so after a few pictures I returned to the mission.  I worked on the painting till late morning then had to pack up and head home to get ready for a meeting by 1:00.  I'll finish the painting in the studio this week.  Fun day and look forward to the next painting trip.

Morning on the Mission

Bell Gallery Flowers

This is my favorite plein aire work so far.   I have done some additional work on the painting in the studio .  I may brighten the flowers a bit more to show the light on them but other than that I am probably going to quit on this one.  I have accomplished my goal of completing a work in a couple hours outdoors and capturing the light on the subject.  

Bell Gallery Flowers
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Sonoran Desert Museum Paint Out with Tucson Pastel Society

Both paintings shown here were done in early October 2011 at the Sonoran Desert Museum.  The Tucson Pastel Society and the Tucson Plein Aire Painters were invited by the Art Institute Director, Susan Fisher to participate in the Wings over the Desert event by painting on the grounds.  I originally planned to attend one day but decided after day one to return and paint on day two.  The weather was a challenge as it was unseasonably warm at 98+ degrees both days.  Working quickly and keeping it simple was key as the day heated up.  

Desert Museum Pathway 

View from the Cactus Garden

Monument Valley

Amado Territory Paint Out

Photo

View from the Inn
Plein Air painting can be a real challenge as you have a panoramic view of the area and you only have 9" x 12" to capture an image.  In this painting I tried capturing the light on the mountain and the grasses in the foreground.  I am not in love with this result but appreciate that I learned from doing it.  On the positive side I completed it all while outdoors in one morning.  

Navaho Sheep

Long Valley Farm

Both the pastels shown here were done from photos in the Studio.  The sheep were fun since I had not tried animals before.  The Farm painting was inspired by one Colleen did and was hanging in the Bingham Gallery in Mt. Carmel.  You can see her fabulous painting at http://www.colleenhowe.blogspot.com/.

Creek in Utah

This was the first painting we worked on with Colleen Howe.  The entire class (9 artists) worked on the same view.  We painted at this location 2 mornings.  We were scattered along a dirt road that led across the stream pictured.  The farmer who owned the adjoining property came through both mornings, one day in his truck and the next with his truck and large trailer.  He was patient while we all moved our easels and equipment.  One of the many adventures of Plein Air painting.

Plein Aire Steam and Bank

Painting with Colleen Howe in Utah

I've spent the last two days with one day to go in Mt. Carmel Utah with the very accomplished Colleen Howe and 9 other artisits working on our artistic skills.  Day one began with setting up and painting the scene included.  When I complete my study of the creek bank I'll be sure to post it.

Travel Journal Pages

View of Mt Humphrey's from Point Imperial, North Rim Grand Canyon

Cool House on Maynard Dixon summer home

Zion National Park

View from campground in Glendale, Utah

Wooded National Forest next to Munds Park, AZ campground

Flowers found at campground in Sielgman, AZ.

When we travel I usually take at least 50 lbs. (or more) of art materials and usually don't do anything with them all because I can't slow down long enough to complete a plein air painting.  This spring I was inspired by a mini workshop and now am trying my new method-------one small bag of lightweight materials and journals!  This is by far my favorite way to plein air paint.  I did more sketches in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah than I had done on all our other trips combined.   The goal is just to record places not to make gallery worthy art.   For a look at our travel blog written by Jamie check out http://sandcreektravel.blogspot.com.

Sedona Inspried

9"x12" pastel on paper                                                             Water Symphony

This is a pastel done from a picture Jamie took when we visited Sedona, The Church on the Rocks in May 2010.  I just loved the perspective of the water flowing through this unusual fountain with the red rock butte in the background.

Spring Pastels completed

I brought this bunch of radishes home from the market and decided they were just too pretty just to eat so I took a pic and then worked them up in pastel on Art Spectrum black paper.  

13 X 16" Pastel on  paper       Market Fresh Radishes

Tipi in Oil

Friendship Tipi

Workshop Day Two

18 X 24 oil on canvas          In the Garden with Debra

March David Simons Workshop/ Figures

18 X 24 oil on canvas      Wilcox Gunslinger

9 X 12 oil on canvas board                             Empire Ranch Dude

Desert Bloom

12" x 12" Watercolor                                                                  Desert Bloom

Latest oils

 Home on the Range                                                                 16X20 oil on panel

Santa Rita Sunset  8x6 oil on panel

Madera Canyon Romp

James at Madera Canyon 16x12 pastel on ArtSpectrum paper

Davis Simons Class #2

Mountain Wildflowers  12x16 oil on canvas

                    

Monument Valley in Autumn  16x20 oil on canvas panel

Cactus Flower

Cactus Flower  16x20 oil on canvas panel
I painted this oil using my newly learned method of painting masses and values.  In looking this one over I discover that I did not capture the freshness and the light I wanted.  I started out great but lost it struggling with the colors.  

David Simons Class

Country Sunflower                 18X24 Oil on Canvas

Break of Day                                                             24x12  Oil on Canvas

Members Juried Show Entries

                                           Albiqui Trinity

                                                  Tanque Verde Tranquility

                                                    Ballet de la Chiapas

Shown her are the three pastel paintings I entered in the 2010 Members Juried Show for the Santa Rita Art League in Green Valley. Albiqui Trinity and Tanque Verde Tranquility were both accepted to hang in the show.