A Crazy Summer

Summer has really flown by with very little time for much painting.  I didn't mind however because the good times I had with family, friends and travel more than made up for the lack of time to paint.  I did complete a couple of paintings. The first was done for my daughter-in-law.  She wanted to have a painting of trees as you looked up through the sky at them.  It was a challenge to get the perspective correct but the end product was "just what I wanted" according to Jill. I also completed a pastel of a moose that I called "Crossing Calm Water".   The art cruise I took up through the inland passage of Alaska gave me the inspiration to paint my other studio piece.  On board with us were 60 professional Santa's.  They were so much fun to have on board as everywhere they went they were dressed as Santa's in red, white and green.  Some of their outfits were crazy and some were very sophisticated.  They always brought a smile to one's face when you met them on board.  Santa Lyle posed for us and while I wasn't able to paint him in person I painted him from a photo I took of him as he posed.  Here are these three paintings. Hope you enjoy.

Perpetual Summer 36" x 40" acrylic

Crossing Calm Water 11" x 14" Pastel

Santa Lyle 11" x 14 Oil

Getting Back To My Art

"American Bison" oil  photographed by Roger Head

"King of Kauai" oil  Photographed by Jennifer Slaughter

"Across the Lake" acrylic  Photographed at Florence Lake Willow Alaska

I haven't pulled up this page since my last post on May 3rd 2012.  It kind of shocked me to see that I had such great art plans for that summer.  Unfortunately on May 8th 2012, I was diagnosed with the big "C" and for almost two years I didn't have the energy or concentration to create art or to write my blog.  I have gradually come back to art and hopefully I can write what I want to say.  Believe me "Chemo Brain" is a real affliction.  Needless to say I missed the Great Alaska Plein Air retreat put on by the Painted Ladies and also the Betts workshop. Well enough about that.  I am healthy now and intend to stay that way for some time to come and I had a blast on the Great Alaska Plein Air retreat this year which was a cruise through the Alaska Inland Passage.  We painted in every port and I was able to complete a couple of paintings that I liked.  I posted them on Facebook so won't post again here.   I also took a class painting with Alcohol Ink.  What a free form of art that is.  One never knows what you will end up with.  I will post the results of that class when I get the photos downloaded.  This past winter while living in beautiful Kayenta I also painted a couple of pictures that I haven't posted so I will add them to my blog.  Hope you enjoy. 

Heading North

Chief

"Old Bear"

Well it is time to pack up and leave the Southwest and head North to Alaska for the summer, but before I leave I will rearrange my studio space at Blue Raven and replace "Two Bear" woman with "Chief" since "Two Bear" is heading for her new home in Las Vegas.  I know the new owner will love her.  I will also teach one more class this evening then clean my brushes and say adios until we return in the fall. Here is "Chief"  and "Old Bear"
I'm looking forward to attempting some quality art this summer in Alaska at the Judi Betts workshop and the Great Alaska Plein Air Retreat http://pleinairalaska.com/

My Latest Art

Court of the Patriarchs at Zion NP

With lots of company and travel since February I was surprised to see I still had a little time to complete a few pieces of art.  I just completed this painting of Zion National Park in the Court of the Patriarchs (also Oil 14" x 18").   I also completed these paintings of a Rooster and Hens ( Oil 14" x 18").  They were lots of fun to paint and the added humor of the hens provided me with a good laugh.  Let me know if they give you a chuckle as well.

Henrietta, Scarlett, and Marilyn

Rufus

Native American Portraits, Dexter, and Tuscany

I've spent the last few weeks painting Native Americans from historic photos. When I paint these faces I become very involved emotionally with the painting and what these peoples lives must have been like, their status in the tribe, how they lived and their daily routine. It seems each time I paint a face there is also something familiar. After painting Uwat, the second painting here I had two family members comment that she reminded them of Molly Head. I find these resemblances so interesting. It seems to show the commonality of mankind. Dog Woman, the first painting here must have had a lot of prestige in the tribe as indicated by all of the elk teeth sewn on her dress and Luqaiot has such a proud look about him. The dog is Dexter, the studio dog belonging to the owner of Blue Raven Studio and the last two paintings are tiny little paintings of Tuscany that I painted from photos I took when we were there several years ago. The rest of my time has been spent teaching Canvas a la Carte classes and teaching a one day Color Pencil Workshop.

Desert Bloom, Christmas in the Southwest, Poinsettia, and Friend's Grandson

The "Desert Bloom "painting was a first for me. Not the first flower I've ever painted but the first canvas of this size. It is 36" x 40". I painted it to hang on a wall in my master bedroom/bath. I knew it would take me several days to cover a canvas of this size so I started with an under painting done in acrylic paints and then proceeded to paint the canvas in oils. I loved the effect and I'm sure I will paint this way on a large canvas again. I also managed to get a small oil completed for a Christmas card this year. It is of an adobe door I saw in Santa Fe, NM a couple of years ago. I added the snow and the wreath. I also painted/taught this poinsettia at Canvas-a-la-Carte and last but not least I was honored to paint a friend's grandson. I did this in exchange for a wonderful print from the famous Indian artist Kevin Red Star. The young man also happens to be his grandson. Wow, no pressure there. What am I thinking, painting a famous artist's grandson. I was pretty pleased with the way it turned out, but most importantly I'm sure my friend will love it. What are friends for, they have to love your art, right? Merry Christmas to all. We're back to Alaska for Christmas.

More Grand Canyon Paintings

I couldn't upload all of the images in one post so here are the rest of the Grand Canyon paintings. Be sure to look at the previous posts to see more paintings of the Grand Canyon.