Archive for the ‘Landscape Paintings’ Category
There’s nothing quite like watching a storm come over a mountain. You can smell the rain, then you begin to hear the rain and the leaves rustle on the mountain, and then you see the rain falling ahead of you, but coming your way. In northern New Mexico, showers come in over the mountains almost every afternoon in the late summer and early fall. This is the Taos Mountain and a shower is on its way in, but is not here yet. In fact, the sun is still shining on the chamisa and the mountain as the storm builds on both sides.
This week I’m painting in a workshop with Jack Sorenson. I went to elementary school with Jack and his brother Mike was my first boyfriend back in 1st grade. He grew up on the rim of Palo Duro Canyon at Six Gun City, a tourist attraction that showed the wild west as it was years ago. Jack had a natural talent for drawing and is vying for the top of the field among those cowboy and western artists. His sense of humor often comes out in his paintings and they tell a story through the landscape, people, and animals that find their way onto his canvas. Jack is a true storyteller, but he uses his paints and brushes where authors use words. In this case–a picture is really worth a thousand words. Every person who sees the painting is able to write their own story. In every workshop, I learn something. But a truly great teacher gives you much more. Jack does so much to build the knowledge of his students and help us to know the elements of form that will make our paintings please others. But what he does best as a teacher is to instill confidence in his students. He makes you feel so good about what you are doing. He makes you a better artist because he gives you the encouragement you need to go to the next level as an artist. If you ever get a chance to meet Jack Sorenson –don’t let it pass you by. He’s a great artist–but even more, he’s a great guy, and I so appreciate him giving us his time and expertise during this week. I’m attaching the work I finished today. This study is a young man, Jake with his horse. He found some sweet feed to treat him with and put it in his hat! What a treat after a long, hot ride. It’s another moment in time I’m trying to capture! Let me know how I did!
Here are some of my newest paintings. I am showing them in the front room of studio sentosa this month at Sunset Center in Amarillo. These were started in Colorado painting plein aire and then finished back in the studio. Come by and see them.
Painted plein aire in Southern Colorado along the Mogote River
Oil Painting painted near Antonito, Colorado along the Mogote River.
A beautiful Texas Panhandle Sunset in early Summer.
This oil painting shows a summer shower in the foothills of Southern Colorado.