Grand Bay National Estuarine,

On a recent trip from Montgomery AL, taking my dad to visit his sisters in Baton Rouge, LA. We drove on bridges spanning these stunning wetlands.I particularly enjoy this elevated point of view, it gives a more expansive feeling. As this trip seems to be an annual pilgrimage  next year I plan to take a detour to explore more of the Reserve. What I am most drawn to, is the abstract shapes of the swaths of grass and the paths of water. It is all my favorite color palette. I am looking forward to developing these images and feelings into a body of work

http://grandbaynerr.org/
The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, established in 1999, is managed through a unique local, state and federal partnership designed to promote estuarine research and education within Mississippi’s Coastal Zone and its adjacent ecosystems.
The Grand Bay NERR boundaries encompass some 18,400 acres, situated in extreme southeast Jackson County, MS.

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River Sunset

We are in the Albuquerque airport waiting for a cooling fan part for the plane… missed our connection from Atlanta to Montgomery (MGM). One of the twice yearly visits to see my father who’s lives just south of Montgomery. The painting I am posting today is from a photo I took last year. We took a riverboat sunset  cruise down the Alabama River. It was a lovely summer evening and a real treat for a New Mexican to spend time on the water.

 

 

 

Abstractions

The utter joy of watching what paint does on canvas one stroke at a time……

 

 

 

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Lynn Boggess: Opening at Evoke Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

We attended the opening Friday evening of The exhibition “Sense of Place” Landscape paintings by Lynn Boggess. It is a stunning array of Boggess work as you can tell from the slide show. Here is the link to the gallery,  Evoke Gallery here in Santa Fe. NM http://www.evokecontemporary.com/Artists/LynnBoggess.html. I arrived early hoping to meet Boggess and have a few minutes to speak with him about his work. I am a long time admirer. I remember the first time I saw his work @ Evoke, wow! it took my breath away. As a painter and a Landscape painter I remember thinking this is a truly unique voice. His work is so lively,  the canvas is a mere container for the energy emanating from it. It is impossible not to be drawn to the thick paint floating on and off of the surface. Personally I think Boggess color sensitivities are extremely sophisticated. They are the coat hanger for the harmony of the work. Lynn lives in West Virginia. The first work of his I saw was,  I think of that landscape. I grew up in the South and know those woods of vines and indecipherable tangle . I honestly could not have imagined that someone could convey it realistically and also with beauty. I did not see it that way my feelings were of overwhelm and confusion.  It was a treat to have my eyes opened to appreciate the ordinary bank of any stream.

Boggess paints on location. Check out this video to see him in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBc2dEyqLB0

For his current show Boggess spent time out and about in New Mexico and has given us many poems of familiar delight. Luscious layers of sienna and ocher paint one on top of the other creating the geology we New Mexicans adore. Another quality of g work is that up close his work appears abstract, impossible to imagine quite what he is trying to convey although the enjoyment of his enjoyment of the paint is mouth-watering. Step back and as an apparition the landscape coalesces right before your very eyes. I can imagine that living with the work one would see something new and intriguing with every glance. I hope you have the opportunity to see his work in person and to meet him, what a treat!

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Unexpected Good Fortune

My  lovely artist friend Brenda Zapitell http://www.brendahopezappitell.com/   suggested to the editor of Professional Artist Magazine, Kim Hall that she consider  including me in an article they were writing on “Preparing For a Solo Exhibition”. see complete article  here http://www.artcalendar.com/

This is the first time my work has been selected to be on the cover and needless to say I am thrilled. It was such a pleasure to work with both Brenda and Kim. Brenda has such joy and enthusiasm as you might be able to discern from her work. I hope you check out her website. Another artist friend on mine Kathleen Mc Cloud said we could all use a “shot” of Brenda now and then! I couldn’t agree more. She has lifted my spirits on many an occasion with a phone call. Kim was such a delight as well so open and responsive and considerate and yes, Professional. She is a wonderful representation of her magazine.

One of the rewards of an artist life is definitely the friendships you form along the way and now with so many social media opportunities we can stay in touch even though our lives have taken us to different parts of the country.

New Representation :Rosenbaum Contemporary

I am so very pleased to share that my paintings will  now be represented by Rosenbaum Contemporary in Boca Raton, Florida.  Gallery director Armand Bolling has been a true delight to work with. What a treat!
The slide show shows the works that Armand has currently selected for the gallery.
I spent many years swimming in and sailing around the coastal waters of  Florida.  I am thrilled to be painting my memories of those waterways!
http://www.rosenbaumcontemporary.com/

Rosenbaum Contemporary is a premiere fine art gallery in South Florida featuring Postwar, Modern and Contemporary masters presented through a nationally recognized museum-level exhibition program. With over three decades of experience, Howard and Marvin Rosenbaum continue to bring expertise to their respective fields, contemporary and modern art.

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Contemporary Art Center, Santa Fe

I just delivered these two paintings to CCA, Santa Fe for their Collect 10 Exhibition,  do stop by if you are in the area.

We are excited to invite you to the opening of Collect 10 on Friday, April 6th, 2012 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the Spector Ripps Project Space. This annual event celebrates the diversity of the New Mexico arts community by inviting any and all image makers to create wall works that fit within a 10″ cube. Collect encourages audiences to ease the border between established and emerging artists, providing a broad overview of the Santa Fe arts community. Collect 10 is a benefit for CCA that provides an opportunity for emerging artists to show their work alongside well-known celebrated artists. This year’s Collect 10 features work by over 50 emerging artists and several renowned artists including: John Connell, Allison Keogh, Carol Clift, Paula Roland, Polly Barton, Sarah Bienvenu, Regina Foster, Doug Coffin, Munson Hunt, Carol Mothner, Chris Richter, Tom Waddelow,Jamie Kirkland,  Jon Carver, Daren Vigil Gray, and Joel Nakamura. The show will run from Friday, April 6th, 2012 to June 10th, 2012.We look forward to seeing you there!

Sold: Thank You Jules Place, Boston

Thank you Julie Mussafer for placing this painting, Skylight (oil on canvas 30X60) with a Boston collector.

This particular painting was inspired by a series of photographs all taken later in the afternoon. What I loved about these images was the  warm reflected light that danced on the bottom of the cloud formations.

Here is a scientific explanation for what was happening………… At sunrise and sunset, the sunlight passes through more atmosphere than during the day when the sun is higher in the sky. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light. If the path is long enough, all the blue and violet light gets redirected out of your line of sight, while much of the pink, orange, and red colors continue along the un-deviated path between your eyes and the sun. This is why sunrises and sunsets often are composed of pink, red, and orange colors.

It is always a challenge for me as a painter to paint “Air” and give the clouds a sense of form and weightlessness.

Here is a Link to Jules Place, Julie has always been enthusiastic about the Cloud paintings which I really appreciate!   http://www.julesplace.com/artist_set.html

The Way Through

Karla Winterowd, Winterowd Fine Art , Santa Fe selected this new work , The Way Through (oil on canvas 50X72) to be featured in her  full-page ad for the gallery which will appear in the new edition of     The Collector’s Guide.

Those of you familiar with my work know how much I enjoy rendering mountain shapes and the challenge to create a sense of depth on a two dimensional surface. This painting has many layers on it, as those layers dry and meld together the colors become richer and deeper, an effect that is impossible to achieve painting Alla Prima. About six months ago I started making more vertical strokes while painting mountains. It is always interesting and exciting to me to watch myself make different, un-familiar movements while painting and yet knowing that something wants to be expressed. I am looking forward to exploring where this wants to go.

Look for the  new edition of The Collectors Guide  out soon. Thank you Karla!

Sold! Thank You Winterowd Fine Art!

I am delighted that the lovely Rosanne Kadis @ Winterowd Fine Art , http://www.fineartsantafe.com/  placed this painting, Distant Thunder 48X60,  with a very nice couple visiting Santa Fe, this week. She said they “Fell in Love” with the painting. I know how meaningful the art that I have chosen for my own home is to me. It is always an honor to know that someone is going to live with work that I have created, WOW! That will never get old…….