Art Still GOING On

(I've been really neglectful of this space. Yikes!)  This summer we planted TREES on our property - spent so much time caring for them, and when not doing that, we tried to continue to GO traveling and camping.  Here are a few of the summer's 'additions to the stack in the studio'.  The gallery that I am a member of recently sponsored a week-long plein air event.  There are 3 painting below that I painted during that event.  AND I was on the planning committee as a PR rep.  I learned how to write and create press for different news media.  Exciting and fun!

"Andromeda" mixed media on canvas

"Sunrise Over the Wet Mountains" pan pastel on LaCarte 

(plein air outside my studio one morning)

"Snuggle Time" pastel on LaCarte

"Pure Purple" pan pastel and pastel on LaCarte

(plein air of MY petunias)

"Zinnias" pastel on LaCarte 

(this one won an award in the plein air competition)

"Wise and Wary" mixed media on Jack Richeson panel

"Pepper" mixed media on Jack Richeson panel
(I painted Pepper during the plein air event at Sky Fall Ranch 

in the Wet Mountains)

"Gnarly" pastel on LaCarte

Copyright © Dust Off the Butterfly and Pattie Wall/All Rights Reserved

Alla Prima Westcliffe 2023/Plein Air Paintout

 All week, during June 3 - 8, was 'plein air painting week' in Westcliffe, sponsored by the Sangres Art Guild.  This was the 14th year - it has been 'on hold' for several years due to COVID.  

All in all, it was a very WET time to paint outdoors - lots of rain this year - although I don't mind it at all. We need it in this high desert that generally has less snow fall in the winter than is necessary to make the Springtime alive. This year, the desert IS alive.   Needless to say, dodging rain times, it was tricky to get colorful, sunny times to paint. 

My 'brush' was not working for me, so I concentrated mostly on pastels.  Here are the 3 plus 1 miniature that I entered for the show. It was a great show - lots of out-of-state painters and some really awesome paintings!

The show is currently hanging at 3rd Street Gallery in Westcliffe.  

"Beckwith Mountain Morning"

11" x 14"

pan pastel, pastel and pastel pencil 

on Ampersand sanded pastel board

"High Desert Berm"

11" x 14"

pan pastel, pastel and pastel pencil 

on Art Spectrum pastel paper

"Indian Paintbrush" (mini)

6" x 8"

pastel and pastel pencil 

on Art Spectrum paper

"Morning Enlightenment"

pan pastel, pastel and pastel penciil 

on Kitty Wallis pastel paper

15" x 16"

I got a new 'addition' to my plein air painting tools - my 'painting wagon' served me well!

~Happy BLOGIVERSARY!~

 Today is my 16th Blogiversary.  Still kickin' - not as much as it used to but it serves a purpose, gives me a voice and a platform for my art and livin'.

This is a scene outside my back door.  I painted it from the breezeway. 

Brushing up on my plein air painting skills for an upcoming competition.

Gearing up for a Week Full of Plein Air Painting

...and learning, always learning.  It's been awhile since I used my plein air equipment outdoors.  I have been practicing since signing up for Alla Prima Westcliffe - a week long event of painting outdoors, a competition and show at the end and a jolly good Arts Hullabaloo/town event.
Here are a few of my plein air practices these past few weeks.

"Hill with Yucca"

pastel on Canson paper

this is a hill of rocks on my property

left by digging and piling for one reason or another

long before we came here

"Petunias and Zinnias"

oil on canvasboard

9" x 12"

done from the flowers I have

growing on in a pot on my rainbarrel

Tomorrow I will be attending a plein air workshop with Colorado artist, Tim Deibler.

Acrylic practice in the studio - here - this one is large 24" x 30"

I love aspen trees.  Looking for a few young ones to put on our property.

This is being done from my photo from up into the alpine and mountains.

Stay tuned because by the end of next week, I will have lots to show and tell.

Today we are doing our OWN concrete apron pads for our new building - can you

say, 'concrete all over myself'?  Concrete truck is bringing the material, WE are 

doing the finishing after they pour it - 2 yards.

  

Wild Things Reception

Last week was the Art Reception for the 'Wild Things' show at the 3rd Street Gallery in Westcliffe, Co.  My first event with them.  Fun, and music and laid back conversation - interesting crowd!  Love it!

At the end of this month is the Alla Prima Westcliffe - plein air event.

Four days of painting on location - out doors.

I am signed up and getting the rust out of the paints and pastels

so I can be ready to participate!

Should be fun and exciting!

Praying the weather stays calm.

As Seasons Change...

Hubster and I just returned from a very relaxing and enjoyable 12 days out in the RV.  We haven't gone very much in the RV lately, busy and diesel fuel prices finally dropped over the last couple of months, so then it was a matter of - when??  We planned our trip to Colorado, for one granddaughter's first birthday and then we were just planning on nothing but driving to an area, staying for awhile and moving on when the mood struck us. We didn't really get any further (for any length of time) than our first camping spot, which was "Sugarloaf" campground (near the Henderson Mill) between Silverthorne and Kremmling, Colorado.   

  We have stayed here before about 5 or 6 years ago, so knew which campsite to go for, and go for it we did and stayed there for 6 days. We were the only ones there except for 2 days there was one other camper - way at the other end of the campsite loop. 

This is WHY we chose this site, it sits right on the bend of the Williams Fork River.

 

On our last visit to this area, a moose came right up out of the water in a rainstorm. 

At this time, this year, it is hunting season for muzzle loaders.  We knew going into the area, that our attention would be in contrast to other visitors.  We were asked on one occasion, by some very heavily camoflaged and orange capped individuals - "Have you seen a bull moose in the area?" Of course, we hadn't at that point, but on our way back from a photo op and supply trip...this is what we encountered...shhhh, don't say a word!!

(on the move!)

A cow and a bull crossed the road right in front of us.  I was so excited about the prospect of catching them on camera that I had many photos with too much "camera shake", but at least I caught the massive size and powerful muscles these animals display.  They were just too cool for words!

Then of course, the mountains (and I am sure any other local wildlife) were aware of a couple of "out-of-the-area" visitors...

BaileyHasty Herman and Chaco

If you have visited Colorado this summer, you know that there is a pine beetle infestation that has left many lodgepole pine areas quite devastated.  It is apparent that the problem is out of control.  We estimated that about 60% of the trees in this area were dead.  Here is what a lot of areas looked like, sad as it is.

The brown/orange you see in the foreground show those very brittle and dry pine needles.    To our dismay, this campground just wasn't as beautiful as it once was, due to the need to cut down all the trees in the camping areas.  Dead trees fall and catch on fire easily.  If there were lightning strike, the whole forest would probably go "poof".  This area was made for wheelchair access via a boardwalk and special campsite features.  The boardwalk is all but falling apart...this situation a part of the economic downturn and the recession - no doubt.  Trees have been cut down, but just stacks of them and stacks of "slash" litter the campsites - and have been there for quite awhile.  It's like there WAS a plan and then that plan got scratched. 

U.S. Forest Service needs some help...wish it weren't coming to this, but seems that it is.

 I took along my pochade and my new pastel set-up for some plein air painting.  It amazes me, how you really have to be aware of the changing light, especially when painting in mountain areas, as you can imagine a cloudy/sunny day, how the sunlight drifts in and out of shadow. 

More later....

Plein Air Painting for Today

" Old Elm" - 4" x 6" oil on Ampersand Claybord

Today was such a beautiful, calm day, that I thought I would catch a little afternoon painting "plein air". I have always wanted to paint the mighty elm tree that stands in our driveway. It has been through hell, most of it's life. We almost lost it two years ago in the hail and wind storm. There is even a chain from a child's swing growing in the trunk. We are lucky it's still standing. We love that old tree.

When the fields around us get planted or harvested, this time of year, a zillion ladybugs are on the fly. They must have a big job to do in the fields. We have been inundated with millipedes, then "cluster" flies and now ladybugs - and this afternoon, they are all out there!

I had them all over my back, says hubster, as I was painting.

GUESS THAT MEANS I AM REALLY LUCKY!!!!

When I came in to post and stir the spaghetti sauce, I had to make sure none flew into the crockpot. LOL.

ON top of my pochade box and all around the backdoor, waiting to come in!

Plein Air Painting

When artists go outside and paint the outdoors by standing at their easel with their paints or pastels and looking at the landscape or scenery, it is called "en plein air" (in the open air) painting. There are many groups around the world that are formed by members who are artists who enjoy the benefits of working from life outdoors.
You have to be quick. The light changes very fast. Just like - you wouldn't expect to take great photos at noon - the sun and lack of shadows leave a lot to be desired in the contrast area, the same goes for the views you are painting. You also need to paint small, because you have to get the view down quickly and the other, sometimes the wind comes up. Can't you just see the artist flying through "en plein air"? You could here - most days!
One of my artist friends in Downs, Gary Ozias, paints outdoors a lot. He promises to call me soon, so a bunch of us can get together some day and together "attack" the countryside. At our monthly MAPS meeting in KC this month, he will give a presentation on the subject. He IS "Mr. Plein Air". Another painter I admire is Montana artist, Deb Schmit, who some days paints with her friends and colleagues "en plein air".
While reading some of the posts on Charley Parker's lines and colors blog, I came across an artist, Daniel Hauben, who paints on the streets of the Bronx. I hope you will read about his experience when painting a Superette. I got such a laugh from it.
How many of you practice your art "en plein air"?