Missing the Desert

I miss the desert.  I miss the dry, heat.  NO, not the HOT heat of summer but the dry heat of the other seasons.  My body really likes dry heat.  Since I can't get to the desert right now, I'm bringing the desert to me via some new paintings.  These are a sample of what Utah has to offer.

Busy painting

I've been busy painting but haven't been very good at blogging lately.  I'll post some of the work I've been doing as soon as I get some photos taken.  In the meantime, here is one I'm working on.

Back in my studio again

When I looked at the date of my previous post, I couldn't believe it.  It has been a little over a month since I've painted or posted anything.  Yes, the holidays are one excuse but this year's holidays have been gloriously laid back.  Maybe it is that I needed a break for awhile.  Whatever the reason, I'm back in the saddle (studio) again.  The colors of the paintings are richer.  There was a lot of sunlight coming through the window when I took these photos.

"Balanced Rock at Sunset"

Oil on Linen 12"x16"

"Window in the Rock"

Oil on Linen  20"x16"

Zion National Park

I never get tired of visiting the beautiful national parks that are here in Utah.  Nor do I get tired of painting them.  This is of Zion National Park after a dusting of snow.  Like the season now, it is a taste of what is to come.

"Early Zion Canyon Snow"

11x14 oil on panel

Still life or real life?

I've been enjoying setting up some still life's in my studio.  My studio isn't very large so I have to limit the size of what I paint.  These are two of the ones I've done this week.  Ok, I admit it, I didn't paint the kitten from life.  My husband is allergic to cats so having one in the house would be out of the question - unless it's a painting.

"Here Kitty Kitty"

11x14 oil on panel

"Blue Vase with Apple"

11x14 oil on panel

Storm's Coming

I love summer storms that bring rain to help cool down the hot days.  I especially love looking at clouds as they build and the sheets of rain that follow.

"Storm's Coming"

24"x36"  oil on canvas

Be willing to change

If you've followed any of my posts you have discovered that I will often go back into a painting later and change it.  Some times the change is for the better and some times it is not.  I think the important thing is to be willing to risk change even if something doesn't work out.

This painting below was done intuitively, meaning I did not have any reference photo or scene to work from - just my memory.  Memories are influenced by past and present situations and state of mind.  I have a feeling that I added the fall colors as my way of turning back the clock.  Rather than being in the dead of winter as I am now, I brought the fall colors into my studio and into my life.

Here's the before and the after.  What do you think?

Palette Knives

I love the freedom that painting with a palette knife gives me.  It is impossible to be too precise so capturing the essence or feeling of a place  is easier with large brushes or using just a palette knife.  This painting was done entirely with a palette knife except for the initial underpainting which was a juicy flowing on of color and gamsol.

I'm along for the ride

Sometimes I feel like breaking out and give the inner me a chance to rise to the surface.  I know that the "inner me" will involve lots of feelings and emotions and be more abstract that concrete.  It will also probably involve a palette knife.  When I paint with a palette knife, I find myself loosening up and just going with what the canvas and paint want to say to me. Crazy as it sounds, but there are times that I think I'm only along for the ride - the holder of the brush or knife but that the canvas and some other part of me are really the artist.

I did this painting below with music playing and no idea ahead of time as to what what going to come up.  The canvas is 24" x 36"

I have been painting - honest I have!

I had hoped that blogging would encourage me to paint every day and it worked.  I have been painting almost every day but I have not blogged in four months.   It's not that I don't enjoy blogging.  I do but I enjoy painting more mainly in oils.

I got to go to Oregon twice this summer.  Once with a friend who was preparing to return to India and another time with my husband.  I spent time in Portland, the Oregon coast and in Bend which is in central Oregon.  I took lots of reference photos and did some watercolor paintings, too.  Here are just some of my paintings since I last blogged.

Just Go For It!!

You are probably tired of hearing me say my painting is done only to find it has changed a day or so later.  The portrait I've done of Scott Selfridge is one of those examples.  I asked artist Joe Alleman what he thought of the painting and he it was good but if I really wanted him to "pop" put in a dark background.  I used to find it hard to change a painting because I would worry about ruining it.   I am not sure why but I've reached the "just go for it" stage of my life and it is so freeing.  The paint is still very wet so lots of reflections when taking a photo but I changed the background.  What do you think?  Ruined or better?  The original paintings were done the last week of January so scroll down to compare. Enlarge the painting for more details and color.

Zion Canyon

Zion Canyon

oil on panel 11x14

I've finished the painting Zion Canyon.  My struggle is with getting good photographs.  My camera for some reason is not picking up the depth of the colors.  It's also toning down some of the reds. Clicking on the photo brings you to a larger size that is closer to the right colors.

Palette Knife Painting

Zion (still under construction)

This painting like the previous post is still under construction.  The difference between the two is this one is totally done with one palette knife.  The only other time I have used a palette knife is in the painting of Lake O'Hara that I've previously posted.  In that painting I used both a palette knife and a brush.  The above painting still needs to dry some before I put the final touches on it.  Obviously not all paintings can be accomplished in one day.  The glare on this painting is mainly due to the paint being wet.