The Athleticism of Painting

Buddha Beach, 6x8" oil, Sedona, AZ , $250

After an early morning hike to Cathedral Rock, and discovering I couldn't reach the side I wanted without a long drive in to the other side...I plunked down in the shade of Buddha Beach and painted the backside of the Cathedral. That was after negotiating a later entry payment with the parks guard. Apparently my annual pass was no good in this part of the park, and I didn't have cash on me...so with some fancy sweet talk she was nice enough to let me come back with the cash so I wouldn't miss my painting light.

I think it's my best attempt yet; I'm finally getting the hang of those colors and values. I'm also realizing that I need to think of painting as an athletic sport that requires physical fitness, endurance training, discipline, a good night's rest...and early morning and late afternoon outings...in order to paint in this heat!

On the return trip with cash in hand, I took some fun photos of the extreme colors of this place:


Check out the crazy colors of these cacti--they are actually PINK!



More pinks


Love how the giant flowering bushes match the neon-yellow road stripe!

Painting Local Color in June

6x12" quick study of "Thunder Mountain" and "Chimney Rock"

Went to about four galleries this evening...was great to see how the locals handled the red rocks...how close and how far off I am. I'm beginning to become more comfortable with using various greys, especially in the shadows. The rocks are rather like painting in skin tones. Of course, then there were those artists who totally depart from realistic colors. I'm not wanting to do that until I master the local color.

It's interesting that I thought the local color here was so different in Sedona. Look at the last couple of years of paintings done around the same time frame of June 3rd and you'll see similar color schemes. Maybe it's a June thing.


June 2009, Austin, Texas


June 2008, Corolla, North Carolina


June 2006, Fredericksburg, Texas

"Love You, Dad"

"Art is an action against death. It is a denial of death." ~Jacques Lipchitz, sculptor (1891-1973)

That may be because art expresses our acceptance of our inherent worthiness of life and love, in others and in ourselves. This declaration of worth is seen and felt not only in creativity, but in the simplest of daily "artful" interactions.

Last week, I received a text message from someone who hoped I "liked my new phone" and signed, "Love you, Dad." My heart skipped a beat and for a few moments I enjoyed pretending it was from my dad who passed on a few years ago. When I replied that "Dad" had the wrong number and I wished he was still around, the unknown texter replied that he was sending me a hello from my dad. I told him he had made my day...and then looked for the nearest box of tissues.

It was comforting and powerful to see how worthiness of love expressed in the art of kindness from a stranger can go so far as to cross even the seeming boundaries of death. Our heavenly Father must know how much we all need to feel this love and worth every day. Whether or not you're an artist, we all have creative opportunities to express and feel our worth for ourselves and for mankind.

So, consider this your text from "Dad"...and know how much you're loved, valued and accepted by your Heavenly Daddy, today.

"Love you, Dad"

PS. Special thanks to everyone's support, love and encouragement of me on this day, and every day! xoxo

Mid-Week Painting Blues

I'm tired and feel like reading today rather than painting, so I stay close to home. I should have just stayed in bed...it's mid week and, as tradition would have it, I'm painting quite badly! I spent a few hours on a larger 12x18" this afternoon only to scrap it in favor of trying it again in a 6x8". I limited my colors and got the overall effect I had been going for...though rather odd. Part of the challenge, besides the wind gusts and biting gnats that want to fly into your eyes and mouth, is the gaudy color-scape. Just when you think you've got it, you realize you need to grey back the values to make it work!


Here's what I've been looking at for most of the day...view from the B&B parking lot. The shadows dramatically changed every 30 minutes...it wasn't even the same image by the time I'd finished! Here's some images of what was behind me as I painted:


The front door of the B&B office


B&B courtyard


B&B front gate


I made one excursion at lunch up the road to the nearby Sedona airport...quite the view! I think I may just read tomorrow... or head out to Cathedral Rock. We'll see.

Built for Beauty

"Sliding Rocks" 9x12" oil

Per your request...here's yesterday's painting out at Slide Rock State Park in Sedona, AZ.

"Beauty is one of the rare things that does not lead to doubt of God." ~Jean Anouilh

And, from Eric Maisel's book, Affirmations for Artists:

"Part of my destiny involves beauty. I will make good, true, and beautiful things just because of a sense of the beautiful wells up in me. Beauty brings me joy; and if I must guard against beauty's blandishments, I must also honor the joy it brings. I am built and meant for beauty."

Everything's Turning Up Tera Rose

I seemed to get more Tera Rose paint on me today than on the canvas...from my lips to my arms! Why doesn't anyone say, "Hey, you have paint on your face!" Do they really think I'm that bad at applying lipstick?

I visited Sliding Rock State Park today...a mass of Tera Rose colored rocks. Well, I made the mistake of trying to paint a rock formation up close and personal. The details where an overwhelming jigsaw puzzle. I went back and simplified the foreground, leaving the detail at the top. Still, it wasn't all that...at least I got further with the color exploration today...obviously!

So, with just over an hour left to belt out a study after scouting out the place all day, my feet were killing me and the park was closing soon. The wind was stinging my eyes and lips and the temperature was dropping. With red paint all over me, I figured it was time to pack it in.

I enjoyed taking photos on the trail where it was too hard to carry all my art supplies...and I got some good future painting reference material.



Slide Rock State Park in Arizona


Big fun


The crowds


Mom maneuvers


Gorgeous water and lichen on the rocks


"The Slide"


Tera Rose Glow


Mohawks and red rock faces


The three sisters


Ice cold!


The deep


Shall I?


Cool dude


Jumpers


Far down


Hiking back through fields


The big view


Finally found the view I'd been looking for when I first drove by...


Andrew Wyeth was here...


Wonder what Moses would have done...


A golden moment...this was part of what I was attempting to paint today.


Returning to town


Watching the sunset with a couple of wild pigs


Favorite rocks


Far out

Painting in Reds

Tuesday, May 31 starts out with a lovely breakfast at the B&B...followed by some special prayers said on my behalf by the owners of this delightful hotel. Refreshed and excited to be focused on painting, I make a run to the local art store and pick up a park pass at the Safeway.


Before I make it out to paint, I stop and visit with the Sedona Arts Center. They are quite an impressive gallery of local artists with workshops, paint outs and studios. I picked up an application to join their juried membership. Their parking lot is so gorgeous that I decide to stay and paint the views in back...in a nice shady spot.


Here's a quick 2.5 hour study where I'm trying to get familiar with the hues and atmosphere. The darn red paints are so dark and stain everything that it's hard to control them...I use a mountain of white and decide I need my cad orange after all. Of course the light and sky is constantly changing...but that's always the fun of painting en plein air!

Locals refer to this mass on the left as "Snoopy's rock". This is the backside, so you don't see his profile as much...it's supposed to resemble him lying down on his dog house. (oil, about 8x16")

Afterwards, I head over to a nearby Indian restaurant and enjoy an amazing sunset...not to mention the lamb curry! YUM. If my feet didn't hurt so much, I'd run out to the car to get my camera...I think I'm finally relaxing into this place. Back at the B&B I take a dip in the hot tub and chat with guests around the poolside fireplace before retiring.

It's been a great day!