7 leaves

I finished this one while at Johnson's cabin.  Great time with part of the church family.  Storms added some excitement.  I hope everyone is able to get their homes and routines back to normal soon.  We have a friend staying with us who is without power.  So glad they are safe.

Can't win 'em all

I went for a walk the other day, about two miles.  It was a lovely day.  I paused to paint as I walked through Snail Lake Park.  There was not much of a view, but that was fine because I wanted to focus on something close up.  I closed up the paper block before it was dry and the tip of the one leaf is now messed up.  

I find my attention span is getting shorter.  I bought a smaller block of watercolor paper.  Even on the 7x10 paper I stopped before it felt done.  I think I just want to start it a different way.

Juniper Tree

This is the last New Mexico painting. It was almost time to head out to the airport, but I wanted to do one more quick painting. I do not know why Junipers grow all twisted like that but I really like that. It makes such interesting lines.

More San Juan Mountains

Here is a painting of the view from my mom's house minus the garden. Yucca plants, and small green plants with tiny yellow flowers and purple grassy plants grow here and there on their own in the dirt that matches the color raw sienna. There are also lots of Juniper trees, but not in this picture. I think Northwest New Mexico is lovely. One house in her neighborhood has a small patch of green grass and it looks out of place. When I came home again it was surprising to smell the rain and green-ness as soon as I stepped out of the car. It is too bad we can't send our extra rain their way.

Mom's Garden

My mom has a view of the San Juan Mountains in her backyard. She also has a garden that she works at pretty hard. The plants are not this big yet, but someday...

The warm, dry air, the cool mornings and evenings, perfect outside weather.

Island Lake Park and 694

Island Lake Park and 694

I'm getting ready for the Art and Garden Sale this Saturday.  I'm working with photos and inventory lists, stuff like that.  This is a painting I made back in '08 but never had it in a show because I thought I wrecked it when I put a huge tree on the left side that was too big and dark and threw off the balance.  The other day I cropped it so just a branch of the tree remains.  I like how the bridge turned out, and the suggestion of a car on the bridge.  Often I am on that bridge in my car wishing I was on the bench where I made this painting.

Imaginary landscape

Wasn't today fabulous? I walked near Island Lake and painted an oak tree. That painting is not ready to show anyone yet, but this what I painted on Wednesday when it was raining. I was so tired of all the gray outside I had to invent some color. This one is from my imagination but it reminds me of a park near my house.