Monday, August 31, 2009

Wildflower — SOLD



I saw these wildflowers while walking along the Rio Grande. Their appearance suggested they were past their prime, and I thought I would take advantage of the short time left to show them off against a brilliant blue sky.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Rio Grande View



This painting was done during the last days of August and is a depiction of the Rio Grande as it flows through Albuquerque. The river has a muddy color, but from this vantage point, its color is the reflected light from the sky, shadows and the surrounding landscape. The feature I like best about the Rio, as a design element, is the series of shallow, meandering channels that zig zag, split and rejoin.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Latecomer - SOLD



The skies were clear all day Monday, when we drove around the rurals near Santa Fe. On our way home, we encountered a stray thunderhead. It formed just in time to show off its beauty in the early evening sun.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

August Evening — SOLD



Juniper trees help define the contours of the land along the highway to Cochiti Lake, north of Albuquerque. A hazy sunset created a soft light on the landscape.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

After The Main Event



Friday was a wonderful day for clouds. The sky was gray in the morning, and Albuquerque finally got some much needed rain. By afternoon, patches of blue were appearing, and I headed for the mesa for a better look. I have a convertible, so I had a spectacular view of the sky. I got some good painting material and ideas for larger paintings. I'm headed for Santa Fe for two days and hope to have some paintings to post from that trip this week.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Down The Street



I've been wanting to paint a street light at dusk for years. There is something about the warm glow of the artificial light against the cool color of the sky that appeals to me. I'm also fascinated by the area right around the light, where there is an absence of color in the presence of light. It sounds like a contradiction, but that is what I see. Can anyone explain this visual phenomenon?

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Monday, August 10, 2009

End Of The Day



This is the sunset from last night. Earlier in the day, my wife and I drove 200 miles of highway around New Mexico, in part, to find new material for painting. The best lighting conditions and subject I was able to find was this sunset, just minutes before arriving back home.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Wrapped In Blue - SOLD



This cloud was almost directly overhead. The sun was behind the cloud, making the edges of the cloud very bright and the sky very blue. Conveying this dynamic light effect in a painting is great fun.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Early Light - SOLD



Here is another back lit effect, with the Sandia Mountains obscuring the rising sun for a few more minutes.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Quiet Dusk



The location for this painting is about a mile from my house in Albuquerque. The sun was setting, and I had to work fast to make some color notes during last few minutes of light.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Morning Light



The sun was creeping over the Sandia Mountains, and I wanted to capture the near silhouette effect of the tree in the morning light.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Trying To Rain



Here is another view of one of the ancient volcanoes on the West Mesa of Albuquerque. The time is late in the day, when only the cloud tops received the direct rays of the sun. Not enough moisture in the air to allow much rain from these clouds.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

A Cloud Askew - SOLD


Click here to bid

This impressive cloud caught my eye on the grasslands west of Albuquerque. The cloud was changing shape fairly quickly and I snapped some photos to use as reference later in the studio.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Afternoon Buildup



This is my first posting. As is typical in the summer, afternoon cumulus clouds grow quickly. By the time I finished this painting, the cloud had expanded appreciably. The land feature is a remnant of an ancient volcano on the West Mesa in Albuquerque.