Overlook View

Here is a painting done at the White Rock Overlook during the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico's paintout last week in Los Alamos, NM. This was a stunning vista view with the Rio Grande winding its way below. The painting was completed in consecutive mornings.

Hiker's Reward

"Hiker's Reward", oil, 11" x 14" is a plein air painting of the Sandia Mountains as seen from Elena Gallegos Open Space in Albuquerque. I spent parts of three August mornings working on this painting on location. The open space is a popular hiking, biking horseback riding and picnicking area immediately east of the city. Albuquerque is at an elevation of 5,312 feet. Add another 5,367 feet and you are on the top of the Sandias. On the crest of the mountain is a restaurant that is accessed by the Sandia Peak Tramway, the worlds longest aerial tram ride (2.7 miles).

La Cueva Arroyo

Plein air piece, La Cueva Arroyo, oil, 9" x 12", painted at the end of August near the Sandia Mountains in Albuqueque. Clouds cast shadows on a varied terrain in the afternoon. Gnats are particularly abundant in this area of the foothills. They're just one of an assortment of distractions intended to torment the plein air painter. They get in the corner of your eyes, around your nose, and they buzz in your ears. Repellent works to an extent. The breeze, or wind, can, at times, also be trouble. But on a day like this, when the gnats are around, regular breezes can be your friend! Another challenge are the occasional vehicles that drive by, stirring up dust. A couple from Spain who were walking along the road, stopped to talk. They knew a few words of English, and I, even fewer words of Spanish. It's amazing how much you can manage to communicate, even with such limitations. I completed this painting in two outings. Some gnats are probably embedded in the painting surface. A true mark of authenticity!