Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Maynard Dixon Country 2014

The Maynard Dixon Country show comes together once a year in Mt. Carmel, Utah. This year's event is Sept, 5-7, 2014.  This art show features 33 of some of the best known artists from across the country.  Now in its 16th year, this annual event is gaining national acclaim.  If you are an art lover, it is a must see show.  These four paintings are my entries in this year's Maynard Dixon Country.

Canyons in the Sky, 22x30'' watercolor


Morning Layers, 18x36 watercolor


Wind Chill, 18x22'' oil

The second day of the show opens at 10:00 am with a crowd of people trying to see all of what is called the Wet Painting Show.  This show takes place in Maynard Dixon's historic studio.  Here are a few photos from last year's wet painting show.

The crowd gathers awaiting the 10:00 entry to the wet painting sale.


Inside Maynard Dixon's studio just before the door opens.

Another view inside Maynard Dixon's studio just before the door opens.


Many discussions about which paintings to buy.


An up close study of some of the many paintings available.



Group art discussion in front of the Maynard Dixon bunkhouse.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

A few recent paintings

I felt it was time to post a few paintings I've done the last little while. Most of these were done on location during various painting trips. Two of them are studio pieces.

North From Powell Point, 10x12" oil - on location piece

Heaven's Breath, 15x22" watercolor - studio piece

Zion Morning Glory, 12x16" watercolor - on location piece

Balancing Rock North Rim, 10x12" watercolor - on location piece

Morning at Rio Grande Gorge, 11x14" oil - on location piece

Sangre de Cristo Chapel, 9x12 oil - on location piece

Box Canyon Shade, 12x16" oil - on location piece

Winter Moisture, 11x14 oil - on location piece

Gate Keeper, 14x11 oil - on location piece

Stormy Sky Over Taos, 12x16" watercolor - on location piece

Morning Announcement Zion, 22x22" watercolor - studio piece












Thursday, February 6, 2014

New Year's Road Trip 2014

After many weeks working hard on a major home improvement project (adding on a living room and dining room) we needed a break. We decided to hitch up our vintage 1955 Airstream trailer, Moonshadow, and head south to join 40 other Airstreams for a New Year’s Eve rally at Picacho Peak, Arizona. On December 27th we gladly left dreary cold and snow behind.  The first day on the road we went as far as Burro Creek campground, a beautiful spot and popular birding location in Arizona. 


Picacho Peak: warm sun at last! Even though our home is now much larger with two new rooms, we were getting cabin fever and after a long spell of sub-zero temperatures, we were more than ready for a change. At Picacho Peak, just north of Tucson, it felt like a summer day in Parowan.


We thought we were here to celebrate the New Year, not Christmas!
I guess Santa needs to get away from cold weather too.


Five days and nights camped amongst other Airstreamers, we had afternoon happy hours for socializing and sharing good food and drink. Pictured here: New Belgium Brewery of Colorado’s “Accumulation” IPA with Airstream in the snow label, a winter seasonal brew.


Nightly bonfire and b.s. sessions.


Spike spent daylight hours painting rocks, arroyos and saguaros.

Picacho Peak Afternoon, small 9x12'' oil

Arroyo Bottom, small 8x10'' oil


The last day of 2013 we gathered for a White Elephant gift exchange. Gifts ranged from the bizarre to the awful with a few good things mixed in. That night we rang in the New Year around a blazing campfire with plenty of champagne.


Evening Announcement, 12x16'' oil
The evening glow on the surrounding mountains was pure eye-candy!


We began 2014 by moving further south to Saguaro National Park, just west of Tucson. We camped three nights at a county run campground and made day excursions for painting into the park and to San Xavier de Bac Mission and Tubac.


Sonoran Desert, 12x16'' oil
It was amazing to see how green the desert was this time of year.


San Xavier de Bac Mission, 11x14'' oil

Desert Wash, small 8x8'' oil


We headed home by way of  Marble Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs
where we planned to camp a night or two.


Crossing Navajo Bridge gave us a spectacular view of Marble Canyon and the Colorado River.


At Lee’s Ferry campground we grab the best campsite. For years we have lusted for this primo site which overlooks the river. Now, in the cold January weather, with the campground virtually empty, we have our pick of sites.

Marble Canyon Tributary, small 9x12'' oil.
One last chance to get in some painting time.


We stay two nights. Our last evening here, as the sun sets, warm light glows on the canyon wall above the cold river.




Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Digging out!

We would sure like to get away for a little R & R. We hope to head for the Picacho Peak State Park New Year's Rally. The only problem is, I don't know if we'll be able to dig out! LOL!




Monday, June 4, 2012

Painting Trip around Southern Utah

I recently made what turned out to be a nine-day painting trip through southern Utah. I did my best to get a few of my painting friends from New Mexico to join me but with no luck, so I took off on my own. My plan was to begin at Boulder Mountain just west of Capitol Reef National Park, then on to Bluff Utah, Monument Valley, Page Arizona and Marble Canyon.  There are a few small natural lakes high up on Boulder Mountain just below the rimrock which I thought might make for good painting this time of year. By sunset on day one I drove within 3 miles of the trailhead to these lakes and made camp for the night. The next morning I drove on to the trailhead, grabbed camera and sketching gear and headed out for a one-mile hike. After what turned out to be a difficult hike trudging through snow drifts on the trail I finally arrived at the lake. Much to my surprise the lake was fully frozen over.

I expected part of the lake to be covered in ice but since this year's spring weather has been so warm, I thought it would be at least partly thawed.  I took a few pictures, rested a while, then headed back to the van and on to Capitol Reef.

This kind of painting trip, for me, is done without a set itinerary. The idea is to know you’ll be out from one to two weeks. If the weather turns bad or the paintings don't go well, you move on. If all goes well, you stay put and continue painting.

Arriving in Capitol Reef, I knew I would stay at least two nights but ended up staying three. The campground at Capitol Reef is first-come, first-serve, unlike most National Parks that require reservations, in some cases a year ahead. This policy makes it hard to take a spontaneous painting trip based on many things, including good weather. I like to jump in the van and go when the conditions look right. For me painting on location (plein air) is a bit like fishing, sometimes you get a keeper and sometimes you have to throw them back. The keepers I got from my three days in Capitol Reef can be seen below.


Morning Shadows Grand Wash, oil – 12x16 Painted on location

Gatekeeper of Grand Wash, oil – 14x11 Painted on location

After a few days of painting in Capital Reef the weather was beginning to close in and rain was threatening. I used the bad weather as a travel day and made my way to Bluff, Utah where I stayed at the Sand Island campground. Sand Island is where all the river runners spend the night getting ready to launch the next morning on a 10 day San Juan River float trip. I had no trouble getting a great little private campsite for two nights. The paintings completed from the Bluff, Utah area are below.

Casa del Eco Mesa near Bluff, oil - 14x18 Painted on location


Summer Sky over Bluff, wc – 22x22” Painted in the studio after returning home.

From Bluff I made my way south toward Monument Valley but not before stopping at the Gooseneck Overlook State Park. This is a location where you can see how the San Juan River twists and turns slowly making its way to the east end of Lake Mead.

Gooseneck overlook

Arriving in Monument Valley I was very surprised to learn that the Navajo tribe had closed the primitive campground. The only way to camp at Monument Valley now is to drive 5 miles west and stay at the Goulding's RV Park. Don't get me wrong, Goulding's is a very nice park but for more than 30 years I’ve been visiting Monument Valley and staying at the primitive campground overlooking the valley. I've heard it said before that the only constant in the world is change but this is one change I was not glad to see. Monument Valley now has a highfalutin’ hotel at the valley’s overlook and the rooms have to be reserved at least three or four months ahead at a cost of between $200 and $250 a night. It isn't going to be easy to make quick trips to Monument Valley and stay without making plans well ahead of time.

I drove down into Monument Valley, picked out a painting spot and got to work. Later I drove around, took a lot of pictures and waited for the sun to slowly set. As I pulled into Goulding's RV campground it was obvious the place was packed. As I suspected, not one RV space was available, however the clerk said there was one tent site left. My lucky day.  I said I'll take it. The next morning I got up early and made my way into the valley for the entire day. The paintings completed from my time in Monument Valley can be seen below.
Thunderbird Mesa, oil – 14x12” Painted on location


Edge of Rain-god Mesa, oil – 12x10” Painted on location


I don't know what these flowers were, but they were all over the valley.


The yuccas were in bloom everwhere you looked, great time of year to visit here.

Page, Arizona is not far from Monument Valley, perhaps only a couple of hours driving time. Even though the sun was setting I decided to drive on to Page where I spent the night in the Walmart parking lot. The next morning I did the small painting seen below of one of the many very unusual formations found in this area.

Sandstone Formation near Page, oil – 10x12” Painted on location

The weather forecast was for increasing clouds and fairly strong winds. Marble Canyon is only two hours or less drive from Page. If it was going to be cloudy and windy I didn't want to miss getting photos of the area around Marble Canyon and Vermilion Cliffs. Approaching Navajo Bridge which crosses the Colorado River I noticed two California condors soaring above. I've seen them here before and was not surprised but I always stop to get photographs. As I was parking, one of these huge birds landed on the opposite side of the bridge. With camera ready I approached, wondering how close I might be able to get before condor number 73 would fly away. I was surprised but very pleased when the bird did not fly away at all. In fact it let me stand six or seven feet away and take as many photos as I wanted.

Condor # 73


I may have to do some paintings of these odd looking creatures.


The weather continued to worsen and the light was not conducive to painting. This watercolor was completed in the studio after returning home.


After the Rain, wc – 22x22”