Fabulous Canyon!

We got home yesterday from the Canyon! In the morning, I was painting the beautiful Canyon in a breezy 44 degree invironment and in the afternoon, we were back in Mesa with the backyard full of orange trees & roses. I painted 9 little 5x7's and like 5 of them! My usual % of approval is about 10%. I will attach 2 paintings painted at Yavapai and a photo of where I painted Sunday morning--Hopi point.

Weather is nice--finally!!

Arizona has been beautiful for the last month and I have been outside painting! The photo shows paintings done at Usery Park & Bulldog Wash. Soon, I will have more paintings from the Grand Canyon. The Canyon is always the supreme challenge!

Itty Bitty Studio

I have been asked about my studio! It is located at the end of our dining table and is about 3 feet by 4 feet in size. I mounted the top off of a french easel onto a table--hate putting up a french easel, I use an open box pochade for plein air painting. Have all of my canvas, paints and other supplies close by--very close! There are 2 pluses--one, the light is fabulous!! And, the second plus is that my husband is very sweet and allows me to occupy the end of the dining area! I really prefer to paint outside but when inside, good lighting is vital.

Spot Gone!!

My friend Bill did some photo editing and eliminated the "dragonfly from hell hovering over Phantom Ranch" as he puts it!! Certainly improves the photo but I submitted a different Canyon painting for the jurying. Both are pictured. Both were painted plein air. The first was done in front of our Bright Angel Cabin--what a great view! And, the 2nd was painted at Lipan point. We have been going to the Canyon since our honeymoon in 1970 and had never been to one of the most beautiful views at the Canyon. Our friends, the Presleys, introduced us to Lipan point last September. We left our cabin while it was still dark so that I could be at the point at sunrise. We nearly crashed into two seperate elk on the rim road but safely arrived and two of my favorite Canyon paintings are the ones that I painted that morning!

More Cottonwoods!

Yes, it seems to be a cottonwoods obsession--it just is so natural to paint them! I am using photos from my June visit to Kansas as a guideline and then arrange the objects to hopefully have a decent composition. I was surprised to see that rows of trees were in my latest painting! The farmers planted "shelter belts" in the 1930's to slow down the wind that was whipping across the area and they just happened to show up in my painting!?

Another Professional Photo

Here is the professional photo of my canyon painting. There is also a little glare on each end of this one and he managed, somehow, to get a brown spot on the photo?? Suppose that it could be on his lense?

Professional Photo

Here is the photo that the professional photographer took. There is some glare on both ends of the painting but good color & clarity. Let me know what you think! You will need a google email address to comment but can get one at http://www.google.com/ .