La Purisima Conception de Cuarac

This is a closer view of the mission church at Quarai in Salinas NM (see previous post). The red sandstone walls taper from four feet wide at the foundation up 40 feet to the roof beam sockets where Great Horned owls nest each spring, usually producing two young. The sandstone used in the church ranges from a pinkish beige on a hot, dry summer's day through shades of rosy red to a dark purplish mahogany when it is wet. Thus the aspect of the church is different almost every day. I was the interpretive ranger at this site back in the 1980s and it remains dear to my heart. I had the good fortune of working with the historical archeologist on the historic structures report for all the Salinas missions; an experience that gave me a deep appreciation for and understanding of Spanish mission architecture.

During that time, I probably did more writing than I have in the years since then as I wrote most of the interpretive materials for the three Salinas sites. Since I am beginning to use this blog to record some of my thoughts, it is appropriate that painting and writing are coming together in this space. Perhaps I will get past my resistance to writing by focusing on painting and thinking about art in general. I am looking forward to a trip to New Mexico and getting back in touch with that land, its structures and people. It is no secret that there is a creative energy there that is unique to the place. The early Taos and Santa Fe artists and their successors have shown the world the beauty and diversity of that energy.

Here in Norman, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma has a world-class collection of southwestern art thanks to the generosity of several collectors. There are also Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, Native American paintings, ceramics and basketry as well as American painters. With so much art available to me along with many artists in the area, I feel like I can grow as an artist in this environment and find stimulation and support in all my efforts. That is a very good feeling!

Quarai Winter

Back in the 1980s I was an interpretive ranger at Salinas National Monument in New Mexico. The ruins of the 17th century mission churches at Quarai, Gran Quivera and Abo are amazing structures, giving glimpses not only into the architure and building processes but also hinting visually at life 400 hundred years ago. This painting of the 1628 mission, La Purisima Conception de Cuarar (Quarai), looks down the valley toward the village of Punta de Agua and the Estancia Basin beyond. Located in the foothills of the Manzano Mountains, Quarai enjoyed a fertile and somewhat protected location, although in the 1660s famine decimated all the Salinas pueblos which were abandoned by 1672. I love this part of central New Mexico and its history. This is the one of five paintings I did some years ago of the mission churches. In a forthcoming trip to NM I will be exploring other missions and pueblos with an eye to a series of NM paintings.

Meanwhile, there is another creative nudge occupying some of my attention. All my adult life people have urged me to write my stories - and all my adult life I have resisted. These prods had pretty much ended as I produced more paintings but in the past two weeks once again people have been urging me to write. Two such prods came from individuals whom I had just met. Knowing how much I have disliked the idea of sitting down and trying to produce a piece of writing, I am now viewing this painting blog as a bridge to writing. One of those new acquaintances urging me to write is himself a writer who explores his thoughts in notes to himself. That reminded me of Hugh Prather's Notes to Myself which I first read years ago while living in NM. And for the previous two summers I attended The Writing Salon in Taos - again connecting these two aspects of my life. So, maybe this is the stimulation I have needed to venture into the written word. We'll see how far I go.

Lake Radnor

I have just returned from Nashville where I delivered this commissioned painting of Lake Radnor. It is such a beautiful and peaceful spot, I wanted to capture its serenity. Knowing where the painting will hang, I tried to blend colors that would be true to the lake while complementing the room. The family loves the painting and their response has been most gratifying. Lake Radnor is a favorite place of theirs. Sense of place is so important to me in my life that I want each of my landscapes to express that connection. There are so many beautiful places in Tennessee that I am sure I will be painting more of them in the years to come - and I am delighted to have completed this first one.

Each painting is a lesson for me and there were several important things to address as I worked out the problems in this one. Keeping the lake surface flat, showing the hills in the background through the trees and giving a sense of depth were the major elements that I worked on. Painting the rocks and the reflections in the water were the fun parts, especially painting the broken limb and its reflection.

Turner Falls

Another water painting - and my next-to-last one in this group of images. This is a side view of Turner Falls in south central Oklahoma and it was another "learning" painting. I had several photographs from this perspective and decided on this view because of the composition as well as the interplay between the bright water and the darker earth and vegetation tones. Painting the water falling over the edge was very hard for me and eventually I painted it as almost a solid sheet. After looking at it for several months, I knew I had to go in and repaint the whole center section of the painting as well as emphasize other points...a scary thought. However, having identified the major problems, the repainting went more smoothly than I would have imagined possible and resulted in a painting which pleases me. This was the largest painting I had done, 24 X 36, and covering that much canvas was also a challenge.

I am heading to Nashville to deliver a commissioned painting of Lake Radnor. After I have returned home, I'll post that most recent water painting and will then move on to other things.

Beaver's Bend

Since I seem to be on a water theme, I thought I'd post my other completed water paintings. I was visitng Beaver's Bend in southeastern Oklahoma last year and found it quite different from other parts of the state. Sitting on a balcony, drinking coffee on a rainy, misty morning was one of those perfect moments that stays with you. In this painting, I was trying to capture the feeling of the storm remnants with the sun trying to break through. This was challenging and I will continue to paint this lake - and others - always trying to get the feeling of the water and its reflections under many conditions.

Waterfall

This painting is the second and last one I painted from someone else's photograph. I was intrigued with painting water and waterfalls and loved both the colors and the composition of this one. I also experimented with a pallet knife - using it to form some of the rocks. It was more difficult than I imagined it would be but I liked the effects.

The painting I am currently working on is another waterfall - the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River - and it is proving to be quite a challenge for me. However, I am also starting to paint some still lives and will likely give them priority for awhile. The need to have a place to arrange objects for still lives has forced me to address space issues in my studio/laundry room. This week I have moved out a storage unit and rearranged my work area. It is going to be a much better space for painting and I'm excited to get started.

It's been a week since I blogged and I am sorry to have lost the rhythm since I will be traveling some in the next few months and I don't want to lose the habit. A friend, a portrait painter, has a show coming up and I have been sitting for him. Not only is it interesting and fun but we have wonderful conversations about art and I am learning so much in the process - about making art, about art history, and about my own experience of art. Thinking and talking about it is having a deep affect on me which I will be exploring in future blogs.

Usually I paint only from photos I have taken but this painting is an exception to that. I came across a postcard many years ago of a 1924 photograph, Teepee at Bow Lake. I was so taken with the image that I finally decided to paint it, although without the Native American man standing in front of the teepee. This is one of my favorite paintings because of personal ties - I spent my 30th summer camping and hiking in Canda - and because it emotionally pleases me at some deep level. The light on the teepee and the softness of the mountain slopes with clouds moving in brings a real sense of peace to me.

This is also my first attempt at painting water and while there is much to improve in that regard I keep it as is so that it will always serve as a lesson for me. Since then I have painted several paintings with a water focus and love the challenge of it.