It aint over till it’s over…

and it looks like it’s not gonna be over till Monday. As much as we’d have liked to see it finished today there’s more than a days work here. Oh well!  Monday’s good too!

But! I’m thinkin the condition of my house isn’t all that exciting so this one photo is all I’m puttin in for right now. Maybe I’ll do a “finished, thank God!” picture later but for this post I have a way old progression of a way sold and gone 30×40 landscape. One of my favorites.

This was done with a burnt sienna under painting and drawing before “Eldon Orange” <—- (So named by my friend Dawn.) came into the picture. Burnt Sienna works just as well. The stuff that shows through in the finished piece is nice and warm just not as bright as the orange.

The palette was probably the same but there may have been, from the looks of the piece, some Alizarin Crimson on there as well. For those following who don’t know my palette, here tis. Titanium White, Cad Yellow Pale, Cad Orange, Bright Red, UltraMarine Blue and Sap Green. Visitors to my palette are Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre Pale and Alizarin Crimson. Once in a great while, Cad Red.

The Cad Orange is a great color to neutralize a green. I use the Sap Green way too much and I also mix a green with the blue and yellow. The orange puts the green nicely into a neutral position. A touch of Bright Red works great too and gives a little warmer green.

Green! Ewwww! There was a time I actually nearly hated green. It’s hard! I struggled with it every time I put a brush in it. I’d avoid it as much as possible and it avoided me. Me and green didn’t ride in the same car.

Then one day I’m riding along. I’m rubber neckin and looking at all those different shades of green and, thanks to who knows what,  noticed their differences. I’m thinking,…..that’s a yellow green, …..that’s a red green, …..there’s a silver green and a blue green….so on and so on. I made it a habit and after a while I could identify a green and mix a reasonable representation of what I was seeing out in front of me. Finally green and I had come to terms. I know now what a cool green is and what it takes to mix a warm green but until I finally opened my eyes and looked it was chaos!!! Now I boss the green around!!!

Who wants to see a post with a bunch of green paint mixed warm and cool? I think I’m running the progression thing into the ground anyway and maybe it’d be good to change directions with the blog for a while. Let me know.  :)

Eldon

The Clean Studio Blues

 

Today was spent working at home. We tore out carpet, ripped up the vinyl in the kitchen and we cleaned my studio.

I, however, am having a hard time dealing with the studio. I liked my clutter. It made me feel cozy and safe somehow and now it seems my personality is at stake. Maybe I threw it out with the rest of the junk (it wasn’t all junk) and the personality is already gone. I threw out lists I’d made years ago. Lists of things I was gonna do and never got around to. Still they were my lists and as long as they stacked up on my desk there was still possibilities.

I pitched art magazines I’d never gotten around to reading and I know darn well some of them were collectors items. I miss, too, all those worn out brushes that would have made at least one more perfect stoke on perhaps my next master piece. Or the next.

I don’t have a single painting leaning against a wall, or my desk, or my easel and all my extra frames are put up nice and neat. (they are against the wall) I hope like heck I can find one I need when I need it. 

The place is akin to a hospital room. I swear now and then I smell antiseptic. I’ve heard the distant soft “ding” of an elevator.

Perhaps it’s the wine. But I deserve a nice glass of wine or two after all the hard labor that took place around here today don’t I? Don’t I get to relax and take it easy for a little while? 

And maybe I’ll need a third before this studio starts looking friendly again.

Oh well, hope you enjoy this short progression on painting pine trees. This painting went to the Squash Blossom in Colorado Springs. It’s titled              “The Center of the Universe”.

I’m gonna hit the rack. Ahm tard.

EW

“Sunset On Fall River”

 

22×30 oil Rocky Mtn. Natl. Park

    This is all I have for the post this week but this link —–> “Sunset On Fall River”  will get you to the progression for the painting above . The progression is on U-Tube.  There is no narration, only a bit of Vivaldi covering about 15 images. The video is just over a minute.

“Sunset On Fall River” is part of the show I just took to The Squash Blossom in Colorado Springs. Anyone wishing to inquire about this painting can contact the gallery through the link or contact me through my blog.

Debra is responsible for what you’re about to see. She’s the brains of this outfit. Thanks Debra.

EW

Doug’s Back Yard

A friend of mine asked if I was going to put the painting of the cars on my blog. I told him I would so for him here it is. It was done in Doug Holdread’s back yard down at Trinidad. Sort of. The cars are on the property where Doug’s studio is. I had the opportunity to paint these 3 old guys while waiting for Doug to finish some business before we took off for Rancho Largo on the 3rd of June.

I had a great opportunity also, while at Doug’s studio,  to take  some photos. The painting below is the demo I did at The Squash Blossom in Colorado Springs last Friday. It was done from one of those photos. My style is changing slightly here lately and I see a lot of that change in this piece. The change has to do with the way I’m laying in some of my initial darks (brush work mostly). They seem to be darker, richer and more transparent as well. As a result my later layers of opaque paint are changing too. I think maybe I’m just muddling around with my opaques less and less. Anyway, many thanks Doug!

This painting (below) is one I took to The Squash Blossom last week so it was there for the first Friday opening.  It’s 30×40 and it’s titled “Center of the Universe. I actually took eleven pieces but I’ve hidden some of the photos so well in this cavernous computer that I’m having a hard time finding all of them. Anyway, I thought I’d stick this one in here for you for now.

There is another I’ll post later from the show. It has a full progression and then some. Perhaps this Saturday? Or maybe from the one below. I dunno.

Till then,

EW

Some of my painting friends from the Mitchell Museum

This is the interior of the Mitchell Museum. I guess in the “old days” this was some kinda department store. Check out the ceiling tile. This view shows about 25% of it. The lower level was still hung with Mitchell’s work and our show hung upstairs. If anyone reading this is ever passing throgh Trinidad take an hour and see this place. You won’t be disappointed

Doug….I really like his work. I think tradsees are in negotiations. Doug is also the force behind these painting tours in S.E. Co. and opposition to the Pinon Canyon Expansion. By the way we’ve made some awesome progress down there.

This is Linda. The focus in her art is finding and recording things most of us miss. This lady is can render in pen and ink like it’s goin outta style.

Lois:  Lois made the only sale opening night. Congratulations!! She works in pastel. Great work! Do a close up of the horses and you’ll see what I mean.

Deborah…..She says she takes a terrible photograph. I beg to differ. And SHE was one lucky enough to get a photo of the Whiptails at our last paint location.

Fran…..Fran works in pastel also. The painting just to her right (about elbow height) with the violet and yellow is my favorite.

Yers truely. Nuff said

EW

Can You Hear Me Now?

No post last Saturday. My apologies. I was at Rancho Largo with Doug Holdread and the gang.  No wi-fi, no cell phone service. Verison would have hated it out there but our little band of plein air painters  found it to be one of the most beautiful places to paint you can imagine. Rancho Largo boasts one of the few  wild herds of long horn cattle and a species of lizard growing to over a foot long. (including the tail) Our host called them Whiptails.

We were all invited to go Saturday morning to a branding on a neighboring ranch. A bunch of ranchers from the area get together and one ranch at a time do the branding until all the work is done. (but not all on the same day)  I’ve been to see a branding and mostly what I got was in the way. It’s  interesting to be sure with lots of activity and cowboys,  a big mid day meal and tall tales told all around.  There was only going to be one day of painting for me though so I passed on going branding and made good use of the sun. The photo of the cactus was taken just minutes after sunrise.

This old cedar tree was my choice of subject. It’s mostly front lit and I kinda  liked the dark shapes and shadows down inside it. There weren’t a lot of cast shadows to speak of except those lower left so I took some liberties and painted them  more prominently.

At about 10:30 a.m. this is what I had. The shadow area lower left is a little on the violet side but it made sense with the yellow light of the early morning. It measures 18×24 inches.

I pulled up stakes and went back to the bunk house thinking of a nap but that didn’t happen. It was way to hot so I just lazied around.

 

But by about noon I thought I’d best get my heinie back to work. The temp. was already in the 80’s so I thought I’d look for a subject I could paint from the shade. What did I find  to paint? The old ranch house and the only shade was what fell beneath the brim of my hat. Oh well, I rolled down my sleeves, pulled up my collar and commenced the roast.

Worth it though. The reflected light on the side of the house was what did it for me. The photo doesn’t show the light as I’d have liked it to but the painting pulled it off.

And as per normal early afternoon brought the thunder heads. I was all worn out from painting so I decided to explore a little bit and get you guys a few photos of what the ranch is like.

The cactus is early in the bloom. Most blossoms aren’t even open yet but this one growing from the top of a rock was awesome. It amazes me how the desert plants live so well with so little.

This flower is called Indian Paint Brush. Our host, Grady, said when he first came to the ranch the only place they grew was in his yard that was fenced and not grazed. He has taken a unique view of helping the land replenish itself and now, through his efforts, they’re all over the place.

We listened for quite a while as Grady told us about his method of ranching,  (he’s a biologist, Princeton edumacated) and he aint no slouch. Had I had a second day to hang out and hear more I’d have gladly slept on a rock to do it. Sadly I had a boat load of paintings to frame and get to the Squash Blossom in Colorado Springs so I reluctantly put up my gear and headed home. Thanks Grady for a most excellent time at Rancho Largo.

This is the last photo I got as I left the ranch. The afternoon had clouded over and a rain storm was approaching that no doubt added a little more green to  Grady’s grass. Rancho Largo was once on the list for the army expansion at Pinon Canyon. It has since been removed and will supposedly stay that way.        Yeah right.        For now.

EW

Poncha Springs

This weeks post comes to you from beautiful down town Poncha Springs Colorado. Poncha Springs is a couple of miles up the highway from Salida. Debra and I made some late plans to get the heck out of Dodge for a couple of days and here we are!! Debra planned to hang out and read a book or work on her computer and I planned to do a little plein air work. Guess which one of us is coming closer to doing what they’d hoped. It’s cloudy, it’s raining, it’s cold! (well pretty cool) My friend Josh Been thinks the morning will bring us some sunshine so we’re going painting tomorrow morning. Cross your fingers please.

I had a short series on part of a painting I’m doing in the studio. I was going to post them this evening but the photos have disappeared from my camera so they and the post will have to wait for a while until we get back to my PC in the city. I’d love to put in some photos from today anyway so here are a few of them. No art tonight.

I snapped this one on our way into town this morning. I found myself wishing I’d brought a large canvas. It’s right on the highway, maybe it’s best to wait until I get back to Denver and work from the photograph.

This view is looking north across the valley.( I think, I lose my direction every time I come down here) We found views like this, one after another, every time we turned around. We were wondering what it would be like to live down here.

This little one was willing to hold still as long as we wanted her to. Debra got several shots of her and she was very patient as long as the camera was pointed in her direction. Her mother (I suppose) was just to the right sweeping the doorway to a store. What a cutie!

Another of the local folks. And yes, he did have one of those huge walrus mustaches. White. He and who I thought to be his wife were having lunch in this little deli. There’s an odd contrast between this old fashioned kind of guy and the reflection in the window of a new automobile.

Debra gravitates to subjects with a pattern when she’s running the camera. I even like the way these kayaks are lined up down the wall. I think the photo needs to be cropped a little.
She doesn’t.

So… In the morning Josh and I will give some out door work a shot. If anything decent shakes out maybe I’ll post it tomorrow night. All we need is a little dry weather and about 3 hours of sunshine. Hey! It could happen!

EW

River Water and Wild Onions

Is this cool or what? The Mitchell Museum in Trinidad Colorado has invited me and several other artists to show some work at the museum during the month of June. I’ve gotten them seven paintings, some older, some new. All are from S.E. Colorado and range from 10×20 inches to 30×40. Some of them folks have seen, some are still wet. I thought I’d post em in here for everybody to see.

Title: Sunrise at Willards Place

The painting above is a 10×20 and stems from the paint trip I took last summer with Doug Holdread and several other artists at the Louden Ranch.  Take a look at Doug’s site, you’ll see a lot of really nice work in there.

Untitled

Another 10×20. This painting was totally fun to do. (a little nerve racking but fun) The reference material has been laying around here for quite a while. I guess I just had to have a reason to git er done. A special occasion I guess.

Title: Willard’s Windmill

And this is Willard Loudens wind mill. It’s one of the first things you see when you drive into the bottom of the canyon where Lone Oak Post Office is. If you were to walk up to the windmill from this view and hooked a hard left you’d be looking right at the view of  “Sunrise At Willards Place” two paintings up.

Title: Road to Lone Oak

Above is the road into Lone Oak. Who are those guys anyway?  There was this couple who hiked out of the canyon and camped on the ridge. Friends of mine.

Title: Nuther Storm Brewin

This old snowy road is from the Red Canyon area. I’d guess it’s about 40 miles north east of Willards place. I haven’t been to this area for many years and I remember it as being one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. A lady owned the ranch then. Her name was Dourety. (No doubt I butchered that spelling, sorry) She was nice enough to let us run around her place a little bit. I’ll bet it’s been thirty years. Most beautiful.

Title: Mesa De Maya

This painting above most of you have seen. It was the do-over from an older post.  I snapped the reference photo on my way  to Lone Oak one Sunday morning. This stone structure is my offering to the scene. The building doesn’t actually exist but you finds hundreds like it through out the area. These places were lived in and abandoned by tough, hard working folks who found it hard to make a living.

A little story:        My father in law many many many years ago had a little homestead east of La Junta Co. He said one day a young fella came walking by his place who lived out in this area. He asked the guy what they ate out there. River water and wild onions. I aint that tough.

Title: Down Higbee Road

Another most of you have seen. Higbee Road is About 20 miles south of LaJunta and runs for a ways along the Purgatory River. I had a little bit of a problem with the composition in this one. The critique indicated the house was far to much to the left to be the center of interest (was true). While the piece was well painted I was to move the house to the right. Uh huh….Like they said, it was well done, I wasn’t about to repaint that old house so I gave the rancher a new silo. It improved the composition of the piece, pulled the viewers eye back to the right and added to the value of the property as well. Three birds, one rock.     :)

So there ya have it. My offering to the Mitchell Museum. Wish us luck.

If anyone wishes to see a price list there’s one in “links” top right. When you hover your cursor over an image the size will come up. Just compare that size to the same size on the list.

Until next Saturday!!

EW

In Honor of Spring

Or……”It’s about daggone time!”

I’m painting for two shows right now. One show will hang at the Mitchell Museum in Trinidad Co. and the other show will hang at The Squash Blossom gallery in Colorado Springs. One opens june 4th, the other June 5th. I’m busier than the proverbial One Legged Man. So… I’ve gone into my archives and will post some special paintings to celebrate the arrival of spring.

I’ll post photos next week of some of the pieces I’ve done for the upcoming shows. There are some plain ole photos and there are some step by step stuff too. I think you’ll enjoy seeing what’s been coming from the muse.

So, I’ll get back to work and here’s wishing every one a great week. Sorry this post is so short.  

EW

Potato Rock

Never mind that green tint under my drawing. That’s what’s left of something that seemed like a good idea at the time and then begged to be wiped off. It was OK with me so off it went. (Wiped off very thin then rubbed with thinner until all I had left was a little color.) Waste not want not right? Any way it’s dry now and I can paint this new one over top.

There’s a rock just above center and just right of the big bush in this composition. I had no problem with the placement but I was having trouble making it  look like a rock. I didn’t take any pictures of it while  in process but believe me it was ugly. I painted and wiped and painted and wiped until I was tired of goofin with it. 

Then!!  Lo and behold a rock.    And ”IT” didn’t come all that easy either. I continued to work on it right up to the time the painting  finished. I decided this big ole rock,  was going to look like a rock if it killed me. It doesn’t look like the rock I started painting but it’s a rock. I like this one better any way, the first one looked like a potato.

 

And some how in the end it came out and I quit frettin about it.

Now I’m wondering if I should put back that figure I had standing on Potato Rock from back in step #2. It’s always nice, as my friend Rob puts  it, to have that human element in a painting. On the other hand, if the dude doesn’t go back in, we’ll probably think less about plastic bottles, blue Wal Mart bags, foot prints, candy wrappers, traffic noise, smog, plein air painters and other riff raff and……on and on. Maybe he stays out this time. Whadda ya think?

EW