Victor Celebrates The Arts -- #3

Aspen Shadow

Oil 16" x 20"

$495.00 + $20. s/h

After painting the mine (in the previous post) early in the morning, I headed over to Gold Field.  One might say that Gold Field is a part of Victor, or on the edge of Victor, but in the 1890's it was it's

 own town. 

Recently I posted a piece of an aspen grove painted on a violet toned canvas (click here), I loved the result of violets peeking through.  So, planning ahead I took a similarly toned canvas with me up to Victor.  I rarely paint a 16" x 20" plein air.  I got set up here about 10:30.  And, headed back there at about that time three days in a row seeking the same light.  

Here are some shots of Gold Field:

I guess this would have been the main street.  That's the old City Hall and Fire Department to the left.

This is the view toward Victor.

Victor Celebrates The Arts -- # 2

For another piece I painted early in the morning at the Vindicator Mine.  My first step was to sketch in the old mine and brush in the darks.  Then I painted in the lights.  I found the challenge with the lights was to make them realistic without being too pastelley...is that a word? 

Then next sep was to paint in the darks.  When painting plein air it's always a good plan to block in the lights and darks first, then not to change them.  It's so tempting to chase the light, but don't!

This gives you an idea of my progress up to this point; but the photo is a little too light.

After this I added the grasses and piles of ore and dirt in the foreground, then last put in the sky.

I had planned on posting pretty regularly during the 10 day event, but it took at least 6 minutes to upload each photo, there wasn't service where we stayed, and sometimes there wasn't much service anywhere!  So, I'm home now and will start posting my steps and finished pieces.

This is the Vindicator Gold Mine, one of many historic mines in the Cripple Creek - Victor area. 

Gold was discovered in the area in 1890 and brought thousands of people to the Pikes Peak region.  Over 500 gold mines sprang up across the mountains.  The Cripple Creek and Victor area was linked to Colorado Springs by two stage roads and three railroads all built to carry lumber, food, coal, ore, people and supplies.  

In its' hey day in the 1890's Victor was known as the City Of Mines because the largest and richest gold mines were located just above the city.  Nearly $434,000,000 in gold (in 1890'a value) was produced.

Here are some pictures of the mines:

I had a comment in my last post about all the white (snow) that you can see when you Google map Victor.  That's not snow, it's all the ore tailings from the mine.  CC&VM ie:  Cripple Creek & Victor Mine is still a working gold mine!

Victor Celebrates The Arts

I am in Victor, Colorado (about an hour and 15 minutes from Colorado Springs) participating in "Victor Celebrates The Arts" a 10 day plain air event.  Victor is an old mining town, actually, the gold mine is still active, that sits at 10,000 feet!  It's hard for some people to breathe at this altitude.

Anyway, at the end of the week artists can submit up to 5 pieces painted within a 10 mile area.  Three pieces are plain air, 1 is a miniature (up to 4" x 6") and 1 is an interior.  The scenery is spectacular, the mines are historic and the town is charming.

This is my first piece.  I started with sketching in the buildings, then quickly putting in the shadows.

I have 2 plein air easels and set ups.  My old Julienne which I use on car trips (how great is it to paint right next to my car!!)  and an 8" x 10" Open Box M which I use if I'm hiking in to a location and when we travel by plane.

My next step was to quickly put in the shadows in the trees in the background, the sun is always changing outdoors.  Then I put the lights in the first house.

Next I put the lights in the 2nd house and painted part of the shadow sides of the houses.

Then, I worked on the grasses in the front of the houses.  Lastly I painted the trees in the back ground.  I'll post the final painting later int he week.

The following pictures are taken around Victor:

Standing On The Shoulders Of Cowboys

My paintings: Git Along Little Doggies, Lonesome Cattle Call and Standing Bull are in the show "Standing On The Shoulders Of Cowboys" at Cottonwood Center For The Arts 427 East Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs.  The show hangs until September 13, 2013.  Stop by if you're in the Springs!

By The Window

By The Window
20" x 20" Oil  on stretched canvas-ready to hang
$595.00 + $20. s/h

I painted this still life last spring and have loved having it here in my studio.  But, thought it's time to post.  I find that yellow flowers have both warm and cool yellows.  My inclination is to gray the warms for the darker areas, which I do, but in these daffodils many of the darks were cool.  So, I painted what I saw.  I should set up a fall bouquet in the same spot.

Cool Water

Cool Water
Oil  12" x 16"
$295.00 + $10.s/h

I really like the movement and constant light and color change that you have in a river, creek, or any body of water.  I don't get the chance to paint a lot of "big" bodies of water, as our rivers in Colorado are pretty small.  But, even small bits of water have fun, challenging changes.  I think that the title could refer to the actual temperature of this mountain creek or the temperature of the color of the water.

And, I'm happy to say that this piece was one of Daily Paintworks "Picks of the Day"!  Thank you Daily Paintworks!

Light At The End

Light At The End
Oil 11" x 14"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

I loved the drama in the sky and the light at the end of the road.  We have a lot of big, bold skies in the west.  I was drawn to the way the bold blue of the sky peeked through the clouds.

Back Yard Tea Rose

Backyard Tea Rose

Oil 6" x 8"  

SOLD

The tea roses, (I'm not sure that that's their "real" name, but it works for me) in our back yard are no longer blooming;  we had beautiful blossoms during June.  This painting recently sold, but I have many other florals available on my blog!

Aspen Light

Aspen Light
Oil 16" x 20"
$595.00 + $20. s/h

No matter what time of year, or what time of day, an aspen grove is pretty dramatic.  As aspens grow in large colonies from a single seedling, you rarely see just one aspen, except those planted in yards.  Aspens spread by means of root suckers which may appear even 100 feet from the parent tree.  An individual tree may live from 40 - 150 years, but the root system of the colony is long lived.  The largest aspen colony is here in Colorado (that was a Jeopardy question!)

Last winter I painted several aspen paintings which started with a canvas toned in violet.  I loved the way that dark color peeked through it's complementary fall aspen leaves.  So, for this piece I decided to once again tone the canvas, but I mixed the violet with white for a more lavender color.  I left lots of it peeking through in this painting, also.

Music Of The Water

Music Of The Water

Oil 9" x 12"

$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is another piece from one of Colorado's creeks.  I love the motion and movement of water.  When you're out painting, or fishing, the babels and harmonies of the water can be mesmerizing.  Thus, the title:  Music Of The Water.

Up The Creek

Up The Creek
Oil 8" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

This is another little piece from the same fishing and painting day on the western slope as the last post.  We were near Paonia, Colorado.

Here's the work in progress and my friend fishing off in the distance, up the creek.

Dancing Light

Dancing Light
Oil 6" x 8"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

The week before last was a fun week.  A friend or ours from high school came for a visit (actually, she and my husband go all the way back to the same grade school.)  After a few days here in Colorado Springs, we headed over the the western slope (for those of you who don't live in Colorado, that means on the other side of the continental divide) to her in-laws ranch.  It was a great visit!  I got to meet Chief, who I painted in January.  Click here to go to the painting of Chief.  I also got to meet the young couple who own the painting.  That was really nice.

While on the ranch my husband and our friend went fishing and I painted by the side of the creek.  I loved the way the reflections, light and ripples seemed to dance across the water.

This is the view from where I painted.

I took a break and turned my easel around to critique the painting from my resting spot.

Here are the happy fishermen!

Pink Gerbera

Pink Gerbera
Oil 6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love to have a bouquet of flowers in the house.  This was the last remaining flower in the bouquet.  It seems like the gerberas are often the last flower to stay blooming.  The bouquet started fairly large, then got smaller and smaller as I remade it.  This one lasted almost 2 weeks!

The flowers in our back yard are doing pretty well!  The lilies are in full bloom and the hollyhocks are just starting to blossom.  Not sure why, but there aren't as many coreopsis this year as there usually are.
Maybe the dry winter.

Relaxing and Tranquil

Relaxing and Tranquil
Oil 8" x 10"
SOLD

This little river is just outside of Vail, Colorado.  And, I'm happy to say that this painting just sold at Summerland Gardens.  I'll have to run over there with a replacement!

The 4th of July

Labor Day on the 4th of July
Oil on cradled panel 8" x 8"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

I posted this piece on Labor Day but thought that it was perfect to post it again on the 4th of July!  It is a painting of the flag that my paternal grandfather was given for his service to our country in both the World Wars.

May you all have a great holiday and remember the incredible history of our country.

Snap Dragon Shadow

Snap Dragon Shadow
Oil  6" x 8"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I loved the shadow that was created by this snap dragon.  It drew me in as much as the light on the flower.  I loved snap dragons as a child.  I remember breaking off part of the flower and squeezing the petals, which to me created a mouth talking.

Lavender Bouquet

Lavender Bouquet
12" x 12"  Oil on Stretched Canvas
$195.00 + $10. s/h

I love having a bouquet on the table in our front hall on the table at the top of the stairs.  These were in the bouquet that my husband recently brought home from the grocery store.  He does all of the shopping, so I never know what the bouquet will be.

First Day Of Summer

First Day Of Summer

It's June 21st, the first day of summer.  Over the years I've painted hundreds of florals: large, small, plein air, indoor still lifes, occasionally silk.  My favorites are those painted on beautiful summer days in our back yard.  We've got some great tea roses blooming right now and in the next few days I plan on getting out there and painting away.

While several of the above pieces have sold, a few are still available.  Please contact me if interested and look for new pieces soon!

Crab Apple 4

Crab Apple 4

Oil  7" x 5" 

$75.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

And yet another crab apple from a few days later still.

Crab Apple 3

Crab Apple 3
Oil  7" x 5"
$75.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

And the crab apple tree again after a few more days.

Crab Apple 2

Crab Apple 2

Oil  7" x 5"  

$75.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

This branch is from the same crab apple tree in our backyard, but a few days later.