Happy New Year

I recently saw the “Her Paris” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.  It was an exhibit of women artists in the age of Impressionism.  I feel like I’m pretty knowledgeable in the field of art history, but I had not heard of many of the artists.  It was a wonderful show!  I learned so much.

One of my goals for 2017 was to see more art “in person”.   I see paintings online almost every day but it’s not the same as viewing work right in front of you.  I think that I did a pretty good job towards this goal.  I visited numerous museums during our trip to Ecuador last winter;  I went to several shows here at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center; we went to the Art Institute of Chicago when there over Thanksgiving.

How did you do with your 2017 goals?  What goals are you setting for 2018?

Rocking The Boat

Rocking The Boat
Oil  12" x 12"
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This is another lobster boat from our trip to Maine this past fall.  I've got so many great photos from that trip that I'll never get them all painted.  As I did last January I'm participating in Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 paintings.  I don't paint every single day, and I don't paint that many small pieces in a month.  But, once again, I think that I can post the daily steps in my larger paintings.  It's a great way to start the year, and I'm one to adjust things a bit to work for me.  Look for this in January!

Speaking of a great way to start the year....last winter I had knee replacement.  Unfortunately, I was in the 1% that doesn't have an easy recovery.  I had scar tissue issues, swelling, frozen muscles.  By the spring I had a second procedure.  And again had issues.  I spent the summer going through 3-5 hours of physical therapy each day.  This included going to pt, going to warm water aerobics, going to the gym, doing pt at home, and sitting in leg braces 2 hours each day.  To say the least, it was not fun.  By Labor Day I'd about had it and went to the Victor Celebrates The Arts event.  At that point I was better, but not yet there.  In late September/October we went to New England for 3 weeks.  Once again I walked/hobbled around, took one of my braces with me, and tried to live my life.  I loved every minute that I was able to paint on those 2 trips.  Upon returning another surgery was scheduled, which I just had in December.  And, happily it went well.  In one day I was already better than I was after 7 months!  And now,  I'm so ready for the New Year!

Colorado Springs Airport Show

Morning Light

Standing Bull

Two of my paintings, Morning Light and Standing Bull, are hanging at the Colorado Springs Airport as part of the Ranchlands Artist Gathering Show.  The paintings in this show were from the Artist Gathering at the Medano Zapata Ranch last June.  

The Ranchlands Artist Gathering was formed to support art and illuminate the important work that is occurring in land and wildlife conservation through ranching, creating a window into modern ranching through an artist's point of view.

The medano Zapata Ranch is managed by The Nature Conservancy and Ranchlands in a unique partnership that stresses conservation and the establishment of a wild bison herd.  This body of work represents the ranch's unique landscape, 2,500-head bison herd, the adjacent Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, Great Sand Dunes National Park and native wildlife and plant species.

I'm thrilled to be a part of the Artist Gathering and loved seeing the work at the airport.

Figure Color Study

Figure Color Study
8" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

I did this color study the other day while visiting Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia.  I sat in on a class that my sister, Natalie Italiano, was teaching.  The color class teaches seeing the light hitting the figure (or form) and how that light changes the local color;  making strong color statements; and constantly comparing one color mass to surrounding color masses.  Some of the points about color:  color masses are painted in in relationship to the masses next to  them;  learn to see color by looking at color relationships;  in a color study start with the brightest, easiest to see color.

I've been painting this week in my sister's studio and will post some of the pictures soon.    

A Big Sunflower

A Big Sunflower
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

Some of the sun flowers in our back yard are big and start drooping when they get really tall.  I understand the feeling!  I feel like drooping from the heat we've had this summer.