Sit and Watch

Sit and Watch

Oil  5" x 7"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

On the mornings when I get up early enough, this is the view out of our kitchen deck doors (although, the trees have grown and I do see a bit less than this!)  I don't need to be in a hurry to get anywhere, so when the sunrise is spectacular, as it often is, I try to just sit and watch it while enjoying my morning cup of coffee. 

 

I have posted many morning sunrises on my blog.  I painted this sunrise, and 3 other skies last week.  It was the perfect time for me to paint them as it fit in with the DPW weekly challenge, which was "skies".  And, I sold 5 sky paintings at Summerland Gardens, Gifts and Gallery.  All in all a good week!  Beautiful sunrises here in Colorado Springs, great sales, and time to Sit and Watch!

Old Wooden Door

Santa Fe Fling

Old Wooden Door

Oil 6" x 6"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

I loved this old house and door on Canyon Road in Santa Fe.  Canyon Road has lots of great galleries, but it has wonderful architecture.  Every building is unique, every tucked away garden makes you want to sit and rest, every door makes you want to push it open.

In case you missed last Mondays intro to our Santa Fe Fling, here's a re-cap of what I posted then:  Santa Fe is famous for many things, one of them being its' old adobe architecture and wooden doors.  I've been there many times, it's just under five hours from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe.  I was there most recently several weeks ago for a workshop.  While there I headed to Canyon Road several times.  I photoed doors and buildings on that road as well as in several neighborhoods while driving around with Kelley MacDonald.

Kelley and I became friends four years ago in Santa Fe at a workshop, saw each other again two years ago in Austin at a workshop, and again last month.  (Many of the same people were in all three workshops...we planned it that way!)  We both love the doors and buildings, said that we wanted to paint them, got to talking about it and we're both going to be posting our Santa Fe influenced pieces every Monday.  So, hope you like these doors, and look for our next "Santa Fe Fling" paintings next week!

Here's Kelley's door:

Early Fall Morning

Early Fall Morning
Oil  9" x 12"
$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is about the same spot as the painting I posted on September 23rd.  There's a spring that bubbles up out of the ground making the soil spongey and soft.  The water then flows to meet up with the South Platte River.  I love the warm fall colors.  I think it's my favorite time to paint.

Let's Peek Inside!

Santa Fe Fling

Let's Peek Inside!
8" x 6"  Oil
SOLD

Santa Fe is famous for many things, one of them being its' old adobe architecture and wooden doors.  I've been there many times, it's just under five hours from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe.  I was there most recently several weeks ago for a workshop.  While there I headed to Canyon Road several times.  I photoed doors and buildings on that road as well as in several neighborhoods while driving around with Kelley MacDonald.

Kelley and I became friends four years ago in Santa Fe at a workshop, saw each other again two years ago in Austin at a workshop, and again last month.  (Many of the same people were in all three workshops...we planned it that way!)  We both love the doors and buildings, said that we wanted to paint them, got to talking about it and we're both going to be posting our Santa Fe influenced pieces every Monday.  So, hope you like these doors, and look for our next "Santa Fe Fling" paintings next week!

Here's Kelley's door!  But you've got to go to her blog!  Her paintings are wonderful!

Great September Day

Great September Day

Oil  6" x 8"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

Autumn is my favorite season.  I love the weather.  I love the cool Colorado nights.  I love the warm colors in the landscapes.  September is usually gorgeous here, and this year was no exception.  October has been equally as beautiful.  We've had incredible, warm days for several weeks!

Jewel of a Flower - Coreopsis # 2

Jewel of a Flower - Coreopsis #2
6" x 6"  Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

I often paint two or three of the same subject at a time.  That certainly makes sense with flowers, as they're blooming at the same time.  I think that coreopsises (not sure what the plural would be...coreopsisi?)  look like little jewels dancing around the garden.

While there aren't many flowers left in our yard, the weather here in Colorado Springs has been unbelievable this week.  Our altitude is 6,000 feet, so October can be beautiful, or it can already be winter!

We live right next to Bear Creek Park, an almost 700 acre county park.  This is what it looks like right now:

I love this sign!   Do the park officials really think that the deer will stay on this path??!!

Corepsis

Coreopsis

6" x 6"  Oil

$100.00 + $10. s/h

I painted this coreopsis in September.  I think that they look great in a garden, adding a strong, wonderful yellow border.

Here they are in two different spots in our garden (earlier in the summer).

The Smallest Bowl

The Smallest Bowl
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

I have a set of five stainless steel bowls.  This is the smallest of them.  The largest gets used only occasionally, as it is really large!!  The next time I paint this bowl I'm going to move the set up a bit closer to me as I love the reflections of the crab apples inside the bowl.

Last night was the Opening of The Ranchlands Art Show at Fountain Valley School.  The show is on it's third of four stops.  I posted several times over the summer about the events and exhibitions resulting from the Artists Gathering at the Medano Zapata Ranch that I attended in June...(earlier post.)

Flower Power

Flower Power
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

In this little piece the shadow has become almost as important as the flower.  I love the way my eye moves around the flower, around the shadow, around the vase shadow top, around the top of the vase, up the stem and then moves all over again!

Pudding Dish

Pudding Dish
6" x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

I spent last week in Santa Fe taking an advanced workshop from Carol Marine.  I have to say that it was a great week.  For six of us it was the third workshop that we've taken together, so it was a mini reunion.  The rest of the class was "new" but we all became friends quickly.  

The first day of the class was spent painting whites and grays.  The second day was spent on glass and flowers.  So, I combined them both for this set up.  This little pudding dish belonged to my husband's grandmother.  We have a set of six.  I think I'm going to use them more in future paintings.

We stayed at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat Center.  It was a beautiful campus.  

Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep National Monument
11" x 14"  Oil
This piece is temporarily "on hold" as it is a Mini Winner in "Paint the Parks."  It will be in several exhibitions in 2013.  Will keep you posted!

Hovenweep National Monument is on the border of Colorado and Utah with entrances from both states.  The four-corner area is filled with National Parks and Monuments showing villages and life from times past.  This is from a trip my husband and I took.  I loved the early morning light on the ruins.

Some Like 'Em Hot

Some Like 'Em Hot

6" x 6"  Oil

$100.00 + $10. s/h

Fall in Colorado means many things:  beautiful weather, cool nights, great fishing, wonderful colors.  But, it also means that the chilis from Hatch, New Mexico are here!  I prefer medium chilis.  But, my husband among them, some like 'em hot!

Near Tarryall

Near Tarryall

11" x 14"  Oil

$295.00 + $10. s/h

Tarryall is a little less than an hour west of here (Colorado Springs.)  We were up there for a gorgeous fall day.  I loved all of the reflections of the sky and rocks in the river.

South Platte Valley

South Platte Valley
11" x 14"  Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This little valley is tucked away by the South Platte River.  Occasionally when there we see a few other people, usually fly fisherman.  But more often than not we're the only people around.

Glow Over Buffalo Peak

Glow Over Buffalo Peak
6" x 8" Oil
SOLD

This is the view we have up in the mountains.  I've painted Buffalo Peak, and this view, countless times;  different times of day, different months, different seasons, different weather conditions.  Each time the sky and the clouds are completely different.  Each painting is so different from the others.

I can truly see how Monet could paint Rouen Cathedral in so many different colors, values, and seasons. Although, have you ever really looked at his Rouen Cathedral paintings?  The drawing part is so similar in each one.  It makes me wonder if he sketched out the Cathedral many times on many canvases and had them all ready to paint.  Does any one know?  Any thoughts?

Grapefruit Half and Taryn Day

Grapefruit Half
Oil 6" x 6"
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is another painting that I did last week while in New Jersey visiting my sister, Natalie Italiano.

She had a still life set up in her studio and this was the second piece I painted from it.

Here's the first piece I painted, still in progress.  I posted this one on FB.  I had enough time to do a second smaller, quicker one and love the loose, painterly way it turned out.

It's great having a sister who's also a painter.  We were chatting about blogging, artists, FB, etc and realized that we follow many of the same artists. One of these artists was Taryn Day, who lives outside of Philadelphia (where my sister has her studio at Studio Incamminati).  So, I emailed Taryn and the three of us got together for lunch.  It was so much fun to meet her in person.  We spent much of the afternoon chatting about painting, marketing, families and life.  

Here's Taryn and me in the Greek restaurant!

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.    

Cascade Bell Tower

Cascade Bell Tower
8"x 6"  Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

Last week my plain air group painted in Cascade, a town just a few miles west of Colorado Springs.  I loved the light on the chapel bell tower.

Labor Day

Labor Day
8" x 8"  Oil on cradled panel
$195.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

Today is Labor Day.  I thought that was a great day to post a recent flag painting.  I have painted and posted this flag before.  It's the flag my dad received for his dad's service to our country.  My grandfather served in both WWI and WWII.  This flag has been passed down to our son.

Labor Day is a day that was originally intended to celebrate the American worker.  Now it seems more to represent the end of summer.  I thought it also a great day to post our flag as a few days ago the Republican National Convention ended and this week the Democratic Nation Convention begins.  And, no matter what party we belong to, or what candidate we support, we can all agree that we as people need to do something to increase jobs and help the American worker.  So, again, this painting seems great to post today.  Here's to celebrating the "American worker."  Happy Labor Day!

Park County Sunset

Park County Sunset
12" x 16"  Oil
$245.00 + $10. s/h

This was the sunset we enjoyed last Saturday when we were up in Park County for the weekend!  It doesn't get much better than that!

Tomorrow, September 1st, is the 12th Annual Ranchlands Artist Gathering Exhibition.  I'm thrilled to be included with these Colorado Artists.  It's at Chico Basin Ranch 22550 South Peyton Highway from 1:00 - 4:00.  please click here for more info:  https://www.swiftpageemail.com/speasapage.aspx?X=2Q0GG3AYI4PO277800YFWP