"Arroyo Seco Truck"
3" X 4"
Oil on Gessobord













Today David and I went out to Arroyo Seco so I could add another truck to my collection of Northern New Mexico Trucks.

This old beauty is out in front of the Arroyo Seco Mercantile.

It was a great day for painting, even if I was on the main drag with all the cars whizzing by and all the tourists asking 'are you painting?'

"Rio Pueblo Outlook"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord













"St. Francis Church V"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord










"St. Francis Church VI"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord










Another great day of painting!

We started out at the Rio Pueblo Overlook, which is out past the Taos Country Club on Hwy 110 to the South and West of town.

It was glorious!

And we found a gorgeous bull snake, which my wonderful husband took pictures of. I hope to paint something from those pictures when I get all recovered from this week.

Everything was going swimmingly with the painting until the wind came up much earlier than ususal and I decided to pack it up at 11am and break for an early lunch.

After lunch, I painted one of my favorite subjects, the St. Francis Church at Ranchos De Taos.

I could paint that church every day and never be bored.

Tomorrow is the last day of the paintout, and I'll probably end up missing most of it because I'm planning on going to the the Long Pose Session out in Arroyo Seco.

If I'm lucky, I'll catch up with the plein air painters after lunch.

What a week!

"Black Rock at the Taos Junction Bridge"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord












Day three with Plein Air Painters of New Mexico and Plein Air Colorado.

We drove down into the Rio Grande Gorge at Pilar and had a great time painting the rocks, water and greenery.

I only got one painting today and feel like a slacker.

The sky clouded up after lunch and I just felt like taking it easy.

Instead, David took me to the Taos Spa and I walked on a treadmill for an hour. :(

I think I'll paint most of tomorrow. . .

"Dane"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord













"Mommy To Be"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord

















"El Prado Truck"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord







Sorry I've been gone a couple of days.

David just got back from Austin and we got really busy doing house stuff.

But now, the week-long paint-a-thon is on!

This morning I had my session with the Taos Portrait Painters. Their model today was a lovely lady named Dane who was eight months pregnant.

I did one portrait and one semi-abstract piece. Everyone kept raving about how fun her belly was to paint, so that's what I was doing in the abstract piece; having fun.

Then I grabbed a Blakes' Lotta Burger (an Itza Burger actually, the Lotta Burgers are too big) and drove like mad out to join the plein air painters out back of The Sheepskin Company in El Prado where I joined a huge group painting 'The Truck'.

There are two trucks in the Taos area that everyone paints. This is one; the other is out in Arroyo Seco and I'll probably be painting it later in the week.

Anyhoo, had a great time with the plein air painters. Tonight's the social and tomorrow's more painting!

I should also mention that I got a mention as a 'Taos Artist' in the Taos News, Tempo section this week (thanks Patrice!).

I'm so psyched! I'm a recognized Taos Artist! I've finally made it!

"Taos Mountain IV"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord







Sorry I've been slacking off.

Got some unhappy family news and I've been a bit bummed.

Got some good painting done today and I'll hopefully post those pictures tonight.

Yes, I'm caught up. :)

"Cottonwoods Before the Storm"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord



"Cottonwoods Before the Storm II"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord

Today we had another snowstorm come in from the North. It played havoc with all the light and the light through these cottonwoods that are just about to bud out was just amazing.

I'll be painting them again.

I need to catch that delicacy against the fierce sky behind. . .

Just gorgeous.

"Sunset at the Stakeout"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord














"Twilight at the Stakeout"
Oil on Gessobord







Tonight David and I had dinner out at the Stakeout, a restaurant known for it's sunsets.

It did not disappoint.

Oh, and the food was good too. :)

"Red Willows to the South"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord







"More Snow to the East"
3" by 4"
Oil on Gessobord






Yep, more snow today.

And to a Southern girl like me, It's A Big Deal.

It switched back and forth from rain to snow to rain all day.

And now it's gonna snow all night.

I hope. :)

Tomorrow might feature very white pictures.