"Milky Way Ducks"

Today, possibly more than ever, I continue to be inspired by birds, flowers, vivid colors, and all things cultural -- all cultures are fascinating. 

 This one, a black and white bowl filled with wildflowers, was inspired by all. The bowl almost appeared by magic when I encountered, for the first time, a picture of ducks in a Southwest Native American style. I had never seen ducks depicted before in Mimbres art. Accompanying text explained the ducks represented spirit figures that would fly home after ceremonies, and they would follow the Milky Way home! The black and white checkerboard pattern represents the Milky Way. The daisies and Indian Paintbrush flowers provide intense color and value change to contrast with the black and white. 

Many people ask me about using Native American imagery in my art. I try always to borrow inspiring shapes and stories to point viewers to the Native works, for which I have immense respect. I don't claim these ideas for my own, but ask folks to study and purchase the "real thing."

 

Avian Inspiration

 

Northern New Mexico - again, THE most inspiring place in the world for me. Textures pile on textures, smells and colors overwhelm me, sounds alternately excite and soothe. And these guys - magpies, the ultimate bad boys. SO gorgeous, SO fascinating, SO northern New Mexico.

April in the Taos area, husband Bill and I rented a delightful little B&B that faced an empty sage-y field backdropped by mountains. Sitting on the patio, enjoying morning light, magpies were putting on a show. They flipped and flopped through the sage, showing off and delighting.

Birds are an endless source of inspiration for me. I have watched them more than 65 years, learning habits, memorizing songs, comparing colors...delighting.

"Taos Bad Boys"

Northern New Mexico, My Favorite Inspiration

 A visit to northern New Mexico, my favorite place in the world, always inspires me. There's something about the environment that's different from everywhere else -- is it the light? smells? cool air?  Yes. I've never HEARD the Taos Hum, but I've FELT it. In Taos, in Santa Fe, in Madrid...I take big gulps of air while I'm there, shoot lots of photos, sketch and make notes, all in an effort to hold on to the magic. 

Bottle Fence, Golden, New Mexico


Where is YOUR most inspiring place? 

Serendipity, Again

It's amazing where inspiration can come from. Sometimes you're looking for it. Sometimes it finds you!

This painting happened almost by accident. In a mini collage workshop a couple of months ago, I was explaining about the importance of backgrounds, how we need value change, a place for the eye to rest, blah, blah, blah. I picked up this vibrantly colored POP and said, "....for instance, THIS ONE wouldn't work. It's too wild!" Then I plopped on top a pot I'd painted for some other painting, the pot I'd nearly discarded. 

ZZZZZZZAP! Magic happened and I almost missed it. The background and the pot were made for each other! Then I saw a student's painting of tall cactus in a pot. Hmmm, I thought. Hmmmm. More made for each other stuff.

Cactus Cousins

Is there a lesson here? Yes! Watch what you're doing! Don't let the magic stuff get by without you! Magic happens! You just have to recognize it and appreciate it.

Finding Inspiration in Value

In all my 2-D art classes in college (and maybe also in high school -- I can't remember that far back!) teachers repeated the same mantra: "Pay attention to your values. Do value studies. You need more value change."

I do recall thinking 'That doesn't apply to me; I'm a COLORIST!'  How wrong I was, and how clear it is today. Color gets the credit, value does the work.

Human brains, indeed mammal brains, use value change to identify movement and other kinds of information that might be crucial to survival. So if we want our paintings to be relevant to viewers, we need to use value change.

This floral, while interesting from a color and "looseness" standpoint, is lacking in the value changes which can make it much stronger.

Just a very few minutes with the brush tool and darker values in Photoshop makes a difference. It's subtle, but improving.

Birds, birds and more birds!

Artists who are members of the El Paso Transparent Watercolor Association have been working on BIRDS this spring and summer. We discussed differences in bird and human skeletal construction, studying bird behavior, flight and song. We shared birdwatching experiences, practiced painting techniques and drawing skills. 

Following are some of the great "bird" paintings they've done and want to share with you! If you enjoy our little virtual show, share this blog page with your friends. Just copy the url, above, and paste it into your own email inviting friends.

Spring Session 2021 Instructor Laurel Weathersbee
"Redwing Blackbird"

Frances Caldwell
"Woodpecker on Lechuguilla"

Frances Caldwell
"Heron #1"

Frances Caldwell
"Heron #2"

Frances Caldwell
"Heron #3"

Bonnie Deming
"Bosque Beauties"

Bonnie Deming
"Evil Eye"

Bonnie Deming
"Madera Canyon Magic"

Pamela Sutton
"Greater Egret"

Jacques Barriac
"Scarlet Macaw"

Jacques Barriac
"Gambel's Quail"

Nancy Diaz
"Billy Bob and Bubba,
Checking Out Their Red Footed Friends - 1"

Jacques Barriac 
"Those Two Must be Very Cold! Their Feet are All Blue!"

Nancy Diaz
"Billy Bob and Bubba,
Checking Out Their Red-Footed Friends - 2"

Jacques Barriac
"Blue Jay"

Jacques Barriac
"Scarlet Macaw"

Jacques Barriac
"Steller's Jays"

Ann Cone
"Contemplating the Day" - White Crowned Sparrow

Ann Cone
"Eye on the Prize" - Lesser Nighthawks

Sandy McHale
"Mr. Lescombe's Autumn Vines"

Sandy McHale
"Contemplating Wine with Dinner"

Chickens to the Max!

Chickens bring up a real mixture of emotions for me - I grew up with farming people. Farmers all had chickens. As a small child, I found chickens VERY SCARY. If you've ever been chased by a rooster, you know what I mean, and then there are other scary things in the chicken yard - like reaching into a dark area to find eggs (and finding a bull snake instead), having to rake and sweep in a chicken coop (ick) or stepping into a big wad of chicken-leavins...No, I didn't like chickens then and I don't think I like them now. BUT, that being said, they were an integral part of my early life -- from the early morning crowing to the day long clucking to fried chicken on the dinner plate to the feather pillow under my head at night.

My daughter, Diana, raises chickens. She has memories of her grandma Irene's "chickies" -- gorgeous little game hens. Here's a photo of Diana's favorite rooster, Maximilian.

Maximilian

Max himself is beautiful and inspiring -- look at those feathers! Fortunately, he stood still enough for this portrait!

"Emperor Maximilian Holds Court"

Of course, a Maximilian around here reminds us of Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, appointed by Napoleon, who wanted favors! That Maximilian reigned as emperor of Mexico from 1864-1867. This guy looks pretty regal, don't you think? I still don't like that look in his eye! I used a tiny sharp knife to scratch feathers in the dark areas.

Still Happy

Laughing Buddha #2 was not as good a painting as the trial run, so I decided to put the two together, via weaving:

"Double Happiness"

Not sure I saved it, but it was an interesting exercise. Weaving together "failed" paintings has sometimes produced a sparkling surprise. Other times, it just doesn't work. Not always clear why... Here are some thumbnails of other weavings I've done through the years. Some of them have appeared in this blog.

"Espiritu" - from two unrelated subjects -
I chose because of colors and then cut completely freehand.

"Prickles and Lace" - started with two florals, both in pinks.

"Robledo Sunset" - two very loose sunset paintings -- on Yupo!

"Anasazi Textures" - I tried the nearly impossible, weaving AROUND the main subject.

"Legacy" - on Yupo; polyester webbing, spraying, additional cut
shapes on top, background shapes lifted out. 

"Windy Fun" - here, the weaving provided only the background.

Can't recall if this one ever had a name - I chose two paintings with no subject relationship,
just liked the dark background and round shapes.

So if you are looking for inspiration, how about looking through a stack of "failures." Choose two that have SOMETHING in common - it doesn't have to be subject. They could be related only by color or by shapes...

Double Happiness

I couldn't tell you today whether the Mah Jongg hand "Double Happiness" inspired this composition, or did I just chuckle in recognition when I read the name of the hand...At any rate, assembling a few of my favorite things -- a garden-sized laughing Buddha, a pot of white coral bells and a glass bluebird of happiness -- was double happiness.

This morning I  started swiping paint on the trial watercolor sketch, and it's not too bad...I think I'll transfer the drawing again to good watercolor paper and make another run at it. And, rather than pick apart the composition flaws here, I think I'll just enjoy the inspiration.

"Double Happiness Trial 1"

Golden Inspiration

Could there be anything more inspirational than flowers? Not for me. And the most "golden" of all might be yellow roses, my fave. Right after we moved into town, September of 2014, my friend Nancy and her husband Fred came for a visit. Nancy brought me a "yard warming" gift, a yellow rose bush!

That rose bush grew and prospered (unlike the dozens of others I have unintentionally killed over the years). Today, it is covered with blooms:

A couple of years ago I attempted a painting of my yellow roses, cut, in a pitcher given to me by another friend, Gail.  Here it is:

Not my best work, probably, but wow did I enjoy painting those roses! I used a lot of nickel azo yellow, quin coral and too much indanthrone blue. Maybe it's time to try that again...

Birds...Again

Surprise! Birds....again! I am endlessly inspired by these creatures. Their plumage -- bright or subdued, their songs -- musical or raspy, everything about birds is so intriguing. 


Several years ago, my husband and I took a "Ghost Town Tour," visiting a number of ghost towns throughout New Mexico. One was Mogollon, in the far western part of the state, a forested and unspoiled area. While walking through a wooded area, I noticed a flash of red.  Had to get out my bird book to identify the little guy: a Painted Redstart. Wow! what a brilliant red! 

I decided to place the birdies on top of a blues-greens quilt background, simulating light-through-the-trees and leaf movement.  Gorgeous little guys - I hope I get to see them again.

"Painted Redstarts"

Grateful for Friends!

Recently, a dear friend gave me a stack of unfinished watercolor paintings that she had intended to discard. I told her, "Don't forget your friend, the collage artist!" I think she thought I was crazy -- as usual.

I've had fun picking through the stack, looking at colors and textures. Next month I'm going to do a two-hour torn paper collage class for a local arts organization. The subject is birds -- surprise!! So using that as a starting place, I have been enjoying creating a group of collages with the discarded, unfinished paintings. Enjoy!

"Bosque Breakfast"

"Bosque Dinner I"

"Bosque Dinner II"

"Dinner at Eight"

"Evening Fly-In"

"Morning Fly-Out"

Inspiration -- A Gift from the Universe!

A prickly-hot late spring day: Bill and I were traveling through Big Bend country, headed south of Marfa, Texas on U.S. 67 toward Big Bend Ranch State Park. I noticed a white church, just off the road. Thorny growth and rocks between us and the church, the sight was instantly intriguing.

After we returned home, I Googled the church and found out that it is the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Shafter, Texas. Shafter is nearly a ghost town. I spent a couple of years considering what to do with the image, and earlier this year completed this watercolor.

"Crown of Thorns"

Taking a cue from my quilt block patterned cut paper collages, I drew out the grid for a "Crown of Thorns" quilt on the watercolor paper before transferring the drawing of the church and prickly poppies. "Crown of Thorns" is an old quilt block design and I felt like the title and pattern supported my subject. I have to say, painting the quilt design values and colors onto the paper before the painting subject was just as crazy-making as doing it in collage. Yikes! I felt, after mostly completing the painting, that there was not enough value change and texture on the bottom part of the painting, and added two collaged prickly poppies and some stickery-stuff to lead the eye, via a white movement, upward to the church.

Melding of Cultures

I remember learning in a painting class about Georgia O'Keeffe: the statements she made -- about just any subject -- were always so memorable. One, about the "...thin, dark veil of the Catholic Church spread over the New Mexico landscape" made such an impression on me. And, learning about the history of New Mexico strengthened my understanding of the importance of Catholicism in forming what New Mexican culture has become. The melding of Catholicism and native beliefs and religious practices have created our very unique culture.

Our Lady of the Green Corn

In "Our Lady of the Green Corn," I thought about that dark veil, about the golden aura around Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the "cloud terrace" headdresses worn in Pueblo ceremonies.  I thought of the importance of corn to the native peoples, and corn led me to crows, and crows to ravens. My mother said I had a "jackrabbit mind!"

Thank You, Great Universe!

This morning I sat in my red rocking chair on our beautiful New Mexico patio, watching the birds have their breakfast while I enjoyed my coffee. Thinking to myself how grateful I am for those birds, my patio, and a thousand other things, the phrase "attitude of gratitude" came to me. Researching via Google, it hasn't been clear who might have coined that phrase. But Charles Swindoll's name came up many times, connected to gratitude.

Charles Swindoll is an American Christian pastor who has endeavored to teach us, among other things, about the importance of gratitude in and on our lives. And Swindoll isn't alone: Indian-born M.D./author/public speaker/alternative medicine advocate Deepak Chopra has been working to help us understand connections between gratitude and health for more than 30 years. American inspirational speaker Tony Robbins teaches us to claim our own happiness by recognizing and believing in abundance. The list of gurus and great teachers who work to lead us to happiness through gratitude is long...

As an artist, I have seen so often that many people -- I might even go so far as to say most people -- don't recognize details in their environment. And I think that extends to recognizing what we should be grateful for. So, let me start my days by listing some of the millions of beautiful and wonderful expressions in our great universe.

Today, while watching those birds, I heard a little "PEEK!" and knew that a woodpecker must be near. I looked up just in time to see a gorgeous little ladderback male, landing on a post in front of me. He then flew into the globe willow where he showed off his tree clinging skills.

"Peek!" Ladderback Woodpecker
on Globe Willow