Red Moons and Purple Mountains

Up early this morning to try and catch the Blue Moon -Blood Moon. I should have pulled out the tripod but it was before coffee and well it just didn't happen. I took a couple of photos of the moon in the dark, not great but documenting the moment. As the sun was rising to the back of the house, the mountains were turning purple. Not a lot of clouds to reflect color today but the mountains were especially lovely.

I am sure there will be more full moon photos tonight, possibly sitting around the fire pit with family and friends.

Art Organizing

My studio at the moment is looking like someone shook it up and left everything where it landed. I have been working on multiple projects. Finishing a long overdue piece for my grand-niece, working on new works for upcoming pastel show. Lots of company, lots of new photo references. My web site is still looming over me to be updated. Throw in a few more shows to submit to, reception for Idea Museum coming up, February's Open Studio - Y-ART - Yard Sale and of course paper making. Okay, taking a breathe, so I am trying to make a list or lists. I am also working on class projects for July at Common Ground on the Hill. This year I will have two classes, one is Art of Nature 1st week and Art of the Bird 2nd week. The 2nd week will be an advanced class working again with live birds to draw from and take reference photos. Just thought of all the mounds of paper around my computer, that would be stuff I need to log onto my computer for taxes. Hmmm...

Okay, first things first, make my lists, then into the studio, clear some space so I don't trip over stuff and finish the pastel that is on my drawing table. It is a start....

Here are a few of the things that I have finished so far this year.

On The Horizon

I started this year like everything was a distant horizon. January is almost gone and there is much to be done. Paper making is coming in February along with a Open Studio YART Sale. The Open Studio will be February 17 - 18th, it will have demonstrations on hand made paper, art supplies - equipment for sale, along with other yard sale type things and sign up for the paper making workshop, other workshops or art lessons. And so it begins....Almost forgot the opening at Idea Museum in Mesa is February 8th.

Just around the corner in March is the Desert Botanical Garden Paint Out every Saturday in March. Followed by SAL/DBG Art Show in April. Included in April will be a pastel show in Sedona, I will be doing a demonstration April 9th from 10-4:30 at the Sedona Art Center, special events gallery. There may be another show in Cottonwood, still finalizing details or maybe a street mural in Phoenix. 

These are just the local shows. In the distance there are a few opening in Canada, work on the east cost. Workshops on the east coast in July...more on that soon. And I am sure there are things I need to follow up on and send in applications, proposals, etc.

I am included in this months Southwest Art Magazine. The AZ Pastel Artist Association has a two page spread on the upcoming national exhibit in Sedona. One of my images is in this layout. 

Back Lighting

And maybe a few shadows. January has been a busy month, lots of company this year. With company comes sharing some of our favorite places. This month includes trips to the Desert Botanical Gardens, Tonto National Forest, Liberty Wildlife, MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) and hanging in our backyard for a few sunrise, sunset and owl encounters.

Yesterday, we were at the DGB in the afternoon, as the light was changing the cactus were in back lighting. This can sometimes be difficult but it can also be dramatic. The light coming from the back pushing things to the front into darkness creating silhouettes. You can play around with settings on your camera or you can go with the drama. As I was allowing the drama to happen, I realized there were some colors in the sky. A rainbow of sorts but here in AZ, not really any rain, let alone moisture. There must have been something up there in the sky that allows light to reflect and create a spectrum of color.

As the late afternoon sun was going behind the mountains, the shadows were getting longer. The brightness, extreme back lighting became softer. There were a few clouds. Which in AZ I find come and go quickly. Last night they came in just in time for a little sunset show. A very nice end to a lovely day of lights and shadows.

 

Art Review of 2017

At the start of each year I generally post personal pictures of places we traveled, things we saw, friends and family. 2017 was an especially busy, eventful year. We moved full-time to AZ to start the year off. It took January into February to unpack and find places combining two studios &  households. June through August we were on the road. The road trip was sparked by the thought that I needed to teach a workshop back east in July.

What amazed me as I was going through road trip pictures, visitors, family and friends to AZ, photos from additional trips and taking care of our health I got a fair amount of Art Work done. Not just the creating of art but doing demonstrations, teaching workshops, taking workshops, creating work for special shows and even winning a few awards along the way.

Here is a little collage of  some of the things that happen in my Art World:

Moonbeams And Mocha

December has been a challenging month. Lots of life going on: travel, fun, friends, family, all good things but throw in surgery for both Rick and I then a bonus big time cold...it slowed us both down for the end of the year. Which is not a bad thing, not a fun way to do it but starting a new year with a Super Moon helps.

We sat outside by the fire-pit, with warm apple cider, watched as the first full moon of 2018 came up from behind the mountains. A very nice way to end the first day of the year.

I was planning to do my review of 2017 in pictures as I have done for many years in the past. The problems is picking one picture to represent each month is really hard this time. We did a road trip from June to August. I averaged 800 pictures for each state we stayed in, there were several we just drove through Not even going to do the math but that's a lot of pictures. Being that my head has been kind of foggy made this take even longer. I am nearly there, I have the road trip pictures in a separate folder, with folders within that folder for collage images being created. This started as a present for Rick. I gave him a flash drive with the images that are going to go into a book. In a way it turned out well because now I can include additional pictures he  had taken of our road trip.

So, I thought I would put together a FB two part album, First 5 months and the second album would be the rest of the year. I will try to keep it down to 1 maybe 2 pictures for each state and special events. I am going to count this as 3 things to check off my getting started in a New Year List. Back to writing the blog. On a side note, for those that have followed the Blog under Wild at heART, I said last year would be the last year for it and it is gone. This blog will focus more directly on my art but will include travel that especially influence my work. Getting the photos organized is number 2 on my list and 3 will be posting them to FB. Not sure if I should say 4 will be the printed book, still need to put all those photos in a separate file, with titles, locations, etc.

I have been going through all these photographs, inspired to start new works. There are many images as reference for paintings. Today, I will print some of them out and get my studio back in order. To add to our busy December we had some new windows installed. This will make my studio much brighter and stay cooler longer in the summer. I am clearing out things, there may be some special sales, almost free art and a few free suprises. Time to clean out the flat files.

January is a good time to get things in order, make plans and commitments. Shows are coming, need to apply to future shows. Starting to set up the calendar for workshops: Paper Making will be in February that much I know.  My mocha is gone, time to wrap up this long blog with a few pictures of the 2018 Super Moon. This year may be the year I include a full moon with maybe a wise old owl or a big old tree, maybe elephants....too many options. If there is something that you would like to see me create that includes a moon, let me know and I will see what we can create together.

Take care all, Happy, Safe and Healthy 2018!