Caleb
Sunrise 7:01am – Ghost Ranch, NM
Ghost Ranch, NM
Arts and Medicine – Alison Read, Harpist
There are days when all the stars align and you get to do something really, really special. Today was one of those days for me. The Arts and Medicine program at Baylor Hospital is one of the things I love most about Dallas. It is made up of art therapists, music therapists, artists and musicians. Sometimes, I get to paint when one of the musicians is playing. Today, was one of those really special days. The AMAZING Alison Read played a harp concert just for me, while I painted her! Ok, it wasn’t just for me, it was for all the patients, doctors, and caregivers in the hospital. It felt like it was just for me. I will attach a video of Alison’s beautiful music. What I didn’t capture was her amazing laugh, it fills spirits like a helium tank. I floated out of the hospital today:)
P.s. I painted that tiny bit of Harp peeking out behind her head to look like a halo on purpose. 😇
Spring Growth
8″ square panel
“I believe in process. I believe in four seasons. I believe that winter’s tough, but spring’s coming. I believe that there’s a growing season. And I think that you realize that in life, you grow. You get better.” -Steve Southerland
Keys to Spring
7″x5″ oil on panel
“Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.”
— Bishop Reginald
There are still a few spots in my plein air oil workshop next week!
Caroline from life
30″x22″ pastel on sanded paper
The looking is the hardest part of painting a portrait from life.
How rough and colorful this is might surprise you.
Here is a detail.
Caroline
18″x12″ charcoal on chanson paper
Drawing from life. I started with a gesture, and then found smaller shapes, then shadow shapes…and along cane a face from all those shapes!
Yon Oak
7″x5″ pastel on sanded paper
This was another quick study, there was a brief rain, not at all gloomy. I loved how the grey and yellow worked together in the Sky.
Live thy Life,
Young and old,
Like yon oak,
Bright in spring,
Living gold;
Summer-rich
Then; and then
Autumn-changed
Soberer-hued
Gold again.
All his leaves
Fall’n at length,
Look, he stands,
Trunk and bough
Naked strength.
Yonder Oak
7″x5″ pastel on sanded paper
I am teaching a pastel workshop at Mo Ranch. I have a wonderful class, full of interesting and talented students.
I love the Texas Hill Country, and I LOVE live oak trees. They are stretching their branches all over this retreat! This is just a little study to satisfy my longing to paint these beauties…
FS 151
5″x7″ pastel on sanded paper
The road that runs between Christ in the Desert Abbey, and Ghost Ranch is one of my favorite places in the world. I love the canyon, the drive, the Rio Chama, and especially what lies at either end of this forest service road.
After lugging many pounds of heavy painting equipment around all summer, I came home and lightened my load! Check out my new travel set up. It is the smallest Heilman pastel box, which I carefully adapted with the help of my, clever and handy, Spanish exchange student. The box is made to securely hold pastels on one side, and carry paper on the other. As designed, there was no way to hold the support in the top half of the box so it kept sliding down. Second, the paper holder it came with didn’t work very well. After some brainstorming, we removed the stock paper holder and then added the 4 pieces of silver hardware you can see in the top of the photo. We made them adjustable, so they can hold the lid, and paper of varying sizes, in place. The trickiest part was carving out part of the box to allow room for the hardware so that the box will still close.
Today was my test drive, and I am delighted!
paintandsimple 