Holiday Wishes

To My Dear Readers, Friends, Family, and Supporters...

Best Wishes
to You and Your Loved Ones
for a Joy-filled Holiday!

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

Back to Wekiva Island

Wekiva Bridge, 2010

Original oil, alkyd on canvas panel • 5" x 7"

Available to purchase at Daily Paintworks

Yikes! Time flies when one is getting ready for the holidays!

It's been two weeks since my last blog post; and I have to admit that I've not been in the studio much. However, I did get out last Saturday morning, meeting up with a couple of the Central Florida Plein Air artists at Wekiva Island.

I painted at Wekiva last April. You may recall the photo I posted of the alligator sunning on the lawn where I had hoped to set up my easel? Well, this time I was greeted by 5 deer that ran out from the surrounding woods, just as I was driving into the parking area. My sister contends that I have a lot of "wildlife encounters." I guess she's right!

Anyway, it was a rather atypical Florida morning: fairly cool (I actually had on a fleece hoodie); overcast (I thought it was going to rain any minute); and most surprising, there was autumn color on the trees!

The challenge of painting on an overcast day is capturing the more subtle color shifts in the scenery while keeping it interesting. Since I began with a canvas toned with a burnt orange, I let a lot of that warm color come through for the branches and trunks of the trees. I think it plays off well against the cool colors of the sky and water.

Around noon the sun came out and the clouds floated away. What a difference the dazzling sunlight made! It's like turning on the lights on the Christmas tree. Although it was tempting to brighten up everything, I resisted (Now, that's unusual for me!) And I'm glad I did.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

Back in Orlando

On the Street Where I Live, 2010
Original oil, alkyd on 3 panels
(Each panel is 8"x6")
$750 unframed
Contact Artist to purchase

I've returned from my Missouri exhibition and Thanksgiving in Memphis to absolutely beautiful 75 degree weather in Florida, where the flowers are in bloom and little oranges are ripening on the tree in the yard. Considering the cold weather and snow in other parts of the country, I certainly do understand why folks flock to this land of the palms!

Speaking of palms, I am posting the final version of the three palm studies I worked on (and reworked!) during the summer. The three separate paintings are now configured as a single artwork.

On the Street Where I Live, as shown above, is included in my current exhibit at artCentral in Carthage, Missouri, which ends tomorrow (Sunday, December 5). Many thanks to all my friends and family who attended the opening or have dropped by to see the exhibit. I appreciate your support!

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

Show Time!

O'Keeffe Calla, 2010

Original painting, oil on panel, 7" x 5"

To purchase, contact the Artist

Hello, Dear Readers,

It's been a busy time since my last post. I left Orlando last Friday to drive to Joplin, Missouri, to install my solo exhibition at artCentral in Carthage, MO. Those of you who know me may recall that I was Director of this nonprofit artist group when I lived in the Joplin area several years ago.

My exhibit is titled "In Natural Light" and features mostly studio and plein air paintings completed over the past year--many which have been posted on this blog--along with a couple of larger color pencil drawings. Of course, there have been a few revisions, reworkings, and final touches on the paintings, which hopefully are improvements. All framed up and hung on the walls, the paintings look pretty nice. I am pleased with the show.

If you are local or in the area, please accept this invitation to attend the opening reception this Friday, November 19, 6-8pm. artCentral is located at 1110 East 13th Street, Carthage, MO 64836. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibit continues through December 5, and can be viewed on weekends and by appointment.

I will be returning to Orlando around December 1, so look for my next blog post in a few weeks. In the meantime, best wishes to all for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Good News!

Mt. Dora Train Station
Oil, alkyd on gessoed canvas panel
6" x 8"

Last Friday I went to the opening reception of the plein air show at the Mt. Dora Art Center. The exhibit was the final event of last week's Mt. Dora Paint Out. I submitted one plein air painting for the show—"Yellow House, Mt. Dora" which you saw on my October 25 blog.

When I arrived at the opening, I was very pleased to see that my little painting had taken Third Place in the show. Considering that there were many fine plein air paintings in the show, I was surprised and delighted.

Today's post is the reworked version of the Mt. Dora train station that I started in last week's plein air workshop. I returned to the site in the late afternoon on Thursday, and this time got a much better depiction down on the canvas.

Sometimes, when a painting isn't going right, you just have to start over.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Plein Air, Day 3

WIP: The ChewChew Station

Oil, alkyd on gessoed canvas panel
6" x 8"

This was the third and final day of the Mt. Dora plein air workshop with Gregg Kreutz . And it was another hot day (around 90 degrees). I actually got sunburned!

After Gregg did an inspiring painting demo of the marina first thing in the morning, I headed back into town. Even though yesterday's train station painting didn't turn out the way I had hoped, I still had the bug to do the old train car. Next to the train car, there's a modest diner called, The Chew Chew Express, which hosts a casual outdoor patio. The umbrella tables in bright morning sun in front of the old train car caught my eye.

I remember attending an artist talk by photographer Sandy Skoglund, who discussed how the background of an image lets the viewer know where they are. I was sure to paint in a few palm trees amidst the greenery, since this is Florida I am painting!

I have a few more touch ups on this painting, and it's done. Thanks for taking a look and following along with my plein air workshop this week.

See you next week!
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Plein Air, Day 2

WIP: Mt. Dora, Fifth Avenue

Oil, alkyd on gessoed canvas panel
6" x 8"

Today was the second day of the plein air workshop up in Mt. Dora. I put in a long day today, and actually worked up TWO paintings. (Hey, I said I was trying to pick up speed!)

The one you see above—a view of Mt. Dora's shopping area—was my morning painting. It's better resolved than my afternoon painting, a view of the train station.

There are a lot of painters in Mt. Dora this week for the paint out. Everyone has been very friendly and mutually encouraging. And there are many courageous paintings underway—views and subject matter that are pretty challenging to capture in just a few hours or a single day. I was reminded of a quote by Georgia O'Keeffe: "To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage."

Thanks for taking a look. Tune in tomorrow to see what unfolds on Day 3. We are hoping to paint down by the lake.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Plein Air Workshop Day 1

WIP: Yellow House
Oil, alkyd on gessoed canvas panel
6" x 8"
SOLD

This week I am taking a plein air painting workshop up in Mt. Dora, a town located about an hour away from Orlando. Since the elevation of Orlando is only 14 feet above sea level, I guess that Mt. Dora can flaunt its 184 foot elevation.

Mt. Dora is a charming village on a good size lake, with nice old trees, a train station, a yacht club, lovely parks, good restaurants, and unique shops.

The three-day plein air workshop is being taught by Gregg Kreutz, a traditional fine art painter from New York. He did two painting demos today. Amazingly, his paintings took only about 30 minutes each and captured a good likeness of the scene before him.

The image posted shows my morning effort, still in its cardboard holder. Although I spent about 2.5 hours painting on this piece, it isn't quite finished, but coming along. I am hoping to pick up a little speed during this workshop.

Thanks for taking a look. Tune in tomorrow to see what unfolds on Day 2.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Backyard Boat

Backyard Boat, 2010
Original painting
Oil, alkyd on gessoed canvas panel
8" x 8" unframed
Contact Artist to purchase

Dear Readers,

I've been entertaining visitors the past few weeks, and have been away from my computer. So I apologize for missing my weekly posting schedule. I did, however, finish the painting you see posted today.

Having been in Florida for awhile, I notice that there are a lot more boats in people's backyards than out on the many lakes that make up so much of the landscape here. I was prompted to do this painting by the thought of how we all put off, postpone, or give low priority to the things that give us pleasure, provide fun in our lives, fulfill our interests, engage our passions, and make for happy memories.

I know I can be a workaholic, and figure that every one of those folks with a boat in their backyard is a workaholic, too. In a society that values wealth above all, we forget that time is the real treasure to spend. I set the time of day as late afternoon for this painting, to remind me that the day is short and can slip away before you realize it.

Thanks for taking a look; and I hope you get your boat out of the backyard this weekend.

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Return to Plein Air

Backyard Blooms, 2010

Original: oil, alkyd on panel
Unframed size: 8" x 6"
Contact Artist to Purchase

This past weekend, I was pleased to be one of nine artists selected to participate in the "5th Annual Art in the Gardens" plein air painting event in Leesburg, Florida. The event lasted from 10am until 2pm, during which time I painted the view you see posted above while enjoying several nice conversations with the garden tour goers and the generous homeowners who made their garden available for the event.

It was a lovely day and felt really good to get outdoors to paint! Painting all those greens over the summer really paid off, too, as I'm pretty happy with the way the sunlight on the lawn turned out.

Now that the weather is cooling down, I'm looking forward to regular forays into Florida's scenic spots to do more plein air painting.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you're having a good week.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Labor Day Lily

Peeking Out, 2010
Original: oil, alkyd on panel
Unframed size: 6" x 6"
SOLD

As I am posting on the Labor Day holiday, I hope everyone is indulging in a relaxing day, or at least "laboring" at something they enjoy doing.

Today's painting is going to Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, MO, for their annual "Small Works Auction." As I've mention before, I enjoyed being Spiva's Associate Director when I lived in Missouri a few years ago. Although the job was labor-intensive, it was very rewarding. The folks involved with Spiva--the staff, board members, artists, volunteers, and members--all are hardworking and generous with their knowledge, skills, and time. Their efforts make a huge difference in the community.

So, it's always an honor for me to participate in this Spiva fundraiser. This year's auction begins on September 18, and anyone can bid on the work...Just give them a call.

Thanks for taking a look. I'm off to work on a new painting..something I truly enjoy doing.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Painting the Tulip Red

Red (Tulip), 2010

Original, oil, alkyd on panel 6" x 8"
SOLD

After painting so many greens, it was fun to paint all these reds. Actually, after letting the painting dry, I glazed the reds.

Glazing involves brushing on a transparent mixture made with a tiny bit of pigment—in this case, a cadmium red—diluted with a lot of medium, which I painted over the red of the tulip. The result is a "deepening" of the color that really sings. As you can see, the tulip color appears highly saturated and seems to glow.

BTW: My friend Sondra, who took the original photograph of the "Pea Pods" I painted for the last week's post, dropped me an email: "These are mimosa or aka silk tree seeds. Gardeners and horticulturists could be offended!" I am red faced, since I used to have a mimosa tree and should have recognized the difference! Once again I have confirmed that I am no gardener, although I am very happy to have friends who are! I'll be changing the name of that little painting, right now.

Thanks for taking a look, and enjoy your weekend. I'll see you next week.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Out in the Garden

Mimosa Pods, 2010

Original: oil, alkyd on panel
Unframed size: 7" x 5"
To purchase, contact the Artist

Although I haven't posted for a couple of weeks, I've been painting almost daily. I started five new paintings--mostly small ones---all different subject matter. This is the first one dry enough to scan for uploading.

I'm still into painting the greens, accented with some hot reds and bright yellows. It turns out that the palette knife practice that I struggled with on those palm tree paintings a few weeks ago finally paid off. I knifed in the background on this little painting to layer the color and keep it loose. It was actually fun!

I hope your week is going well. Thanks for taking a look, and keep cool!
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Water Greens

Golden Frond, 2010

Original, oil, alkyd on panel
Unframed size: 6" x 6"
To purchase, contact the Artist

For the past two weeks, I've been working on and off on this little painting, and yesterday it came together. It's so hot here in Florida that I think it's influencing my painting. As you can see, I've "heated up" the palm fronds with touches and edges of yellows, oranges, and reds. Against all those greens and cooler blues, those warm hues add some visual spice to this image.

Hope you are keeping cool, wherever you are. Thanks for taking a look. Have a great weekend!
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Palm Re-do

Technicolor Palm
Original oil, alkyd on panel
8"x6"

A painter friend of mine liked to say, "Nothing succeeds like excess." I thought of her one-liner while reworking this palm "practice", especially when I added that bright yellow-green on the grass.

Now the coloration of this painting reminds me of the saturated color on those '50's postcards...kind of gives the entire painting a "retro" flavor. What do you think?

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you next week. I have a couple of new paintings to share with you.

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Soul Search

Nectarines & Shells, 2005
Original, color pencil on paper
Framed size: 16" x 18"
To purchase, contact the
Rose Gallery of Fine Art , 417.782.7177

A couple of weeks ago when I posted the "Practice Palm" painting, an Albuquerque friend emailed me: "So, what did you learn from the exercise other than that trying something new doesn't always work out?" Her question made me stop and review my intentions for doing those palm tree paintings.

1) Use a palette knife rather than brushes to put the paint on.
2) Brighten the colors to create a sunny feeling.
3) Paint greens that felt "real" and natural.
4) Capture the essence of a palm tree.

I was inspired to set forth these goals by North Carolina plein air painter Mike Rooney. I came across his blog and several YouTube videos where he demonstrates some of his techniques and methods. He paints bright and sunny seashore scenes, beach houses, seaside towns, often with palm trees, and using a palette knife. He makes painting color and light look easy and seems to have a lot of fun doing so!

After spending almost two weeks trying out some of Mike's painting approaches on my palm tree paintings, I must admit I was discouraged. I just wasn't getting the results I wanted. And I was frustrated...I mean, how hard can it be to paint a palm tree and some grass? Evidently, harder than than I thought; and I certainly wasn't having any fun!

Just as I was about to sand the paint off those canvas panels, I decided to give it all another try. So, my three palm tree paintings are back in the studio being reworked. (By the way, if you'd like to check out Mike Rooney's artwork, here's the link to his blog: http://mikerooneystudios.blogspot.com)

In the meantime, here's the second color pencil drawing I shipped off to the Rose Gallery. I did this piece in Joplin, too, while working on the lilies in Sunlit Moment. Ironically, everyone thinks that the lace doily was hard to do. Actually it was the easiest part. Getting the nectarines to sit on the tabletop (getting the shadow right) took more effort.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great day.

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

New Gallery

Sunfilled Moment, 2005

Original: Color pencil
Framed size: 17 x 18" • $525
To purchase contact Artist

A few weeks ago, Tricia Courtney, an artist-friend of mine in Joplin, Missouri, called and invited me to exhibit work at a new gallery that she and her sister are opening, the Rose Gallery of Fine Art.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you may recall that I lived in that area a few years ago, and last summer returned to Joplin for my a one-person exhibit at Spiva Center for the Arts. The folks in Joplin—including all my dear relatives in the area—have always been supportive of me, and I was especially fortunate to meet many dedicated and talented artists like Tricia and the artists who will be showing in the gallery.

So I am very happy to be included in this new commercial venture, which just open to public last week. Sunfilled Moment, posted above, is one of the four pieces I shipped to Joplin. It's a color pencil drawing I did a few years ago while living in Missouri.

The gallery is located at 508 N. Range Line Road (just north of the mall, if you're familiar with Joplin), and the phone number of 417.782.7177. Drop in and see the new place.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a good week.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Practice Palm...Best of 3

Practice Palm
Original painting: oil, alkyd on panel

This week I finished painting the different versions of my neighbor's palm tree, and this is the best of the three. As you can see, it's far from a "Wow!" painting. (I'll spare sharing with you the other two versions.)

I was reminded of a few previous lessons in painting, such as...Grass really isn't just green...It really is better to be outside en plein air, rather than standing in the studio looking out the window...Attempting something new—even more than once—doesn't always work out. (I've had this lesson many times in the past.)

Now I'm going to the garage to sand off these three panels. That's a skill I acquired a long time ago that comes in handy, too. (Always wear a mask, since the paint dust is deadly.)

Thanks for taking a look. Have a good week.

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Palm Series: Values

Left: Photo
Right: Value study painting

There are many lessons to be learned from art history. The lives of great artists are intriguing—how they struggled to create something new and visually exciting, what inspired them, who or what influenced them.

Artist Stuart Davis (1892-1964) is best known as an American Cubist painter. Although he started out on a traditional path of realistic painting, he decided to become a "modern" artist after seeing the work of Braque and Picasso at the 1913 Armory Show. He pursued this goal by mounting an eggbeater, electric fan, and a rubber glove to a table and painted only those items over and over for an entire year until he had mastered the lessons of European Cubism. Now that is discipline!

While working on the drawing of my neighbor's palm tree, I thought of several different painting "exercises" I wanted to try out. Rather than work up new subject matter, I am taking a lesson from Stuart Davis's methodology. I have underway three different versions of my neighbor's palm tree with the intention of doing something different with each one.

The version you see posted today is a value study done in black, white, and grays. The point of this exercise is to hone my skills in discerning and matching values. You'll also notice that I've changed the proportions of the various elements in the value study. I wanted less sky, so I made the house larger. There are many details that have been omitted too, since it's just a study. It's not too exciting yet, but we'll see where it goes.

Thanks for taking a look and have a good weekend.

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Plein Air...from the Studio

Graphite & color pencil

With the temperature and heat index over 100 degrees here in Florida, working outdoors is out of the question. However, I do have a very nice view of my neighbor's house from my studio. And my neighbors do have a nice tall palm tree in their front yard. So, why not just paint the view of out my window, sort of working en plein air from my nice cool studio? Works for me!

As I've mentioned in the past, when I am unhappy about how a painting is turning out, the problem is usually the drawing. I find that drawing is the best tool for really observing an object, getting the details, and gaining understanding of how a thing truly is. I find that I discover the beauty of an object just by drawing it.

So, I've begun my study of Florida trees with this drawing of my neighbor's palm. I'll be working up a small painting that I'll show you in my next post.

In the meantime, thanks for taking a look and stay cool this week.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, too!
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Branching Out

In the Shadows
Original: oil, alkyd on gessoed panel
6" x 6" unframed
To purchase contact Artist

The Florida sunshine is so inviting for plein air painting, but the summer heat and humidity have kept me indoors for the past several weeks. In the meantime, I've been drawing, reading, and trying out some "experimental" stuff in the studio...most of which I will refrain from sharing with you, my dear readers. Let's just say, that some days I can't believe I actually learned anything in art school!

I did complete the little painting posted today. As mentioned in my last few posts, I have much to learn about painting the multitude of leafy greens in the Florida landscape.

Thanks for taking a look and keep cool this week.

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

More greens...

View of the Lake
Original: oil, alkyd on canvas panel
10 x 8"
To purchase contact Artist

My dad was from Minnesota, known for its motto, "Land of 10,000 Lakes." However, considering all the little lakes (and quite a few big ones, too), I think Florida could lay claim to that slogan as well.

A few weekends ago, I went out with the Central Florida Plein Air Artists again, this time to Lake Minnehaha Park, located in Maitland, a suburb of Orlando. It's quite a lovely city recreation site, with a boardwalk over a marshy area, winding sidewalks with manicured lawns, and nice trees providing plenty of shade throughout much of the park. I found a cool spot with a view of the lake.

Since I'll be staying in Florida for awhile, I have many opportunities to paint trees and water—views not readily available in the high desert of New Mexico.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great week.
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Text & image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Painting the Greens

Wekiva Footbridge
Original oil, alkyd on panel
5" x 7"
Contact Artist to purchase.

My plein air painting session on Saturday morning at Wekiva Island was quite enjoyable, with a cool breeze coming off the river, a shady spot to set up my easel, and no alligators around!

The real challenge of the day was painting all those greens in the Florida landscape. I was grateful for the white footbridge, which I used as the subject matter for this little painting.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great week.
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Text & image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Plein Air...Florida style

When I have the chance, I usually like to preview the site where the plein air group is meeting—partly, so I know where I'm going, and partly so I can pick out a good view and comfortable site to set up.

This weekend, I'll be painting en plein air at Wekiva Island, a commercial recreational area located on the Wekiva River, The location offers a boat launch, along with canoe and kayak rentals, a sandy volleyball area, lots of shaded spots to enjoy a beer, glass of wine, and socializing, and many lovely, relaxing views of the river.

So, this morning I took off for a leisurely drive to check out Wekiva Island in advance of the painting session. After about a 30 minute drive from the house, I arrived at the site, which is unpretentious, laid back, even quaint. Since it's gotten much warmer this week in Florida, I was looking for a shady spot. And because everything is so full and green, I wanted a river view as a contrast to the all the vegetation. I spied a nice spot across a field, and headed over in my car.

I wasn't the only one who thought this was a good place. When I pulled my car up to the river's edge, there was an alligator sunbathing on the grassy shore. And he wasn't giving up his spot just because I showed up!

Maybe he'll have something else to do this weekend, and I'll get to use that spot for painting.

Hope you have a good, alligator-free weekend, too.
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Text & image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Winter Apples

Winter Apples
Original painting
Oil on stretched canvas • 5"x5"
SOLD

Today's post features a 5"x5" oil on canvas painting I just finished up today. The title is "Winter Apples" inspired by a photo I shot in my Albuquerque backyard well over 10 years ago. It had just snowed, leaving wet clumps clinging to the withering apples on my next door neighbor's tree. I always thought that the fading rosy apples contrasted beautifully with the cool icy fluffs of snow; but I didn't get around to painting the image until this week.

It's funny to me how I can hang on to a photo, sketch, or image for years; and then one day, that's just what I want to paint...and it comes together as a painting.

As a Lifelong member of artCentral—an artists organization I've belonged to since my days in Joplin, Missouri—I am pleased to be sending this painting as a donation for their Silent Auction fundraiser which runs April 25 through May 15. The bidding opens at $25 for any 5x5 artwork. Knowing how many wonderful artists are members of artCentral, I certainly do wish I could be present to place my bids on my favorites. I know there will be some dandy pieces to choose from.

If you live in the area, you might want to drop by artCentral to catch this event. For more information, contact Sally Armstrong, Director, via email: artCentral@suddenlinkmail.com or call 417.358.4404.
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Text & image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Back Among the Palms

Dear Readers,

I apologize for the long lapse in posting, well over a month now.

I have left the Land of the Cacti and returned to the Land of the Palms. I am back in the Orlando, Florida area taking care of my mother. I packed up my studio in Albuquerque and have been setting it up here in Florida, getting ready to paint again.

Last week I contacted the Central Florida Plein Air group; and I am hoping to get some outdoor painting in before the days get too hot. Considering that when I left New Mexico there was snow in Tijeras Pass, I am enjoying the pleasant, dry 75 degree days in Orlando.

Happy Spring to all!
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Text ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Big Night at Harwood on Friday

Once again, all the Harwood artists, including yours truly, will be throwing open their doors, welcoming the general public to venture into their studio spaces for this year's annual Open Studio Night, on Friday, March 5, from 6-8pm. This is a big event–with music and openings in the Harwood galleries. It's a fun evening, open to the public, and FREE!

So if you're in Albuquerque or the vicinity, please know that you're invited to drop by. My studio is upstairs on the Main Hall, #3. The Harwood address is 1114 7th Street NW, ABQ 87102, located on the southeast corner of 7th and Mountain Road.

Have a great week. I gotta go hang up my paintings!
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Text ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Virtual Paintout: San Francisco

View of the Bridge
Original oil, alkyd on archival canvas panel
6x8" unframed • N/A

It has been a hectic week and I am posting on Friday, instead of Monday. I am hoping that next week will be more "normal"...whatever that is!

Last month I participated in Bill Guffey's "Virtual Paintout" when the selected location was Corsica. I received some nice comments about "Le Fondago." (Thanks to those readers who emailed me a note.)

This month's location was San Francisco. I visited California—in particular, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Morgan Hill, San Juan Bautista, Sacramento and some of the coast, for the first, time just a few years ago, and found the light as beautiful as New Mexico. Of course the landscape was much more lush and green there.

It wasn't easy to choose a "view" to paint in the San Francisco Bay area, since there is so much colorful and interesting subject matter. Although Google shows the Golden Gate Bridge in bright sunlight, I wanted a bit more atmosphere. I'm happy showing this tourist attraction, set in a landscape setting, in a soft, diffused light.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great weekend.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Stones & Sherds

Stones & Sherds

Original oil, alkyd on wood panel
12 x 12"
SOLD

Today's posted image is a painting I did for the Harwood Art Center's annual 12x12 fundraiser, held in November. The Harwood supplies the 12" x 12" blank wood panels and the artists supply the creativity.

It's amazing to see what each artist does on that format, which can range from traditional oil painting to contemporary photography, mixed media, collage, watercolor, and even sculpture!

The opening is quite an event, since many of the artists are very well known—locally, nationally, and internationally. Since every 12x12 sells for the same price ($144), it's a great opportunity to purchase an original for a very reasonable price.

Before the gallery doors swing open at 6pm, there's a long line of excited buyers hoping to get their first choice. However, it takes a quick eye and fast cash to take home the artwork you desire, since there's no preview and the sales are first come/first serve. By the time the evening is over, most of the pieces are sold.

I was very pleased to have Stones & Sherds purchased by a friend of mine.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great week.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

New Mexico Morada...Done?

New Mexico Morada, 2010
Original, oil, alkyd on panel
Unframed size: 9.5" x 8"
Contact Artist for purchase information

I'm posting late today, as I just got home from Florida last night. Before all of you get jealous, let me tell you that it wasn't exactly sunbathing weather in Orlando last week....it was cold (for Florida), windy, and rainy!

Anyway, before running out the door to catch the plane, I finished re-working this painting. As you may recall, I started this painting almost a year ago, worked on it for a few months, and then set it aside. If you check back to the post on 5/18/09, you'll see the last version before this rework.

Most of the "new" painting is in the background, which is a reminder to me that all parts of the painting must work to create a cohesive image.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great week.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Virtual Paintout: Corisca

"Le Fondago" 2010
Original oil, alkyd on gessoed panel
Size: Approx 10.5 x 10"
Site: Place Bonaparte, Rue Fred Scamaroni, Bonifacio, Corisca
For purchase information, contact Artist

While web surfing one evening, I came across a site called "Virtual Paintout." Artist Bill Guffey came up with the idea to use Google street maps as a way for artists to paint "on location" anywhere in the world.

Each month Guffey selects a country or city, and artists Google that country and select a site to paint. Once the artwork is completed and emailed to Guffey, he posts the images on his Virtual Paintout blog. Artists of every level of experience can join in.

For January, Guffey chose Corisca. It was fun to zoom around Corsica and see the countryside, the coastline, and various towns; and I spent hours doing so! I finally selected this street scene, mostly because I liked the light coming down the street, that red sign in the foreground, and the name "Le Fondago." (Does anyone know the meaning or translation of "Le Fondago"? I'd like to know.)

It's interesting to note that there are no people on location as one Googles around...especially odd for a city view. Still, I enjoyed the armchair travel and virtual inspiration delivered by Google to my computer screen.

I'm looking forward to seeing which location Guffey chooses for February. It's quite amazing to see what artists pick to paint and how they translate a Google image into an artwork. I think I'll try it again myself!

Thanks for taking a look. See you next time.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Blue Gate: Winter

Winter Gate (WIP)
Oil, alkyd on canvas, 10x8"

Since last week's post, it has turned snowy and wintry in New Mexico. This change of weather has put me in the mood to paint snow.

Today's post shows the beginning stage of a new painting based on the photo posted a few weeks ago on December 31.

This image may also seem familiar since I painted a warm and sunny version a year ago, called "Blue Gate" posted on January 19, 2009. Already the new painting has a much cooler tone. It will be fun to compare the two paintings when this one is completed.

Have a good week. See you next time.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

New Mexico Adventure: Silver City

PHOTO: Historic Building in Silver City, NM

Hello, Dear Readers,

I'm posting midweek, since I was out of town for a long, leisurely weekend with friends on an RV trip to Silver City, New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment was just that, providing ideal travel weather and very mild temperatures for January.

Silver City is a modest sized town of about 12,000 inhabitants located in the southwest section of the state, about 240 miles from Albuquerque. The town and surrounding area is rich in Western history, starring notable characters such as Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Cochise, and Geronimo, to name a few.

Although the fabulous Gila Wilderness is close by, we spent Friday and Saturday browsing and shopping the various antique shops and art galleries in town, and enjoying the historic buildings along Main Street.

We did take a side trip to the City of Rocks, a truly unusual geologic site of rock outcroppings, boulders, and columns. I'll share some photos from that excursion, maybe next week.

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Text and photo ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

Lunch Becomes Art

"Hard Boiled Egg" 2010

Original oil, alkyd on 6" x 8" panel
SOLD

About 20 years ago, I attended a Chinese painting demonstration given by artist Cecilia Lin in her Memphis studio. She stood at a table, a large sheet of rice paper spread before her. She became very quiet, very still, very focused, holding a brush loaded with black ink over the paper. Suddenly, with a few quick and decisive strokes, a fully alive koi splashed its way across the sheet. I was amazed.

I thought of Cecilia Lin and her masterful skill and speed while considering what to work on in my studio last week. One of my (as of yet) unattained goals is to paint more quickly, like the Daily Painters who can finish at least one small painting a day.

So, my subject matter for painting that day became the hard boiled egg I'd brought for lunch. One must work quickly when painting food items, as the heat from the studio spotlights will affect the color, texture, and even the shape of some foods—like the jalapenos that turned yellow, then red, and got so "hot" they made my eyes water after a few days under the lights.

It took about four hours to render this simple "still life" from direct observation, but I was pleased to have it completed in "record breaking time"...at least for me.

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my blog. Enjoy a great week!

PS: Many thanks to those who emailed to let me know you're glad to see my blog is back in publication. I truly appreciate your readership, support, and encouragement. It's fun to know you're out there!

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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

Autumn in the Jemez

"Autumn in The Jemez" 2010

Original oil, alkyd on 8x6 panel
SOLD

Last October I came back to New Mexico from a trip out East, just in time to catch the height of the fall colors. Rather than work in the studio that day, I drove up to "The Jemez", located an hour away, north and west of Albuquerque.

The Jemez is a truly spectacular area which includes the Jemez Pueblo, the Jemez Mountains, and the Village of Jemez Springs. The scenery is fabulous, winding along NM 4, with mountain and valley views, red rock areas, large rocky outcroppings, Spanish mission ruins, Soda Dam, and much more. (You can visit this website to see other photos: http://www.jemezmountaintrail.org/whattosee.html)

After driving around to just take in all the beauty of the place, I ventured into one of the trail parking lots, found a good view near the stream, and set up my easel.

It was a gorgeous day—short-sleeve weather, bright sun with occasional fluffy clouds lazing across a deep blue New Mexico sky, and the cottonwoods all decked out in gold and yellow leaves.

Surrounded by so much loveliness, I wanted to include every aspect in my little plein air painting. Too much for a 6x8 inch panel! So I honed it down to this single vista and worked up the basic composition and color on site. With the help of a few photographs, I added the details and finished up the painting just this weekend.

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my blog. I hope you enjoy a wonderful day.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.