Call of the Southwest

Salado Fragment: Cathedral
Original oil, alkyd on gessoed canvas panel
8" x 8"

In just a few weeks, I will be traveling to New Mexico for a monthlong visit, to see friends, scout out the scenery, and get in some painting, of course! With the upcoming trip on my mind, I guess it's not surprising that Southwest inspirations would be showing up during my studio sessions.

Longtime readers of this blog may recall the small paintings of pottery fragments that I posted 'way back in 2008 and 2009, which culminated in the larger painting, "Stones & Sherds" (posted Feb 2, 2010). That was pretty much the end of that thematic effort for me, until this past week. Now there are three new paintings based on Indian pottery sherds and patterns, completed on an 8" x 8" format.

It's truly amazing to really look at the intricate patterns and skillful craftsmanship rendered hundreds of years ago by the Native American artisans, especially considering that their materials were all handmade and natural—no fancy brushes or manufactured pigments for these artists!

Then, too, there is a seemingly unlimited variety of designs and variations in Indian pottery (still today, too). I am reminded of Georgia O'Keeffe's design ideal "...of filling a space in a beautiful way."

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great day.

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Text and image ©2011 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.