September Plein Air

Plein Air Landscape Sketch #1, 2013, Original oil, alkyd on panel, 4"x6"

Ahhhhh, September in New Mexico—a perfectly lovely time of year to be outdoors, painting in plein air. 

Over the past few weeks, I've taken to painting in the late afternoon, as the shadows and clouds provide more dramatic light and color variations. I'm working small (4" x 6") and keeping it loose. This is a view of the Sandia Mountains, painted from Elena Gallegos Open Space in Albuquerque.

Thanks for visiting my blog and hope your week is off to a great start.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Text and photo ©2013 Carol L. Adamec. All rights reserved.

Landscape Sketch #1, measuring 4" x 6", is painted in oil on gessoed panel, varnished and ready to frame or display on a small easel. Available for purchase on ETSY at www.ArtByCarolAdamec.ETSY.com

Boogie Board Talk

"Ti Plant Graphic" 2013, Boogie Board RIP drawing

Last Monday (September 16), I gave an informal talk/demo to the Rainbow Artists, a local women's art collective which supports visual artists, as well as writers and those engaged in other art-related fields.

My talk was about the artwork I create on the Boogie Board eWriter. So I took my three Boogie Board tablets—the original 8.5 LCD one I purchased over a year ago, the Boogie Board Jot, and the Boogie Board RIP—and samples of the work I created on each one for my "show and tell" narrative.

I passed the Boogie Board tablets around so everyone could try one out, and explained how I start my "digital printmaking process" with a drawing on the Boogie Board.

Since I hadn't used the Boogie Board RIP very much and didn't have much time to create an elaborate piece of artwork on it, I did a quick graphic rendering of a Ti Plant (from the image I developed back in September 2012) and added some color in Adobe Photoshop. I think this graphic might look nice on a t-shirt, What do you think?

If you would like more information about the Rainbow Artists, visit: http://www.rainbowartists.com/.

If you would like more information about Boogie Board eWriters, visit: http://improvelectronics.com/

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my blog. Have a great weekend.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Text and images ©2013 Carol L. Adamec. All rights reserved.

Paint Out in Socorro: Days 2 & 3

"Looking West, Route 60", Oil on panel, painted in plein air

I woke up in Albuquerque to a steady rain and socked in skies on Day 2 of the paint out. I didn't want to get out of bed, much less drive the 86 miles to Socorro. Fortunately, the start of the paintout was postponed for 2 hours, which gave me plenty of time to make the trip down I-25 to meet up with the rest of the painters around 11:00am. 

It's a rare day in New Mexico that the sun doesn't shine at least for a little while. So by the time I drove out to the Box Canyon area, the clouds were giving way to patches of blue and light on the landscape. Today's post features my painting done on Saturday of the view looking west from The Box.

On Sunday, Day 3 of the Socorro paint out, there was a 2-hour Quick Draw session. A Quick Draw is a challenge to complete a plein air painting in just 2 hours. Between 9:30 and 10am, plein air painters were scurrying all around the Socorro Plaza trying to find a "good spot" and set up their paint gear somewhere under a portico or overhang, since the skies were dark and threatening again.

At 10am, a horn blasted and the painting began. About half way through the Quick Draw, it began raining, but everyone just kept painting. Precisely at noon, the horn blasted again, and the painting ceased. Then we all gathered outside the Vertu Gallery, located on the north side of the Plaza, to show off what we each had accomplished in the two hours. It was truly amazing what the Quick Draw winners had done—very lovely work!

After a leisurely lunch break, all the artists returned to the Vertu Gallery at 2pm for the opening reception for a show of the plein air paintings completed during the 3-day paint out. It was nice to see everyone's work, to talk shop, and chat with gallery visitors who came to see the exhibit. Awards were given to the three best paintings, along with an honorable mention. 

The exhibit will continue through October 15. For more information, you can check out the gallery's website: http://www.vertuarts.com

Many thanks to Karyn DeBont who organized the Socorro Paint Out. You did a great job, Karyn!

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Text and images ©2013 Carol L. Adamec. All rights reserved.

Paint Out in Socorro: Day 1

Top image: Photograph of The Box Canyon
Bottom image: "Break in the Storm" original plein air painting

After a four-week visit to Florida, I arrived back in New Mexico just in time for the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM) Paint Out in Socorro. 

Socorro is located about 80 miles south of Albuquerque via I-25, home to 8,800 residents, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and some wonderful scenery. 

The 3-day gathering of artists was held this past week, September 12-14, with PAPNM members from all over the state—from Farmington to Silver City—showing up to capture the local views in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, and silk dyes. Although heavy rain greeted us every morning, there were interludes of lovely sunshine and fantastic cloud formations rolling over the mountains. Spirits were high and it was a fun and productive event for everyone. 

Thursday morning was the first day of the paint out and we all headed out to The Box Canyon, 8 miles west on Rt 60. This site can be viewed from both ends, a great place for painting rock cliffs and boulders. It was a little cool and very overcast; but each artist picked a spot, set up, and began working. 

After awhile—just for a few minutes—the clouds layers separated to show blue sky and the sun broke through to light up the scenery. I painted fast and furiously to add dashes of sunlight to my painting. Today's post shows a photo of The Box Canyon area, and below it, my painting completed onsite. The painting is available on my Daily PaintWorks site:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/carol-adamec/break-in-the-storm/192680

Thanks for visiting my blog and enjoy your day.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Text and images ©2013 Carol L. Adamec. All rights reserved.