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