A Little Southwest Flavor

Bordello Abandoned

by Sondra Diepen
Photo-based Giclée
Various sizes available.
To purchase contact the Artist:
canyons@swcp.com

For me, one of the best perks of being an artist is knowing other artists. Then, too, I think the greatest compliment one artist can give another is to say "Gee, I wish I had done that!"

Today's image is by my artist-friend Sondra Diepen. If you have been following this blog for awhile, you may recall the post about Sondra back on October 4, 2008 (Link: http://caroladamec.blogspot.com/2008/10/exhibit-glimpse-4.html). Sondra was the curator and one of the artists in the Be Leaf It or Not exhibit at the Harwood Art Center last fall.

Sondra has photographed many wonderful images. This one, "Bordello Abandoned", is a favorite for many folks and one which made my Gee-I-Wish-I'd-Done-That list. There is something quintessentially "New Mexico" about this image which has captured the eye of many jurors as well as eager buyers.

Sondra has a keen eye for the color, texture and translucence of flowers, photographed up close to reveal the thrilling details of Nature. She also sees great beauty in unlikely subject matter such as rusted surfaces of old abandoned cars and faded artificial flowers on worn graves in small town cemeteries. You can see a sampling of her work at http://www.NMArtists.com. Enjoy!

Have a good day. See you Thursday.
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Artwork and image © Sondra Diepen. Used with permission.
Text 2009 ©Carol L Adamec. All rights reserved.

Last Glimpse

Carol Adamec

"Black Leaf:
Missing Data"
Original oil, alkyd
on gessoed panel
20" x 10" approx
$525 + S&H

As you can see from previous posts about artists Louise Pryor, Ellen Van Fleet, Joanne Kamiya, and Sondra Diepen, the "Be Leaf It or Not" exhibit at the Harwood was quite diverse in materials, media, content, and intention, with each artist drawing upon Nature to express herself in an individual way.

As the fifth artist in the exhibit, I showed 4 paintings that you've seen on this blog: Wake Up Lily and Morning Tulips (posted on May 21), Rose Glow (posted on July 7), and Leaf Bouquet (posted on July 23).

I also created 3 new paintings, quite different from those, that are part of my new "Data Series" which addresses global warming. These paintings spring from my own frustration over the impasse between decades of scientific information and the corporate/political denial of factual data that thwarts any real progress in solving this global challenge.

The painting featured today, Black Leaf: Missing Data, looks at the ploy of distortion, dismissing some data and handpicking other facts to support an opinion, rather than seeking and dealing with the truth. Meanwhile, the Earth's survival (represented by the black leaf)....indeed, our survival....hangs in the balance.

Thanks for taking a moment to read this entry. If you would like to share a comment about my painting, please do so by clicking the COMMENTS link below. Or you can email me. Either way I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope you are enjoying a good week. See you Friday. ———————————————————————————————————————————
Image and text ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Exhibit Glimpse 4

Sondra Diepen

"Shadow Weavers"
Original archival digital print
25" x 19" framed • $350 + S&H

Today's post features the work of Sondra Diepen, who is originally from California but relocated to New Mexico in 1974. Sondra majored in art at University of California-Davis, where she befriended Louise Pryor, Ellen Van Fleet, and Joanne Kamiya—artists whom you've met in this blog over the past few weeks as exhibitors in the "Be Leaf It or Not" exhibit at the Harwood.

Sondra is a fine painter, a world traveler, and an wonderful photographer. I've spent many an evening enjoying slides of her adventures in New Mexico, Utah, Alaska, Florida, and her off-the-beaten-track trips to Mexico, Peru, Egypt, Turkey, and Nepal, to name a few.

Over the past few years, Sondra has focused mostly on producing photo-based digital prints. As exemplified by "Shadow Weavers" featured in today's post, Sondra has an intuitive sensitivity for color, pattern, and light that is deeply felt. In fact, I have worked up paintings of my own from several of Sondra's photographs that she has given me (along with permission) to use.

As the curator of "Be Leaf It or Not" Sondra's own personal love of Nature was the guiding force for this exhibit. As she states in her Artist Statement, "I love the vast landscape and the delicate detail Nature provides. A leaf edged in sunlight, a reflection captured in a sandstone pool, or light filtering through the rain forest prompts me to get out my camera and see if I can preserve that moment....When I see something extraordinarily beautiful, I have this strong desire to press it into my body. I want it to become a part of me. Photograph and painting are the closest I can get to doing that."

Thanks for taking a moment to read this entry (which I apologize for posting a day late). If you would like to leave a comment about Sondra's work, please do so by clicking the COMMENTS link below. Or you can email me and I'll forward it to her.

I hope you are enjoying a great weekend. See you Monday. ——————————————————————————————————————————— Image ©Sondra Diepen. Text ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Exhibit Glimpse 3...and more

Joanne Kamiya
"Spirit of New Forest" (detail)
Original archival digital print
24" x 14" • $375 + S&H

Joanne Kamiya is another California artist who contributed work to the "Be Leaf It or Not" exhibit. Her work is photography based, often multi-layered and digitally manipulated.

With her deep reverence for natural beauty found in primeval forests of the world, Joanne is drawn to the spirit of places that have a powerful earth presence. For Joanne, experiencing "wild Nature’s energy" is the lifeblood of her creative process.

The image featured in today's post, Spirit of New Forest, is one of my favorites created by Joanne. As she explains, "New Forest of southern England is an ancient forest that has existed since before it was made into a royal hunting preserve by William the Conqueror. Today it encompasses many acres of mostly deciduous woodland, with a number of villages incorporated within its boundaries. Special to the New Forest are the New Forest Ponies. For hundreds of years this has been their domain, where they roam freely, unfenced and protected." I think her image captures the mythic power and mysterious quiet of the great forests which sustains so many of Earth's creatures.

Thanks for taking a moment to read this entry. If you would like to leave a comment about Joanne's work, please do so by clicking the COMMENTS link below. Or you can email me and I'll forward it to Joanne.

Meanwhile, back in my studio, I am preparing for the Harwood Art Center's Open Studio night, happening this Friday, October 3, from 6–8pm...not painting, but unpacking, hanging, pricing, and labeling artwork. There's much to do! For those readers in the Albuquerque area, I'd love for you to drop by my studio (upstairs, #S-2) that evening. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

To all of my Readers....I'll have a post ready for you on Friday. Have a wonderful day.

Image © Joanne Kamiya. Text ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Exhibit Glimpse 2

Ellen Van Fleet
"...drives the flower"#8
Watercolor • 44" x 32"

Today's post features the work of Ellen Van Fleet, another California artists who participated in our Albuquerque exhibit, "Be Leaf It or Not." Ellen is interested in "mark making" and abstraction, and has traveled in the US and abroad studying petroglyphs and cave paintings.

For our exhibit, Ellen contributed work which also reflects her love of Henry Matisse, through her use of intense color and flowing, rhythmic line.

As Ellen notes in her Artist Statement: "I tend to use painting motions I can repeat. It is soothing and fascinating to see how marks or stripes...pile up and become visually interesting...Take the black stripes in the current work. I love dragging a brush full of pigment across a sheet of paper in a whole body motion, over and over, sheet after sheet. Then I take what I have amassed and tweak it until something mysterious and right happens."

Her title comes from a Dylan Thomas poem where he describes the force of Nature that "...drives the flower..."

If you would like to make a comment about Ellen's work, please use the "COMMENT" link below; or send me an email, and I'll forward it to Ellen.

Have a great Monday. See you Wednesday!

Image ©Ellen Van Fleet. Text©Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Exhibit Glimpse I

Artist: Louise Pryor

Left: Names of Women Artists Meditation Robe

Right: The Farmer Says Goodbye to the Farm

This is the last day of our Harwood Art Center exhibit, "Be Leaf It or Not"; and I have finally taken time to photograph the work in the show. I thought I would share these photos to give you some idea of the artists' intentions and sensibilities that have been on display for the past month.

The two artworks featured today are by Louise Pryor, one of the artists from California. Louise grew up in California, on land owned by her family for over 150 years. For many years she was a serious Zen student of Buddhist teachings.

Louise has chosen fabric as her medium. As stated in her Artist's Statement, "I explore ideas with cloth...Because my way to the universal is through the deeply personal, I choose clothing shapes from my life experience. I wore Zen meditation robes and Sacramento Valley farmers clothing for many years....The transparent and radiant cloth mirrors our transparent and radiant existence."

Both artworks are lifesize and exquisitely crafted. The Meditation Robe has individual canvas leaves sewn onto a kimono-style robe made of sheer metallic silk in a light color. Each leaf bears the name (or signature) of a women artist—some famous and many who work and create outside the mainstream of contemporary art. Nevertheless, on Louise's Robe, all are equally honored.

The Farmer's suit is constructed of the same material in a rich earth color, except the leaves are sewn within the interior of the shirt and pants. For me, this piece speaks to the physical and spiritual connection of mankind to the land which provides for all of earth's creatures.

If you would like to comment on Louise's work, you may do so by clicking the "COMMENTS" link below (Louise reads this blog, too!) Or drop me an email and I'll forward your response to her.

Thanks for taking a moment to read today's entry. Have a great weekend, and I'll see you on Monday.

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Images ©Louise Pryor, text ©Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Hello from The Land of Enchantment

South of Ghost Ranch, NM
Photo: Carol Adamec



Hello, Dear Readers,

It seems like forever since my last blog entry, just before my move to New Mexico. So here's a quick update of my activities over the past several weeks:

Thanks to my son Erik, I enjoyed a pleasant drive and a very efficient move into my studio at the Harwood Center. (Erik did part of the driving and all the heavy lifting and box lugging up the stairs....Thank you, Erik!)

The September 5th opening reception for the "Be Leaf It or Not" exhibit at the Harwood was very nice. Sondra Diepen, the mastermind of this show, invited her California artists-friends Joanne Kamiya, Louise Pryor, Ellen Van Fleet (and me) to exhibit with her. The intent of the exhibit is to show work that depicts, expresses, reveals, and is inspired by Nature. All of the artists (except Ellen) were present for the opening and enjoyed many good conversations with the viewers. Many old friends showed up to welcome me back to Albuquerque. I sold "Morning Tulips" (see blog entry for May 21, 2008), and both Sondra and Joanne sold giclée prints. From the comments in the Guest Book, the show was well received. I'll be sharing a few pictures from the exhibit, which continues through September 26, in future blog entries.

While Sondra's friends were in town, we went to Abiquiu to tour the Georgia O'Keeffe house. I would have liked to have posted a photo of O'Keeffe's home, but no photographs were allowed. So, instead I am posting a view from the picnic grounds where we had lunch after our tour, just south of Ghost Ranch. The colors of the rock and the bluest skies I've ever seen are still thrilling to me. I am looking forward to doing some plein air painting out in the "wilds" of New Mexico, too!

Later in the week, we went to Santa Fe to the O'Keeffe Museum to see the "Natural Affinities" exhibit featuring paintings by O'Keeffe with photographs by Ansel Adams...quite a good show, indeed!

Just in the last week I have gotten back to painting. I have taken several pictures and worked on a few ideas, so I hope to be posting some new work on this blog in the near future.

Many thanks to all of you for tuning into this post. I'm glad to be back in touch with you. Please know that I welcome your comments which you can enter at the end of this entry if you'd like to share your thoughts with all the readers. Or feel free to send me an email.

Have a great weekend. See you Monday!
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Text and photo ©Carol L Adamec. All rights reserved.