Courtyard 2...revisted

"Courtyard 2" (in progress)
Original oil & alkyd on canvas panel
10 x 8"

Last time I showed you this painting in-progress (on January 12), I had just the basic values laid down. I've started adding color to determine the "light of day" and the "temperature" of the painting--whether it will have a warmer or cooler feel to it.

While it's my natural tendency to heighten the contrasts, tighten up edges, and add more details, I'm rather liking the overall diffused softness of the image. My challenge, then, is to finish the painting without overworking it. Unlike Photoshop, there are no "un-do's" or "re-do's" in painting....Darn!

I hope you have a good weekend. See you Monday.
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Text and image ©2009 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Blue Gate ... Done!

Blue Gate, 2009
Original: Oil & alkyd on panel
10" x 8" unframed
SOLD

I enjoyed a very nice weekend, moseying around the Pena Blanca, Santo Domingo and Cochiti areas located between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. My artist friend Sondra Diepen and I spent several hours just driving down the road, stopping to take pictures whenever something caught our attention.

The day was warm and sunny, and artistically successful, too, as I took several photos that will lead to new paintings. Already I am working on one that will be on an 18" x 24" stretched canvas. I'll keep you posted as the painting develops.

I did work in the studio last Friday, completing the Blue Gate painting, featured as today's post. This was a fun piece to do and felt "right" from the start, even when doing the grisaille (see January 5 post). A few readers told me that they liked that version, before any color was added. It will be interesting to see what they (or you) think of the completed image. Please feel free to post your opinion below. Just click the "Comment" link just below this text.

Also, I will be leading a discussion, along with ShaRi Brooks, entitled "Creating an Internet Presence/Selling Your Artwork Online" at the Rainbow Artists meeting, this Wednesday, starting at 8pm. The event is free and open to the public, and being held at the Cesar Chavez Community Center, 7505 Kathryn SE, Albuquerque, (south on Louisiana, east on Kathryn). Free parking is available.

Hope your Monday is an easy one. See you Thursday.
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Text and image © 2009 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Painting Light & Adobe

Cactus Wall, 2009

Original: Oil & alkyd on panel
10" x 8" unframed
SOLD

For the past few weeks, I have been working on three paintings that all feature adobe walls: Blue Gate, Courtyard 2, and the painting posted today, Cactus Wall. I wasn't sure if this painting was going to come together, so I hadn't even shown it to you "in progress." Now here it is, all done, I'm happy to say.

I really enjoyed painting the dappled sunlight effect. I also found greater satisfaction in mixing greens to paint the cactus "leaves" than relying on the tube colors.

Some of you have emailed me about Blue Gate. Well, it's coming along, and I hope to have it posted next week as another finished painting. Thanks for the encouragement and comments.

Have a great weekend. See you Monday.
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Text and image © 2009 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Re-do...

"Courtyard 2" (in progress)
Original oil & alkyd on canvas panel
10 x 8"

My artist-friend Lisa Rivas (whom you met in my post on July 30, 2007) advised me to never throw away a painting. She told me to "…just put it aside and wait until you're ready to finish it."

Today's post may seem familiar to you, since I posted a version back on November 13, 2008. Well, I never was quite satisfied with that painting. So I decided to try a different format. Rather than a square, I chose a vertical 10" x 8."

What you are seeing today is a "tonal" underpainting of 4 basic values. Rather than a purist's grisaille in greys or a monochromatic rendition (different shades of one color), I just used the leftover paint on my palette and mixed up 4 colors--each a different value--to get the basic shapes and the lights and darks down. Since I laid on the paint rather thickly, it will take a day or two before I can begin laying in the true colors.

In the meantime, I hope to finish "Blue Gate"...or I'll be posting another painting that I've been working on, called "Cactus Wall." Either way, tune in on Thursday and see which painting came together.

I hope you have a good week.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2009. All rights reserved.

Adding Color...

"Blue Gate" (in progress)

Original painting,
Oil & alkyd on canvas panel 10 x 8"

Following an afternoon of painting, my first new piece of 2009 is starting to take shape, now with its basic colors in place. I'm pretty happy with the overall feeling of light and shadow, too. There are still some color refinements, paint layering, and details to work on; so, you'll see the final version next week.

Also, the painting's title is "Blue Gate." (I have no idea why I typed "Blue Door" in the last post....That's another painting, if it comes to fruition.)

Thanks for taking a moment to look at today's post. Have a great weekend. See you Monday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2009. All rights reserved.

New Beginnings

"Blue Gate" (grisaille)
Original oil & alkyd on canvas panel
10 x 8"

Happy New Year, Dear Readers! I hope 2009 is off to a great beginning for all of you.

I was fortunate to spend four days playing and relaxing in Chama, New Mexico. Chama is just a few miles south of the Colorado border, where an accumulation of well over 6 feet of snow offered great snowshoeing and pristine winter vistas worthy of any "Scenic America" calendar.

Like those of you who are back in the office today, I'm back in the studio thinking about new paintings to start. Today's post shows the grisaille (done in burnt umber) of a new 8x10 painting, "Blue Gate", I've just begun. By Thursday, I intend to have all the basic colors in place.

Thanks for taking a moment to look at today's post. Have an easy week. See you Thursday!
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Text and photo ©Carol Adamec 2009. All rights reserved.

Floral Fantasy

Floral Fantasy, 2004/2008

Original: Color Pencil, Monotype
Image size: 5" x 7.75"
$75 (+ S&H)
Contact Artist to purchase.

When I find myself getting too tight (or uptight) with painting realism, I often turn to making monotype prints, which is a fun way for me to loosen up and give free rein to my imagination.

Monotype prints are made by drawing or painting directly on a "plate" made of glass, plexiglass, metal, or hardboard. You then lay a sheet of paper over the plate. By either rubbing, pressing, or running the plate and paper through a press, the image on the plate is transferred to the paper, making the monotype print.

Unlike traditional printmaking methods where the image is permanently engraved, etched, or fixed to the plate to produce the same image multiple times, monotype printing gives you only one image (since nearly all the paints/inks are transferred to the paper). There are many variables in the process and far less control; so the resulting prints are quite spontaneous looking and loose--often looking like nothing at all!

Today's image began as a monotype print I did back in 2004. I had worked back into the image with color pencil, strengthening the colors and adding textures, while "making something more" out of the forms.

A few days ago, I came across this little piece--sort of a fantastic flowering cactus--and added some touches and further refined the image. Thus the dates noted on the print: 2004/2008.

Thanks for taking a moment to look at today's post. Have an easy week. See you Thursday!
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Text and photo ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

To My Readers…

Eye Dazzler

Photo: Carol Adamec

I've been in my Harwood studio today, finishing up the calla lily commission. The painting is sitting on a table with an incandescent lamp shining on it to hasten the drying time, since I am taking it to Fed Ex tomorrow afternoon for shipping. I'll snap a photo of it to share with you in a future post.

Just as I was cleaning up my brushes, I happen to glance out the window and catch this gorgeous sunset. Nature certainly provided an eye-dazzling sight this evening. Enjoy my view!
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Text and photo ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Almost There

Sitting on the Fence
Original Painting
Oil & Alkyd on Panel
6" x 8" unframed
SOLD

Thanks to a quick and helpful critique from my artist friend Sondra Diepen, this little painting is finally coming along.

The shadow on the fence has been restored, but not nearly as dark as the original version, providing more drama and contrast to the entire piece. Then, too, I deepened and refined the greens of the leaves. You can check back to my posts on December 4 and 11 for the first and second versions.

Sometimes it just takes me awhile to pull it together. Just a few more minor corrections, that is one will be "there."

Thanks for following along. Have a fun weekend getting ready for the holidays. See you Monday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Snowy Night

Photo by Carol Adamec

It's been snowing all day in Albuquerque. I've been in the studio painting since about 2pm, and about to go home. I looked out of my studio window and decided to share the view of the big tree just outside the Harwood's front door being lit by the building lights. Who knows....maybe there's an idea for a painting in this picture!

In the meantime, I hope the little flower painting I've been working on will be ready for "show & tell" on Thursday. See you then.

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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

(Still) Stuck in the Middle

Sitting on the Fence
Original painting (in progress)

This has been a busy week in and out of the studio. I am working on a commissioned painting (another version of the California Calla Lily) and getting ready to participate in a holiday fundraiser at the Peace & Justice Center in Albuquerque on Saturday.

I did put in some time on the painting I showed you last Thursday. Today's post is not the final result....but does show the painting as it looks now. I hope you can see there is some progress!

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great weekend and I'll see you Monday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Acoma Revisited

Acoma Fragment 1
Original, oil on panel
10" x 4"
SOLD

Many thanks to those who encouraged me to pursue completing "Sitting on the Fence" --the painting I blogged about last Thursday. I worked on it this weekend. It's still "stuck in the middle" but I haven't given up on it yet!

In the meantime, I completed another small painting inspired by a piece of Acoma Indian pottery. Yes, I am still fascinated by the diverse combinations and intricacies that are formed out of basic patterns and colors. Even seemingly simple shapes like these have a particular rhythm dependent on the line, shape, and color used.

I first painted the background white, and it was just awful! After trying out several mixtures--some too red, some too yellow, some too brown--I finally got to this color which I am happy with.

Hope you have a good Monday. Thanks for taking a look. See you Thursday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Stuck in the Middle

Sitting on the Fence (in progress)
Original: oil & alkyd on panel
6 x 8"

A result of moving my studio last weekend was the discovery of several paintings that I started—maybe even worked on for quite awhile—and didn't finish. Some of these paintings have been in boxes for several years; others, just since my time in Florida. I've been sorting through these paintings, determining which ones still hold some interest and (hopefully) promise if completed.

The image posted today is a small plein air piece that I began last winter while living in Florida....and then just put aside. In its present state it gives you some idea how paintings look in the "middle stage" when the shapes and light are defined but the painting is far from finished.

For me this is the stage that is most "dangerous" depending on whether or not I have enough interest to complete the painting, or decide to just give it up and paint over the entire surface to begin anew.

So, we'll see how it goes. I'll post the final results—either a finished painting that I'm happy with or a scrubbed over panel. Stay tuned!

Thanks for taking a look. Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Mini-Abstraction

Red Fragment 1, 2008

Original, mixed media on panel
3.5" x 5" (approx)
Private Collection

Good morning, Dear Readers,

I hope all of you were fortunate to enjoy a festive and filling Thanksgiving dinner, and that the serious shoppers amongst us got the best bargains on Black Friday, too.

It was a busy Thanksgiving weekend for me, moving to a different studio on the second floor of the Harwood Art Center. The new space is better suited for my painting, having lovely color balanced, track lighting, and fewer windows (less heat and bright sunlight).

The bonus is a view to the West, which has already provided a gorgeous sunset of ever-changing colors over the West Mesa. (Did anyone else see the "fingernail moon" in Friday's night sky?) I am already looking forward to future evening light shows from my studio window.

While cleaning up and clearing out my old studio, I found a small panel I had underpainted with burnt sienna. I had just enough spare time to work up this "mini-abstraction" based on a small piece of Acoma Indian redware pottery. The white lines were made by scratching through the burnt sienna underpainting, down to the white gesso primer.

Even though the painting is small in size, I think the strength of the shapes gives the image a much larger feeling. And, it was fun to do, too!

Thanks for taking a look at today's image. See you Thursday. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Second Versions

Morning Tulips II, 2008
by Carol Adamec
Oil on Italian canvas panel
Framed Size: 7.5" x 9.5"
SOLD

Many apologies to my faithful readers! I am "off schedule" having missed my posting last Thursday, and now today, I am finally uploading this entry late on Monday.

I have been invited to send a group of small floral paintings to Memphis for inclusion in the L Ross Gallery holiday exhibit which opens in December. I have been reworking and varnishing the paintings, and making frames...my least favorite art-related activity, but a necessary one when putting work in shows. Since these paintings are small and I like the viewer to see the whole image, I "float" frame so that all four edges are exposed.

The image above is familiar to those of you who have been reading along since I began this blog in May. The first version of "Morning Tulips" appeared on May 21 and sold in the September show at the Harwood Art Center. This painting is "Morning Tulips II", a second version. If you compare the two paintings closely, they are different in subtle ways.

I usually don't paint second versions of my paintings, as I am more interested in painting a "new" image...or just keep painting on the first version to get it the way I want. But this second version was a pleasure to do.

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my blogsite.

To all my loved ones, friends, and readers:
May you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

In a Galaxy, Far Far Away....

As I mentioned last Monday, I was up in Santa Fe on Sunday afternoon. Enroute to the NM Museum of Art, I saw this mailbox. Those of you "young" enough to remember—or who had kids back in the 70's—will recognize this mailbox dressed up to look like R2D2, the little droid from the Star Wars movie that was so popular 30 years ago.

The web address on the mailbox is www.uspsjedimaster.com—which is a registered domain of the US Post Office....but there's no website. No problem, as plenty of other folks have created website with info and "sightings."

For those of you who are wondering if there's an R2D2 mailbox in your neighborhood or city, check out this site link below, which is a US map with pictures and locations of the Star Wars mailboxes across the United States.

http://showmescifi.com/2007/03/23/find-uspsjedimastercom-mailboxes-across-the-us/

So, until Thursday's post, "May the Force be with you."

The Learning Tree

Morning Courtyard

by Carol Adamec
8" x 8" Oil on canvasboard
In Progress

This painting has been "in progress" for several weeks now, going through several color and composition revisions. I even lopped off 2 inches of the original 8" x 10" panel to change the format. (I used the panel fragment to paint "Fingernail Moon" posted on October 27.)

For sure, I have learned a lot painting this Russia olive tree in my friend's patio area. I'm just not sure the lesson is over!

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my blogsite. Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Introducing....Ralph Davis

Rainbow Healing Mandala

by Ralph Davis
14" diameter• NFS
Photo by Carol Adamec

This past weekend I went with friends up to Ojo Caliente, NM, with a return trip through Santa Fe to visit the New Mexico Museum. I had taken photos of the beautiful views we enjoyed, a gigantic juniper tree we crawled over basalt rocks to see, and some fun pix of oddities in Santa Fe. Then, alas! I left my jump drive at home with all the pictures on it. (I do this blog at my studio.)

So, I am taking today to introduce you to the woven mandalas of my friend Ralph Davis, whose lineage is Navajo and Choctaw. Ralph is a member of the Rainbow Spirit Healing Navajo clan, and his mandalas incorporate a gradation of the rainbow's color: from red to orange to yellow to green to blue to purple.

Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning "sacred circle" and an appropriate context for the many sacred and symbolic forms and colors Ralph uses in composing his work. For instance, the "face" in the center is composed of the sacred corn plant, lightning symbols, and raindrops shown as dots arching over the "brow" area. (To peoples of the desert, rain is always a blessing!) The red-orange-yellow ray forms can be interpreted as the sun's rays or flower petals. The outer edges of the mandala represent the flat top mesas of the Southwest (Navajo land occupies territory in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado.) The golden cords hanging down are the dancing braids worn for ceremonies.

Ralph uses simple materials—wood, dowels, acrylic paints, and yarn—yet achieves stunning variety and beauty in each mandala he creates. To receive the full "blessing" of a mandala, Ralph advises that it be hung on an east wall; and it does seem to just look "right" when so installed.

Thanks for taking a moment to visit my blogsite. Have a blessed day and see you Thursday.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Last Call

California Calla I, 2008
Original oil, alkyd on gessoed panel
12" x 12"
Available to highest bidder at
www.spivaarts.org

Dear Readers,

Today's image looks familiar because you've already seen it—back on September 24, when I announced that I had donated this painting to Spiva Center of Arts, in Joplin, Missouri.

In case you are interested in bidding on the painting, this is a reminder that Spiva's 12x12 auction ends this Friday, November 7, at 4pm for online bidders. Go to http://www.spivaarts.org and follow the 2008 12x12 links. California Calla I is #67.

You may want to check out the other entries, too. There are some great originals at great prices, and you can join the fun via online bidding, knowing that all proceeds support the Art Center.

Thanks for taking a moment to look at my painting (again). Have a great weekend!

See you next Monday...and I'll have new work to show you.
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Text and image ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Happy Trails & Painted Ponies

Running with the Ancestors
by Carol Adamec
A Trail of Painted Ponies Figurine
Signed 1st and 2nd Editions Available.
Contact Artist to purchase.

I am surely one of the luckiest people in the world! Among my many blessings, I am fortunate to be an "Official Trail of Painted Ponies Artist."

(For information about how the Trail of Painted Ponies began, you can go to the "Trail" website: http://www.trailofpaintedponies.com/au-tale-trail.htm. It's a fascinating success story that began with an idea that brought together art and business to benefit many good causes.)

My involvement with "The Trail" began back in 2001, when I went up to Santa Fe to see a public showing of The Trail of Painted Ponies. I was awed and inspired by the incredible display of ingenuity and talent rendered on full size horses made of resin. Within a few months I had submitted a pony design for consideration.

In 2002 I was contacted by Jardin de los Niños, a nonprofit daycare center for homeless children, located in Las Cruces, NM. They commissioned me to create the original Running with the Ancestors Masterwork for "A Herd of Help" fundraiser sponsored by their organization, Sunland Park Race Track, and The Trail of Painted Ponies, Inc.

In creating Running with the Ancestors, I turned to the imagery found in the caves of Lascaux, France, and Altamira, Spain, where grand drawings of horses on rock walls were both magical and beautiful. Still today the horse remains a powerful icon of freedom and spirit, present in the action pose of the Painted Pony form itself.

After several weeks of painting, my original pony was ready to go to Las Cruces. Running with the Ancestors was auctioned on March 29, 2003, at a gala fundraising event and sold for $2,700 to a private collector.

In June 2005 the Trail of Painted Ponies released my design as a 6" figurine. It was fun to have friends and family call me with "pony sightings" when they would see Running with the Ancestors figurines on display in gift shops, department stores, and other retail locations.

Through eBay and other venues, I am pleased to offer my own limited edition of signed and numbered Running with the Ancestors figurines.

I also offer art prints of The Ancestors, an original artwork I based my Painted Pony design on.

The Ancestors is available as a signed and numbered limited edition giclée on 12"x16" stretched canvas and as an open edition signed art print on paper.

If you have an art enthusiast or horse lover in your life, perhaps a Painted Pony would be a great gift for a special occasion or the upcoming holidays.

As an artist, it is an honor to be a Painted Pony artist and to have my design issued as a figurine. And I am very grateful for the enthusiastic response from so many collectors, friends, and fans who have purchased them. Thanks to All of You!

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Image and text © 2008 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Carve

"Bird & Hand"
by Carol Adamec
Original caved and painted board
Contact Artist to purchase.

My friend artist Lisa Rivas told me about a website called "Inspire Me Thursday." Each week (on Thursday) a new art "challenge" is issued as a word or phrase to inspire artists to create an artwork based on the week's theme. Artists then post a link on the site to share their creations.

The challenge for the past week has been "carve", which reminded me of the Bird & Hand painting I did awhile back, shown in today's post. It was one of my first "environmental" pieces: Is the hand of Man there to help or hurt the Earth's creatures?

For the artists and writers out there, you might like to subscribe to the website and participate when it suits you. To the lookers, you might like to see the many ideas and interpretations that artists come up with. It's fascinating! The site is www.InpsireMeThursday.com.

Thanks for taking a quick look. Have a great weekend. See you Monday!

PS: If you are in the Albuquerque area, I invite you to the Arts & Crafts Fair at the Albuquerque Center for Spiritual Living, 2801 Louisiana NE, located on the west side of the street, between Menaul and Candelaria. The event is tomorrow, Saturday, November 1, 9am-4pm. Parking and admission are free! I'll be there selling my originals, art prints, giclees, and Trail of Painted Ponies items. And there will be all kinds of handmade items by other artists and crafters, too...a great chance to start your holiday shopping!
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Image & text © 2008 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Stuck on Cactus

"Bright Light"
by Carol Adamec
Original, Watercolor
7.5" x 9" • $275
Contact Artist to purchase.

I've been going through art that I've had boxed up—in some cases for the past six years! I came across this watercolor of some cactus that I painted several years ago. Since I don't work in watercolor very often, this is a rare piece indeed! I still like the brightness of the light that I was lucky to capture.

I have a new cactus painting in the works, that will be completed in oil, that I'll share with you when it's done.

I hope your week is going well. See you Friday.
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Image & text © 2008 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Happy Accidents

"Fingernail Moon"

by Carol Adamec
Original, "Mini-Painting"
Oil & alkyd on canvas panel
1.75" x 8" • SOLD

I have mostly wet paintings in the studio right now. So I chose to share this "mini-painting" with you today—since it was dry enough to put on the scanner. (Sometimes, what works is what gets done!)

The odd size is due to the fact that I had trimmed a canvas panel for another small painting, leaving this piece as a scrap. I painted some color on it one afternoon, and then added more paint the next afternoon. Voila! a sunset landscape appeared—sort of a "happy accident." I added a few details, like the sliver of moon, and the painting was finished.

Thanks for taking a quick look. See you Wednesday.

PS: If you only received the "Canyons" image from last Friday's post, I apologize. There was a outage on Blogger when I was uploading the entry, and the text was deleted when first published. Here's the link, if you wish to read it: http://caroladamec.blogspot.com/2008/10/wild-new-mexico.html
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Image & text © 2008 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

The Great Southwest

"Canyon"
by Carol Adamec
Origina lDrawing
Pastel & charcoal on brown paper
20 x 30" approx
Contact Artist to purchase.

A friend of mine is river canoeing this week with a group of her boating pals. They'll be up near Bluff, Utah, camping along the way for several days.

I know that they'll be enjoying stunning vistas and awesome canyons like the image pictured on today's post—a large drawing I did almost 10 years ago that still awakens in me the stillness and grandeur of the vast and varied Southwest landscape that I find so thrilling.

Thanks for taking a quick look. Have a good Friday and a great weekend. See you Monday.
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Image & text © 2008 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Making the Deadline

Old Acoma
by Carol Adamec

Original, mixed media on gessoed wood panel
12" x12"
Donation to Harwood Art Center

Most of last week was spent creating the painting "Old Acoma" that is featured on today's post, to meet Friday's deadline. This piece is being donated to the Harwood Art Center for its 12x12 fundraiser on December 5, 6-9pm.

I had intended to submit a landscape, but I wasn't feeling "inspired" to paint one. So I turned (again) to the pottery of Acoma. My friend has several pieces of this pueblo's pottery, and I once again drew upon these wonderful designs as my inspiration.

For those of you in or near Albuquerque, you are invited to the Harwood event , which is free and open to the public. The evening will feature food and two galleries of 12x12s painted by area artists, with each artwork available for purchase for $144, going to the first buyer who pays/writes a check. Be there early to see them all and pick the one you really want! From what I've seen, there are some real beauties.

Many thanks for taking a moment to read today's post. See you Friday. ———————————————————————————————————————————
Image & text © 2008 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

It's a Monday!

Dear Readers,
I'm having one of those Mondays....so there is no post for today. I apologize! However, please tune in on Wednesday, and I promise there will be a new image and entry. Hope your week is off to a better start than mine. :-)
Best to all,
Carol Adamec

Featured on ETSY....

Carol Adamec
Moonlight & Datura
Available as a signed & numbered
Open Edition Art Print at
www.CarolAdamec.ETSY.com
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I featured this painting awhile back on May 23 ("Art & Ideas" blog) and mentioned that a signed Art Print of it could be viewed/purchased through my ETSY shop.

I am pleased to report that "Moonlight & Datura" was selected by another ETSY member for a showcase, currently on display until 3:26am, Saturday, October 18. Just click this link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=15333 and you'll see a thumbnail of "Moonlight & Datura" on the top row, second from the left. If you then click the thumbnail, you'll be taken to my shop: CarolAdamec.ETSY.com.

You can also view Lisa Rivas's "e-Stamps" in her ETSY shop, FlyingColors. (Lisa was featured on this blog July 30.)

For those of you who have not yet visited ETSY, you might like to check out the site. It offers thousands items—all handmade—by artists, craftsmen, and do-it-yourselfers. It's one of my favorite sites to visit when looking for a truly unique, one-of-a-kind gift item or artwork. And the price range is incredibly diverse...and very reasonable. You might find that ETSY is a great source for your holiday shoppping...or something special for yourself.

Have a really great weekend. See you Monday!

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Artwork & text ©Carol L Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Finding Inspiration on the Shelf

Carol Adamec
Acoma I
Original, mixed media
on gessoed panel
14" x 6" approx.
SOLD



Below:
Acoma pottery








Last Saturday I had hoped to paint outdoors. However, the day was a windy and rainy—great weather for desert dwellers, but not so great for plein air painters. Still determined to at least begin a painting, I looked around the house for subject matter.

On a shelf in the living room sits a wonderful piece of Acoma pottery. (Acoma, one of the pueblos to the west of Albuquerque, is also known as "Sky City, since it sits on a mesa. It has a very interesting history and is still occupied today. A must see when you visit New Mexico.)

For some time, I've admired the design made of crisp line work and dense blacks on a white ground. Rather than do a "portrait" of the pottery, I decided to "deconstruct" the design—that is, use the various elements to create an abstract composition.

First I laid out the composition and design on a gessoed panel in pencil using a ruler and compass. Since the Acoma artist painted the pottery piece freehand, I challenged myself to do the inking by hand...and it was a challenge! Although my design is more precise, the original Acoma pottery painting is done with ease and flow...a characteristic that I would like to develop in my own work.

So Saturday was a good art day, finding inspiration—and a challenge—on the shelf.

Many thanks for taking a moment to read today's post. See you Friday. ———————————————————————————————————————————
Image & text ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Introducing...David Kontra

David Kontra
"Hunting High & Low"
Original acrylic on canvas
8" x 10"
Collection of Carol Adamec

David Kontra is a self-taught artist with whom I became acquainted while working for Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, David now resides outside of Hartville in rural Missouri.

Many of David's paintings and titles are inspired by the lyrics of pop music or deal with current events from the media. David calls himself a "contemporary expressionism artist" and confesses that, "I paint what I see, what I think, and what I feel at the moment, and it’s not always pretty."

Although colorful in rendering, the paintings can be dark in tone, often with figures placed in an urban setting. “I painting all kinds of people because there are so many kinds of people out there,” David notes.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about David's powerful imagery is that he is legally blind. His condition is due to a degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. Currently he has less than 5 percent vision in one eye and only light perception in the other. He paints with his face just an inch or two from the canvas surface.

"Hunting High & Low" shown in today's post was one of David's many artworks included in Spiva's 2007 exhibit, In the Company of Outsiders. The painting now resides in my studio, a constant reminder to me that "where there's a will, there is a way" to create.

If you would like to see more of David's paintings, visit his website: www.DavidKontra.com.

Many thanks to those who left a comment/sent an email about Friday's "Detail: California Calla." I appreciate your kind comments. And thanks for taking a moment to read today's post.

See you Wednesday. ———————————————————————————————————————————
Image ©David Kontra, text ©Carol Adamec 2008. All rights reserved.

Up Close...Detail

Carol Adamec
"California Calla Close Up"
Original oil, alkyd on gessoed panel
Private Collection

Back in September, I posted the calla lily painting, measuring 12" x 12", that I had painted for Spiva Center for the Arts (9/24: "Art for a Good Cause").

Today's painting is a detail...a cropped segment from the first version, measuring 6" x 6" that I started awhile back, and completed yesterday. That's just the way it goes, sometimes.

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 enjoy an easy weekend. See you Monday. ———————————————————————————————
Image and text ©Carol Adamec 2008. 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.

A Taste of Albuquerque: Balloon Fiesta!

Early Morning Ascent
Photo by Carol Adamec

This is an exciting week in town, since the annual Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta started early Saturday morning and continues through next weekend.

Where I am staying is a stone's throw from Balloon Fiesta Park. As I was driving to the studio, these three balloonists were drifting over our neighborhood in the morning light. I pulled over and took a quick photo to share a taste of Albuquerque with you. Enjoy!

Hope your Monday morning is a good one. See you Wednesday.

Text & Photo ©Carol Adamec 2008

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.