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The beautiful and dramatic red rock in Arizona always captures my imagination....this scene along the Salt River was especially enchanting.

Two years ago I painted with Jean Legassick in Wyoming. One day she picked a beautiful sight. All I remember from that day however is that a huge gust of wind knocked my easel over (darn those umbrellas...worse than not having them) and my painting was really ruined...it slid several feet down a small ridge. So as I was culling through my painting reference I realized I really still wanted to paint that view, but from the comfort of my windless studio.

Dropped by the gallery today...Susie has set up a great show. Hope to see lots of people on First Friday at Tumalo Art Gallery. My newest painting is attached.

After the show at Tumalo Gallery (Mountains & Motels...it is up until around he 26th) we left for the 7th Annual Plein Air Invitational in Borrego Springs. I painted 9 paintings in four days and found out that as of today 5 have sold!!! Certainly makes the trip worthwhile. That show will also be up until the end of the month, so who knows. But like any busy artist I am working hard on a piece for next month's group show at Tumalo (in the Mill District in Bend, Oregon)...here is my almost completed piece.

2nd Annual Best Fine Art Sale Ever

Saturday, February 16, 2013, 9:00am - 3:00pm at Lahaina Gallery space directly across from Tumalo Art Co.
Wow...going through my inventory....from small to large works...here is an example of one of my paintings I will be bringing to the sale. I know many of us are marking our work down over 50%!!!

This is one of two paintings I will be submitting to "For the love of the Metolius" at Clearwater Gallery.  The openng will be February 16th.  The gallery is in Sisters, Oregon. 
Clearwater Gallery will partner with The Friends of the Metolius to:
• Raise community awareness and appreciation for the ongoing restorative efforts of organizations to keep the Metolius River pristine.
• Host a non-juried community art show whose theme and subject matter is the Metolius River
• Provide a mid-winter celebratory event honoring the River and those who care for it

This river is truely one of the gems of Central Oregon and it is quite a challenge trying to capture that pristine beauty on canvas. (or linen as the case is)

This 40"x40" painting of Mt. Hood is almost complete and with this painting finished and one more little motel painting I will be ready for my show at Tumalo Art Co., in Bend in March. Hope to see lots of people there.

Winter is my studio time...time when I can go through all my photo reference materials and concentrate on larger paintings. This is another in my mountain series. These mountain paintings and the motel paintings will be the focus of my March show at Tumalo Art Co., in the Mill District in Bend, Oregon.
(Now is also the time for me to go through all my available paintings and find the ones for the HUGE sale at Tumalo on February 16th. The winter months do help me get organized...but I sure could use a little heat.

Again this year I will be submitting a painting for My Own Two Hands,the Sisters
Americana Project, an educational outreach program of Sisters Folk
Festival, has made a positive impact on thousands of students and
a tremendous contribution to the community of Sisters and Central
Oregon.
Artists get asked frequently to donate art work to various causes. But this one is really important to me because it focuses on children and the arts. Also, because it goes to a community that really is behind kids, all kids, and their unique and individual needs. With so few government $'s going to the arts this is one way to really support something that has been very important in my life.
This year's theme is "Deep Roots," and how appropriate, I am in the middle of a series on Aspen Trees (and some birch trees, too)...and as many of us know, Aspens have some of the most complex root systems around....how appropriate for a community that really does have roots that extend to everyone.

With a high of 30 degrees and a low of 13 I am up in the studio trying to create some warmth through capturing last fall's autumn rays filtered through Aspen trees near Black Butte.
I am really feeling the need for some plein air painting, however...winter is my busy large format painting time, but when the weather gets a little less challenging I will be able to go out and refuel my relationship with sky and space and the remote places I love. I admire those hardy souls who stand knee deep in snow and paint...not me! (I will probably finish this 40x40 tomorrow and put it in my available inventory.)