Courthouse Butte Rock, Sedona, AZ

Nature pulls at your heartstrings when in Sedona, AZ! Your spirit soars as you take in the rhapsody of such beauty. All around, there is another breath-taking sight to behold. Even when the weather turns bad, it is incredible, for the purity of the air provides for dramatic lighting not often seen elsewhere.

For an artist and/or photographer, it is almost overload the first time you visit. I have since been back several times and am just now able to attempt to record that beauty in paint. I was priveledged to return to Sedona with my daughter, Missy, and her family. What a feast for the soul as we watched the sun set from the airport as it cast it's golden fire on Coffepot Rock and Courthouse Butte!

'Courthouse Butte'   (Sedona, AZ)       oil on panel 9 x 12"          $300



This original oil painting can grace your wall if you are the first to press the button!

Keep watching; I will soon post the painting of Cathedral Rock.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your day.... -Ruth Ann

Experimenting with a palette knife

Since returning from Scottsdale, AZ and talking to a number of great and successful artists about using a palette knife to train me to use more paint, I finally got a chance for a quick attempt. I feel pretty good about this one but it sure was a struggle; I was definately out of my comfort zone.

Those who know me, understand how 'precious' I am about using the paint. I really am trying to get over that and acheive a more painterly look.

 

This is very similar to the view from my friend Charlotte's place in Cave Creek, AZ; minus the blooming flowers. I still like my detailed style, I just want to be more confident with putting on  more paint.

 

Lots of yard work to get done but I sure hope to get to the studio again soon!

Scoping out a place to paint

Char wanted to walk the wash to see if there was a specific spot to paint that we both liked. I liked it all! It had just rained and was very cold but the sun was beginning to set as we found our way back the trail and I snapped a few for possible paintings.

We may return here to paint plein air if we find time this week and the weather warms up. We will have to watch that it doesn't get too warm or we will have to worry about getting caught in a flash flood!

Traveling to Cave Creek

Energized, even though I barely slept last night, afraid I wouldn't awake early enough, not trusting my cell phone alarm! So I was up, packed, had breakfast and ready to go just after 7:30am. I got better directions to return the rental car and it was a smooth ride. The sun was shining so I didn't mind if I would have to wait for Charlotte...

We drove straight to Cave Creek

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charlotte spoiled me as usual, and brought her famous chocolate brownies for a snack! After some of her delicious homemade soup I headed out for a walk in the hills.

 

 

 

Then I saw this flying HIGH over the mountains....

 

 

 

 

Roosevelt Art District, AZ

A whole new adventure in Phoenix this time. As I was traveling alone, I opted to room at a hostel. It just happened to be in the Roosevelt Art District. What an eclectic place! But then, what should you expect from a place that has had the influence and demarcation from people all over the world!

During my stay, they were from Croatia, New Zealand, British Columbia, France, Chicago and Vancouver! We had quite the wonderful time over breakfast and a dinner we shared one evening, along with a Bluegrass jam session at a local coffee shop!

If you ever need a great place to stay for a few days in Phoenix, try the Metcalf House.

You can tell just how tired I was...and notice that is just a Pepsi in my hand!

Thanks to all of you.............happy travels!!!

# 23 After the Bloom. ..& giving a lesson

Feeling a little better today, had lots to do and then had the company of my granddaughter, Alyssa. We got into a discussion about art and I invited her to join me in the studio and I gave her a little lesson in color theory and showed her how to mix a variety of browns just using her primaries. Something she had asked an art teacher and didn't get a satisfactory answer. I was happy that I cleared it up for her.

Then I did a quick demo from a photo that I took my first time in AZ. Incredible skies and color saturation out there. The cacti has just finished their blooming, so I missed that, but it was quite an adventure, none the less.

I re purposed a previously painted panel; felt good to cover it up and get another lesson out of it rather than let it be tinder for the fire. Quality time passing on a little art!

 

#23  After the Bloom

oil on panel

 

Thanks for looking..........have a wonderful day!            Ruth Ann

# 9.......30 paintings in 30 days

Today's attempt is not anything I am happy with but I did paint........that is my goal. To create some more consistent hours in the studio. It is easy to drift in the mindset that if you aren't selling a bunch, maybe you should slow your painting down, too. That is not really a good idea...yet, I admit to sometimes falling victim to that. The more productive time spent in the studio, the better the mind set and the more creative you become.

The results of today are not a waste, either. Much was learned and there is certainly more failures ahead but the great thing about that is the sooner I get some more of those failures out of the way, a few wonderful creations are going to appear at the end of my brush! It's a matter of numbers. The odds are with us; so I plunder on.

In fact, I started two other paintings after this one.......

                                        Hohokam Path 

                                      5 x 7" oil on panel     $45

# 5 of 30 in 30 days

I painted this scene in a large format and since it is one of my very favorite places, Sedona, I wanted to paint it again in a smaller size.

I have to admit, I liked it better about 40 brushstrokes ago, but since none of you were here in my studio to grab the brush from me, here it is...

                        Red Rock Crossing in Autumn         9 x 12" oil on panel        $75

                                              Have a fabulous weekend..........Ruth Ann