7 x 5 - gouache
Fourth post in Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30.

5 x 7 - gouache
Third post in Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30.

11 x 14 - gouache
Second post in Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30.

9 x 12 - pastel
First post in Leslie Saeta's 30in30.

Mile Marker 12, Iron Springs Rd. - SOLD

18 x 24 - oil
The light on the highway as it disappeared ahead was too yummy to pass up as I snapped some shots with my iPhone camera. I think I was able to paint an idea of clouds as they were dramatically streaking across that late afternoon sky.

Boulder Kiss - SOLD

8 x 10 - gouache on canvas

These granite boulders are on private land. I was thankful to be given permission to take photos there. This grouping sits at the top of a hill and always catches my eye when I'm able to visit this wonderful property.
I discovered gouache a couple of months ago and have enjoyed making friends with it. For those who are unsure about what it is, here is a link to Wiki's definition: Gouache.

Iron Springs Rd. Granite

16 x 20 - oil
The drive from Yarnell to Prescott Arizona has a variety of landscape elements. I am always happy when the large granite boulder formations start to appear the closer I get to Prescott. I've pulled over many times to take photos in different light. This particular formation is quite striking and sits a ways off the road.

Private Boulders

16 x 20 - oil

As I explored my neighborhood after the fire, I was able to see granite boulders I might possibly have never seen. These had a house in front of them that is no longer there. A new house is planned in the future, but for now, these private boulders are wonderful to see. 

First Spring Daffodils

12x12 inches - oil on canvas

Just a week after a big snow, these daffodils were out reaching for the sun. I knew there would be many more so I picked them for a painting. Remember the scene in the movie Dr. Zhivago, when Spring came and the fields were full of daffodils? I love that scene!

Sun Sparkled Boulders

24x18 oil on canvas

My Dad and I hiked up to the top of St. Joseph's Shrine on a beautiful warm February day. While hiking down, I turned and saw these back-lit granite boulders and cactus with the sunlight sprinkling through.

Skull Valley Garage, AZ

30x24 oil on canvas

There are two ways to travel from Prescott to Yarnell. If I go Iron Springs Road, I travel through Scull Valley and Kirkland. There is never much traffic on this road, so I stopped in the road and took this photo of the garage in Fall. The old reddish pink gas pumps are always a delight to spy when I round this corner.

Carefree Cactus

18 x 24 inches - oil on canvas

When heading to the valley from the hills, I take Carefree Highway across from the 60 to 17. If you lived in Arizona you would know these roads. Carefree Hwy is about 30 miles long and is a wonderland of the Sonoran Desert with every shape and size saguaro and cholla cactus. I love this drive and usually have my camera in my lap - ready.

High Desert October

 18 x 24 inches - pastel

 For almost a year I've had the wonderful good fortune to live on a hill in Peeples Valley, Arizona. My dog Zig and I have hiked all over this hill, following donkey trails left by the six donkeys that lived here before we came. In October, walking south from the garden, I came upon this lovely small ravine that I had walked before. This time it was quite a different view with the cottonwood trees that grow beside Model Creek dressed in their bright yellow Fall colors, plus the many shades of blues and greens and the manzanitas adding a wonderful purple to the mix.

Clouds Over Prescott, AZ

14x11 inches - oil on canvas
It was 32 degrees, according to my car, as I reached Skyline Drive outside of Prescott to help some friends who were selling their long held retreat cabin with a view. There were small bits of snow on the ground and the clouds were putting on a spectacular show. Once again I enjoyed working with the paint using my pallet knife. Taking a photo of a pallet knife painting can be a bit tricky. How the sun hits the paint really changes the colors and the tiny shadows of the paint.

Yarnell Hill Saguaro

8x10 oil on canvas

Yarnell Hill Saguaro - 2

8x10 oil on canvas

Saguaro's are other-worldly. As you climb Yarnell Hill on Hwy 89, and you reach a certain elevation, if you look quickly you can spot a few tall saguaros. This one was accompanied by a lovely shadow falling on a large granite boulder and all the wonderful early Fall colors.

Hwy 89 Up Yarnell Hill

10x8 inch - oil on canvas

Artichoke - NFS

6x8 acrylic on panel

My friend Jerry asked me to paint a veggie for a collection of paintings she is collecting from friends to use as a backsplash behind her stove. There wasn't an artichoke in the group, so that's what I chose.  Using acrylics is new to me and I loved how they dried so fast and was easy to layer up the colors. More fun for me - Yea!

Morning Moon Too

5x7 inches - oil on panel

Unbeknownst to us, my friend and I both took photos of the morning moon. After she sent me hers, I remembered mine.

My painting of hers was posted a few days ago (see below) and here is my painting of mine.

Sunrise Surprise

14x11 inches - oil on canvas

Here is another pallet knife painting, which involves applying paint like Spackle, which equals fun.

After many days of clear sky mornings, I wandered out onto my East-facing porch before sunrise. The sky that surrounded me was breathtaking. I ran back in the house, grabbed my camera, and ran around like a mad woman looking for the best vantage point to take several panoramic series of shots. More paintings to come of it I'm sure.

Elephants - SOLD

4 x 4 feet - oil on board

Morning Moon - SOLD

5x7 inches - oil on panel

I visited my friend in California recently. When I walked in her front door, on the wall beside the front door hangs three of my "Slice of Life" series paintings: Pink Roses, Lettuce and Texas Longhorn.
I was immediately drawn in to their color, life and detail. "Wow," I said, "those are cool." She agreed.

Back to the pallet knife she goes. My friend in Chandler, AZ sent me a picture she shot with her iPhone, standing outside her place of work early one morning. There is something about using the knife like a pencil, or pastel - stroking the paint rather than brushing it - tiny details of movement. Fun.

Moon Phases

8x10 illustration created in Photoshop

I've become energized by some star gazing lately. As a little girl I learned to love the stars from my Dad who pointed out a few constellations and challenged me and my siblings to spot satellites. I've watched for those constellations throughout my life and love the feeling I get when I spot them. I've recently expanded my repertoire and can now identify quite a few constellations and name many major stars.

A friend called me recently and we chatted about the names of the moon phases. I've thought of doing an illustration of them for a long time, so, a few days ago I surrendered to the urge and happily did a rather messy drawing/acrylic of the moon phases. The next day I spent a day playing in Photoshop and created what I have posted here.

Do you recognize the constellation in the middle? Happy star gazing!

Scooter

10x10 oil on canvas

As I mentioned in an earlier post, discovering books on CD has boosted my easel time. Well, I went to pick up some books on CD from my friend Mike a few days ago. He wasn't home, but Scooter was, and we got to visiting. Scooter is so darn cute that a picture was in order and he didn't mind a bit when I asked him to move a little forward for a good shot.

Last night I was listening to a book and started Scooter's portrait - finished it today. Isn't Scooter just too, too?!
 

Traveling Art - SOLD

Title: Side of the Road Study - Not For Sale
11x14 oil on canvas

On a drive from Alpine to Yarnell, Arizona, at the turn of the new year 2012, my traveling companion Zig and I pulled off the road when I spotted this view. She ran around happily while I took pictures. I did this painting shortly after returning.

It helped me see a larger painting which I painted a few weeks later. This version was set aside and finally found a frame and wall in Peeples Valley. This weekend it will be going to a new home in Chandler, Arizona.

Desert Oasis - SOLD

20x16 oil on canvas

I live in a beautiful place. Built by Russ and Roxie Barringer, I have been fortunate to be able to live in their high desert homestead while they live temporarily in California.

After stepping out the beautiful leaded glass front door, if you turn to the left, this desert oasis pond is what you'll hear and see. It has a waterfall that splashes and flows to a second pond below, both full of hungry goldfish. Now, just imagine a herd of wild javelina coming down the steps, colorful dragonflies zooming above the water, then lift your eyes and see the purple-blue mountains in the vista beyond. If there is a breeze, you'll also hear the deep tones of the whole-tone chimes sent me, for my birthday, by my friend Jack. I'm a grateful gal.

Bradshaw Mountains

12x9 inches / oil on canvas

As I stand on my front porch and look East, the Bradshaw Mountains are the ever-changing backdrop of my vista. They reflect the changing atmosphere from morning to night and are especially magnificent when cloud shadows moving across them. While driving down my hill which is part of the Weaver Mountains (to the West of Highway 89) I had to stop and take some pictures.

Before starting this painting I had a large sheet of sand paper on my easel - ready to start another pastel. While looking through my reference photos I came across this shot of the Bradshaw Mountains. It was clearly a painting and I grabbed a canvas and jumped in. Sometimes, the subject, the pallet of paint, the brushes and the canvas all merge easily. Hallelujah!

Agave Blue - SOLD (Giclée Prints Available)

12x12 inches / pastel on sand paper

Playing in the pastels again... heaven!

Would you like a 12x12 inch giclée print? It's $60 which includes shipping. Just click the Buy Now button and it should be to you in about two weeks.

High Desert Beauty

12x7 inches / pastel on sandpaper

Getting out the pastels was wonderful. I haven't worked with them for over a year as I've been making friends with oils (we know each other better now but not quite best friends.) Yes, there's the pastel dust and the stained fingers and the many trays of pastels spread around and the fun with glass and framing and iffiness about shipping... but I love them anyway.

 

Beyond the Patio

12x12 inches / oil on canvas

Here is another painting started a few weeks ago and finished yesterday. I painted it standing on my front porch looking North just beyond the patio. I have fantastic vistas everywhere I turn, but this particular view was full of so many different greens I was baffled at first. I remember, "Just keep going!" as my dear friend Mezzo once told me and sometimes, somehow, it comes together. Each completed painting feels like cause for a celebration these days.
 

Iron Springs Road, AZ - SOLD

30x24 inches / oil on canvas

I'm one of those people who take photos as I'm driving and I took this on my return from a shopping trip to Prescott through Scull Valley on Iron Springs Road. As the high desert sun is sinking low it turns the ancient granite into majestic illuminated wonderment. I've always loved this particular formation. This painting was started quite a while back and was finally finished today. Yea.

High Desert Clouds and Shadows

 7x5 inches - oil on board

 
 5x7 inches - oil on board

 
 7x5 inches - oil on board

 I see my last post was February. Since then I have painted, written music, moved on top of a hill in Peeples Valley, Arizona, joined a book club and made a lot of new friends. Another thing I've been doing a lot of is looking around. The vistas outside my windows call me (and my little dog Zig) to step outside and experience these awesome high desert landscapes. Last week clouds were added to my delight and I got inspired to get outside and do some quick studies. That's what these three small paintings are about. I was standing on my front porch which faces the East. The third one was about the colors as the sun is starting to set behind the house, and turns the clouds a sweet pink.

Sunset Granite

30x24 inches oil on canvas

There is a ladder attached to the side of huge granite boulder that you climb to get to this spot. I didn't carry Ziggy (my little Rat Terrier dog) up the ladder but she managed to run around it until she found a way up. We had a great time taking photos up there and just sitting and looking out at the amazing granite boulder hills all around. The light just before sunset is amazing.

Side Of The Road - SOLD

16 x 20 inches oil on canvas

For me this is just happiness on canvas.

Hwy 89 To Yarnell, AZ

24 x 30 inches oil on canvas
I've been painting, just not producing finished paintings, but, this one I am calling finished.

I had a vision of a version of this painting back in October 2011. After arriving in Yarnell, and seeing this great bush called "Desert Broom," it called out, "Paint me!" I just love seeing these bushes on the side of the road. People from around here call them weeds, but to me, it's one of the beauties of winter.