Where do they stand when it is white and cold?

I am the person who always wonders about the details when I think of a lot of historic events or places. I want to know where the plumbing is in Versailles and if the residents had privacy for a moment alone? I also am the person who wonders- How cold were they? What kind of mittens, mufflers and boots did the artists who are plein aire painters in the winter wear?

Where was Monet, when in 1891, he painted "Haystack Winter, Giverny"? Was he standing in the field on a cold frozen earth? Or did he design a carriage or buggy with warm thermoses of soup and coffee? He did make a special boat upon which he painted his garden ponds.



I think it is possible Gustave Caillebotte was in his studio when in 1878 he painted "Vue de toits(Effet de Neige)", View of Rooftops(Snow Effect).

A man clearly after my own heart, interested in art and moderate comfort.

Lets fast forward to this century and one of my mentors, the Kansas artist, Robert Sudlow. Where is he in a car or a truck when he records these cold bleak winter days which surround Lawrence, Kansas?



Yesterday we experienced a slow purposeful drop of fluffy, white, gold. An October snow fell resolutely dropping 15 " in my back yard. I decided to paint it. Here is the back story. I set myself up with coffee, easel a comfortable chair and a golden retriever at my feet at the terrace window -looking out at sparkling wonder.

My painting friend, Aspen, enjoying the day.

Interior Twists and Turns

If you haven't seen the new Hamilton wing of the Denver Art Museum or the neighboring buildings be prepared for an adventure of angles and geometry.

Not only are there sculptures to engage the eye in the center of town but Michael Graves' designed Public Library with pyramid shaped towers. Across the street is the castle -crenalated Gio Ponti wing of the Art Museum and now the angled walls of the new Hamilton wing. These angled walls not only have presented new solutions for hanging art but are forcing builders to prepare the pitched roof for the upcoming freezing and thawing of the winter.

Inside the museum is in the process of mounting an exhibit which is to open officially in November. It is entitled "EMBRACE", and is a site specific installation. It has 17 artists who are designing special works for the space of the new wing. Four artists are from Colorado and the rest are international. What makes this even more unique are the possibilities of watching the various artists as they create their work. Katharina Gosse worked on a fork lift while she spray painted up 4 story angled walls.

John McEnroe made resin and nylon sculpture which hang down from the angled walls and lino cuts make arching lines across walls. I went to see a large metal tapestry being readied for hanging. This tapestry is made from metal foil wrapping found on beer bottles by African artist El Anatsui. He sent this very large piece all folded neatly in a 2'x3' cardboard box. He leaves it up to the participating museum to hang and manipulate the tapestry to fit the space. I will go next week and show the finished result- this is the back of the piece-what will the front look like?

Over the Top

Last weekend my husband and I went flying over the Rockies from Denver to Monte Vista. We flew in a plane piloted by a friend and got to look at turning golden Aspen leaves from far above. I am always astounded by the color schemes of nature. We looked down at mustard gold, deep forest green, inky navy blues and burst out into the sandy golden desert of the San Luis valley marked by irrigation rondelles.

Always when I am high above the world looking at the clouds I think of Georgia O'Keefes interpretation of clouds which she saw while traveling during the 60's. This is "Sky Above Clouds IV" by Georgia O'Keefe and I believe it can be seen at the Chicago Art Institute.

Another cloud image which makes me smile is painted in pastel by my longtime friend, artist, Eugenie Torgerson. entitled "One Perfect Day". Checkout: blog.eugenietorgerson.com.

Leonardo Da Vinci said that clouds were " bodies without surface"

If clouds are bodies without surface then mountains are bodies filled with surface.

I also discovered for cloud lovers this site which you can explore for poetry, visuals et al. http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org

Enjoy!!

Soft air/Golden sight

Sitting in my garden painting sunflowers when all of a sudden I looked around and said "something is different here," It is the air, it is quieter and lighter." I think the autumn light is quieter and oddly enough it creates the perfect setting for sunflowers.

My sunflowers must stretch tall to reach the sun as I have such a shady yard. I also must gaurd against the crafty, wily squirrels who run the ridge of my fence and want to fly up to the seed pod seeking a lunch which would prepare them for winter.

My father grew sunflowers and would measure across the center to see how large he could grow them. When I moved away from home sunflower seeds followed and I have planted them everywhere I have lived even Okinawa, Japan. I've also painted them everywhere in France, Italy and now here.

Leaving Summer behind

The green in my garden is changing. Thought you would enjoy the sight.

New colors and the yellows and reds are beginning to arrive.

I hope this pumpkin plant called Musque de Provence will have enough time to grow before the snows . I am keeping our ravenous squirrels at bay.

While looking around I spied this harbinger of Autumn in my Plum tree. (Red) I hear the Aspen are already yellow above Kremmling. Here in my yard near the foothills, it is coming, how do I know? The hummingbirds came down from the mountains stayed for awhile and have left.

I like this thought one which John Logan observed long ago as he lived between 1748-1788.

"Behold congenial Autumn comes the Sabbath of the Year".

Where did summer go?

My summer was spent in watching wild and tame animals. Our garden has always held for the past 11 years, one gray and one golden animal. As soon as its spring the gray animal sticks his head out the door and the neighboring birds begin to scream their warnings to nesting birds. But Samra had a new winged neighbor this year. A pair of Coopers' hawks nested in our neighbors tree and raised 3 babies. Each morning we were awakened to the high scree! of their hunting call. One rainy evening one very wet hawk sat on our porch in need of a hair dryer.

Finally our golden retreiver who patiently watched all of these comings and goings died this summer of cancer. She was a beautiful frequently calm golden, although she loved to catch popcorn and was known to occasionally nibble on a good book. Lady McLeod, aka Mackie was particularly fetching when she wore her purple scarf, complementary colors of course complement. " No one...appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as a dog does." Christopher Morley, 1890-1957

Check out " The Artful Dog: Canines" from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Defining Taosian structures

One of the most defining structures of Taos, New Mexico are the mountains which surround it. These mountains have provided security and spiritual sustenance to the Tiwa Indians for over 1000 years. When I first saw these beautiful blue mountains about 25 years ago I knew I would have to keep coming back. I have set in front yards, back yards, street corners, dusty roads and painted the elusive cloud shadows as they have moved over the blue mountains.Many have loved this "enchanted circle" and when they think of Taos they think of adobe structures framing the mountains. There are other structures which define Taos and my husband and I had fun discovering them earlier in the summer.

Eleven miles north of Taos, pushing down into the crust of the earth, exists the yang of the Blue mountains. This is the Rio Grande Gorge which you get to by crossing "the bridge to nowhere" on Hwy 64. This gorge sinks down into the earth braced by black/red rocks marching up its side.
If you continue driving west on Hwy 64 you will eventually come upon a community of dwellings called "earthships". Stop take a tour and find out what true sustainability could be.These are homes built from recyclable materials which allow there owners to live "off the grid".

Taos as I said before is known for its adobe dwellings the Tiwa Pueblo being the first and foremost but then there are haciendas and simple dwellings all over. One of the most iconic adobe structures is the San Francisco de Asis church made famous in a painting by Georgia O'Keefe.

On many of my trips between Taos and Arroyo Seco I have wondered what was the story about a most curious structure on the west side of the road soon after you leave the "blinking light" turn off. Curious because it is not adobe but wooden and painted here and there and takes on sort of a higglety piggelty appearance from the road. Well now I know. Currently it is a Bed and Breakfast and we stayed there. Originally it was the last of three home/studios which the artist Charles C. Stewart built and lived in before he moved onto Mexico in the 1980's. He was constructing and modifying from about 1947 when he came to work with like-minded artists. The Stewart house is truly an interesting structure for Taos but one can see there are many singular structures amongst the quiet adobes.

Taos is a place where artists came seeking the clear air, the closeness with the natural. The larger part of the historyof Taos in the 2oth century has been related to the visual artists who finally learned why the ancient Tiwa and then the Spanish were captivated by the "Enchanted Circled"