CRANE FESTIVAL: ALBUQUERQUE

 CRANE FESTIVAL…..photos taken with my iPhone.

      I am very blessed to live so near the Rio Grande, within walking distance of it and the Open Space fields for the wintering geese and cranes.  Many of you followed my blog during September's thirty day challenge to paint thirty paintings in thirty days and on those blog posts I talked about the flyway, the sorghum fields and my wait for the birds.

     This weekend the Open Space center held many activities, including music, a play, and art activities for the kids.

Juniper in Autumn

"Juniper in Autumn", 6x8 Little Gem, oil on black gessoed board, with black edge.

If you follow my blog you know I live within walking distance of the Rio Grande.  All of the river front is native habitat and protected by the state park system.  I had no idea the trouble I was about to encounter when I decided to paint the tree.  Over and over I experienced failure.  Finally I took my canvas chair and my sketch book and sat in front of the tree until I understood it and could sketch it.  Not a tree; a BUSH!

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Sketch with finished painting

Back up photo reference

CORRALES ADOBE WALL AND GATE III

CORRALES ADOBE WALL AND GATE III

    This Little Gem (6x8 oil on black gessoed board) is the third in my series of this house, wall and gate.  I chose to paint this setting from different angles and light.  Here the light is late morning; the wall is still is shadow but not for much longer as the sun has lit the foreground quite a bit.

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Acequia en otono SOLD

Acequia en otono
Little Gem
6x6 oil on canvas mounted

Acequia en Otono  SOLD

    "irrigation ditch in autumn"

    The colors along this ditch sing.  They are vivid, lively and joyful.  The ditch was surging with water and will continue to have water in it only until November 1st.  Then I guess it's time for the fields and streams to rest for four months of winter.

     I don't ride my bike along here as much as I like to walk.  This trail leads to the Open Space Center which has viewing platforms to watch the wintering birds without interrupting their life.  Just a few geese have arrived; no big birds yet.

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