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 IV

Corrales Adobe Wall and Gate IV

The last in the series of this gate and wall.  I have loved painting it for the past few days, daily painter that I am, so for the last painting, I am looking at this nearly straight on.  The Chamisa is in full bloom, while the background cottonwood tree is quickly turning yellow.

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Corrales Adobe Wall and Gate IV
Little Gem 6x8
oil on black gessoed board

Paseo del Bosque Trail: SALE PROCEEDS DONATED TO FRIENDS OF THE BOSQUE

Paseo del Bosque Trail
Little Gem
6x8 oil on canvas mounted

PASEO DEL BOSQUE TRAIL
   
This trail runs along the Rio Grande and just a few blocks from the sorghum field grown for the wintering birds.  The sorghum field is ready for harvest but hasn't been prepared.

Many of you have been following my bike adventures and my watchful eye for the big birds migrating south.  The sandhill cranes have
arrived but due to government shutdown, all fish and wildlife employees have been furloughed leaving the birds' winter habitat unprepared and with little for the birds to eat.  The sandhill crane is a species that nearly vanished in the early 20th century before efforts were made to restore their habitat.  For more information on Friends of the Bosque del
Apache National Wildlife Refuge, click here.

All proceeds from the sale of Paseo del Bosque Trail will be donated to Friends of the Bosque.  Click here to purchase on dailypaintworks.com

Sorghum Harvest
Little Gem
6x8 oil on canvas mourned

SORGHUM HARVEST II

Additionally all proceeds from the sale of Sorghum Harvest II will be donated to Friends of the Bosque.  Please help get these fields prepared for the birds.

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Desert Plants in Bloom VI SOLD

Desert Plants in Bloom VI
Little Gem 6x8
oil on canvas mounted

DAY 13 of the thirty day challenge...closing in on the halfway mark...

Purple and green...desert colors?  Well, they must be as I am off to the side of the bike trail taking a photo.  Some riders don't understand what I am doing and most days somebody asks me if I am all right.  There are walkers on the trail with cameras.  They understand the beauty of the desert.

I would love to know the names of these desert plants so I could tell you.  When I did a google search, I got names, scientific and otherwise, but no photos.   Now how is that supposed to help me?

I find myself rarely using a brush anymore.  Almost all of my thirty paintings are palette knife paintings.

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DESERT PLANTS IN BLOOM I, Day five of thirty day challenge

Desert Plant in Bloom I
6x8 Little Gem
Oil on canvas, mounted

I love to ride my bike as I live near the Rio Grande River along which there is a wonderful bike trail.  I leave very early in the morning to get my exercise out of the way for the day so I can paint daily for the thirty day challenge.  Being out there so early, I see morning sun on the native desert plants with beautiful shadows.  

The beautiful native plants grow along side the levee bike trail.

Available for auction at the link under the photograph.

Taking my own photo with my iPhone

Hard to tell but the trail is a levee as well

Santa Fe Adobe V, Day Four of Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge

Santa Fe Adobe V
6x8 oil on canvas, mounted

SANTA FE ADOBE V, oil on canvas, mounted on Masonite suitable for framing or display on a tabletop easel.  Day Four of the Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge



Isn't this organic natural wall interesting?  I would have liked to watch it being built.  This type of wall is very prevalent in Santa Fe, but walls are found around property throughout the state.  It may just be the style, but I was told they were built to keep out rattlesnakes.  I have lived in NM for 45 years and have never seen a rattlesnake.

The Russian Olive tree inside the wall is messy and thisrty.  It doesn't belong in the desert and is considered by some to be a nuisance.  Yet it is a very beautiful tree with an incredible fragrance in the spring.

To purchase, click on the click on the photo.

Santa Fe Adobe, Day Three of Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge

   Santa Fe Adobe II 6x8 oil on canvas, mounted on Masonite
     Day Three of Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge


Even though the elevation of Santa Fe is over 7000 feet which makes it somewhat cooler, it can get hot there as well.  It is a desert unless there is irrigation.  This painting is very typical of the architecture of the houses and walls.  On half the wall you can see the adobe blocks exposed...before the stucco fell off.

This was the second painting of this house; the first was done in plein air.  Hot, hot, hot and no shade.

To purchase, click on the link under the photograph.

Santa Fe Adobe II
6x8, oil on canvas, mounted on hardboard

SIGN UP FOR MY RAFFLE

Spring Light
6x8  oil on canvas mounted

Sign up for my Raffle

I’ve decided to offer one of my Daily Paintings for subscribers to my blog.  Subscribe there and you will receive email notifications whenever I post a new painting to my DailyPaintworks for auction. In September I am participating in lesliesaeta.blogspot.com Thirty Paintings in Thirty Day challenge.  I am really excited about this.

And all subscribers will automatically be entered into the raffle, to be drawn October 1, 2013.   There is also a link to my blog www.carolhopper.blogspot.com on my website.


Sorry this painting is sold.

My Petite Studio.

Every day painting is critical for developing artistic skills; therefore I can be found in my tiny well organized studio.  Everything is at my fingertips including my iced tea.  Two drawers open to become my taboret on which I put my palette.  A drawer full of brushes are to the left, a stretched arm length away.  Upper cabinets  in front of and behind me hold everything an oil painter needs.  The maximum number of steps I can take in my studio is exactly FIVE.

I feel fortunate to have a tiny space.

www.carolhopper.com