Morning Grand Canyon #3613 by Candy Barr

24 x 24 inches Oil on Canvas  SOLD

This was done on location, beginning at sunrise with the early morning light and shadows still coming into canyon.   Previously posted, but I thought it related to yesterday's post of the desert wash with the deep morning shadows. 
Painting on site at the Grand Canyon is extraodinary.. so much to see and get lost in...magnificence the scale....

Grand Canyon Sunset #21613 by Candy Barr

24 x 24 inches Oil on canvas SOLD

Painting the Grand Canyon is similar to being in a meditative state..  although this one is unavailable, I  have another in the works. 

Sunset #21413 by Candy Barr

 

 5 x 7 x 1.5 inches Oil on gallery wrapped canvas (no frame needed)

Coming home from Glendale plein air, the Arizona sky was sensational.  

We don't see sunsets like this in Vermont.

 

First run before getting darks up...



 $99 + S/H $10

Portrait in Lace #2313 by Candy Barr

 16 x 20 inches Oil on canvas

Detail

 Here's a lovely version of same model by Jong Lee from Tempe AZ.  It's hanging in the Scottsdale
Artist's School Best & Brightest Show Jan - Mar 2013 (to purchase call SAS: $800 framed)

detail

Around the Bend -#11113 by Candy Barr

8 x 10 inches Oil on canvas board

$175.+ S/H $12. 

So to further elaborate on light presence with blog posts....aside from having to get new laptop, and set up, I had to develop new systems for containing all my photos on external hard drive along with another one for back up.  And then merge my iphoto and Aperture programs, and now I have to learn about Aperture, and consolidate 5 years of photos, albums and files into smooth group.

But really my other excuse for being absent aside from having all the technical difficulties, is that not only have I gained a daughter in law in the last year and a half, I'm now a grandmother!  And I don't have to describe all the wonders and thrills to fellow grandparents. This transition gave me 6 trips to Los Angeles: to an engagement party, a bridal shower, a wedding,  a baby shower, the baby's arrival, and renovation of new home and more baby... I'm heading out again next week too because renovation of kitchen still in progress...It's been a great distraction from posting on blog during that time period.

Let's see what the new year brings!

Perhaps the distance has given me better handling of values and color!

Bulldog Wash - #11013 by Candy Barr

6 x 6 inches Oil on birch plywood. SOLD

$99. S/H $12

This was painted last year, but I changed the mountains and sky...

Saguaro Lake Sunrise - #12011A

8 x 10 inches Oil on canvas board SOLD

Riding Home - #111711A

6 x 6 inches Oil on board

$125. + S/H

To purchase this painting click on the Buy Now button below and follow the instructions

Boojum Tree & Adobe

12 x 12 inches Oil on canvas

This is part of the original home of the Websters who gave their estate to become Phoenix's Desert Botanical Gardens. Some of the original cacti and plants came from Baja CA in 1940.




Here was the underpainting from same spot last year.



And here is the first one I did three years ago. Note that the tall cactus in the middle is now gone from the garden alas.

Table Mesa

16 x 20 inches Oil on canvas

Raining day but just set up the umbrella in this lovely spot. A week earlier the water was side to side in this vista and behind me the road was destroyed with piles of rocks carried down in the last high water. Evidently a ditched old pick up truck is no longer there... somewhere further down the river!

Stalwart Soldier

8 x 10 inches Oil on canvas board

Doing the demo for my plein air class this morning at 8 am. It was 38 degrees when I set up. By noon it was 50 and the coats were off!

Saguaro with Four Peaks

8 x 10 inches Oil on canvas board

A little plein air going on after sunrise. It started out pretty dark and 48 degrees but no wind.
never really took off any clothing layers, as it was overcast most of the morning.
Outrageously peaceful and wonderful to be in Tonto State Park with the only concern being what am trying to convey in my painting? After coming home, it occurs to me after it dries, that I might clean up a saguaro or two, as the wet on wet can get tricky. I can see how a studio version of this would allow me to glaze on the sky and feather the colors more before adding the foreground...perhaps this would have some merit.
At times I felt as if I were channeling Marsden Hartley ...apologizes to MH fans. It does wing you up through the process spontaneously.

Lost Dog Trail Cactii

8 x 10 inches Oil on canvas



Set up looking west

Back in Arizona painting finally. Takes a while to set up studio,
and settle in after driving across the country taking 2 weeks.

Nice to be back working!~ Thanks to Judy for inviting me to Lost Dog today..!

Bulldog Canyon Spring

16 x 20 inches Oil on canvas...

not quite there but a great day

16 x 20 inches Oil on canvas

Cisco ~ Horse portrait

8 x 10 inches Oil on canvas board ~ Final

Better contrast, brightened up, and
simplified composition

in process ~
at the rail which gets eliminated and the bit of building

Well they are a moving target, but it was surely fun
to paint studies of horses.


The riders come locally on Sunday mornings,
tie up their horse and have coffee together, having
riden together earlier.

The owners of these horses came out
and rode off before I could get the pinto in.

Superstition Mts

11 x 13 inches oil on canvas on birch

Painting this weekend in two day plein air workshop
of Amery Bohling who had Jeremy Lipking as her guest
(his figurative work is incredible).
Both of them are fabulous with the desert light.
My painting has some color she corrected for me,
so many thanks Amery!

Amery keeps her paints to a minimum taking only 6 colors:
ultramarine blue, Alizarin crimson, cadmium light,
cadmium yellow lt, Indian yellow, and titanium white
(and sometimes thalo green)


Premixing colors after the start of the sketch



The Superstition Mountains has the Lost Dutchman's Park
and lots of hiking trails.