Transitioning Topography

Transitioning Topography, oil on Arches oil paper, 12x16"

The reference photo for this painting was taken somewhere after the Rockies, heading west, when the topography becomes more sculptural and red. Nature rocks!

It has been a nice week off from painting, but I am ready to get back to it. I have been cleaning and reorganizing my studio. I bought a large metal tool chest to hold my palette and turp on top and to hold all my paints and chemicals in the drawers and underneath. It came unassembled.  All I can say is, it took me over a week to do it. Never again. But then again, never say never!

Farther

Farther, oil on gessoed watercolor paper, 6x8"

Day 17, 30 paintings/30 days

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These cliffs of slowly wind-eroding rocks from southeast Utah have become a favorite of mine to paint.  I took hundreds of photos when I was there at the end of the summer, but after careful examination stored them in a file after returning, due to a few failed attempts at painting them. They are so complex, one's first instinct is to try and capture every nook and cranny, which isn't possible. My interpretation took on a new freshness when I took a broader mindset, so to speak. The theme of this challenge has been "Looser", and that certainly applies to Farther.

Distance

Distance, oil on gessoed watercolor paper, 6x8"

Day 12,  30 paintings/30 days

I can't remember where I took this picture, but it did not get lost in the shuffle of the plethora of pics I took at the end of the summer. It signifies the vast, vast area of the American West. I would have named it Vast, but I've already used that title on another painting from the series :-)

Westward

Westward, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

While I was deciding where to trek to paint yesterday, I painted this from a photo reference from my summer trip. Still wish I was there. Sigh.

Road to Moab, 2

Heading into Moab, 2, oil on gessoed board, 9x12"

These red rocks are embedded into my heart. It is the same part of the chain from my pastel drawing Heading into Moab from earlier this week. The colors, formations, sage and sky speak for themselves. 

Heading into Moab

Heading into Moab, pastel on paper, 9x12"

I enjoyed the pastel sketches I did on site(s) during my trip trip.   I have been feeling under the weather today, so I decided to take a paint-break and work with pastels again. This "wall" of red rocks was one of the views on the twisty road into Moab.  I was taking non-stop photos as we rounded one amazing turn after the other. I liked them all, as usual :-)

Road to Moab

Road to Moab, oil on gessobord, 8x6"

I have put painting on hold for a couple of weeks, much to my chagrin, due to life's many circumstances. Today...free time!!! It has been fun going through all my photos of my recent 2 week "Department of the Interior" trip.  I was struggling with the way some of the photos turned out because I couldn't see a painting there. A few days ago, I was listening to a great radio show podcast called "Artist Helping Artist". The episodes are archived and when browsing, found one of my favorite contemporary painters, Karin Jurick, who lives in Atlanta. Karin did not study art in an academic way and has had an interesting path to where she is today - selling almost everything she paints. When asked about painting from photos her reply was, "I don't paint what's in the photo, I paint an interpretation of a scene that I photographed." In other words, it is simply a reference and the rest is up to you. I loved this and it struck a cord as I was struggling to find a handful of photos to paint. Road to Moab is painted from a photo that almost wasn't. The road was so twisty, that every other turn provided a spectacular view. I was erasing as many photos as the number I kept.  This photo had it all, foreground, middle and enough distance to satisfy me. And of course the twisty road....always one of my favorite subjects.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/celia-kelly/road-to-moab/408044

Wet Creek, Arches

Wet Creek, Arches, oil on gessobord, 6x8"

This is the first painting I have done since returning from my great Western tour. I have since returned to work, and helped two of my three children back to school. My third will begin College in a week. Sigh. I hate summers end.

One of the most amazing experiences while on my trip was being submerged in vast, open spaces....everywhere!  I have been to parts of the Southwest and Northwest, but the actual West put me on senses overload. I couldn't take it all in fast enough: the sky, the heights, the constant changes in geological formations and topography, the wind, the temperatures, the sun....

Here was the only bit of water to be found on a day that I hiked for an hour, in 108º. There were warning signs in Arches National Park advising hikers to carry at least two quarts of water each when hiking a three mile trail.  

Overall this painting makes me smile. The first of many to come from the trip.
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/celia-kelly/wet-creek-arches/404820

Capital Reef morning

Capital Reef Morning, pastel, 9x12"

This is a drawing I did while staying at the Capital Reef National Park lodging. This was my hotel view and it was breathtaking to open the door to this first thing in the morning. We took a horse trip all through the layers of this incredible park. I took a lot(A LOT!!!) of pictures of open range cows that added another dimension to the landscape. I'm in awe of Mother Earth

Red Rocks, Moab

Red Rocks, Moab, pastel, 5.5x8

It has been really liberating to be out of the studio in some ways. Doing these quick sketches from life is fun!  Here are massive red rocks from Moab, UT.  Because I worked on this for less than 20 minutes, I tried to convey the rock striations rather that get too detail-y.  Works better for my brain to sum up an area and work quickly.  These wide open spaces and fresh air are just what the doctor ordered. Now I know why Georgia O'Keefe stayed in Taos.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/celia-kelly/red-rocks-moab/402605