SANTA FE - INDIAN MARKET WEEKEND

Santa Ana Retablo

Santa Ana ~ Retablo on wood
purchased at Spanish Market
Santa Fe New Mexico ~ 2008

This is the most beautiful piece of art I have ever
acquired. The first in what I hope is many. The
colors are so soft, up close it is velvety.

She is the patron saint of mother and children
and families.

May you, your children and your family
find joy and happiness today.

THE BIG "IF" ~ LET'S GET REAL JUST FOR TODAY

On The High Road
Paula ~ 2007

If you could be anyone - just for today,
who would you be?

If you could go anywhere - just for today,
where would you go?

If you could say what was truly on your heart -
just for today,
what would you say?

If you could eat what you love - just for today,
what would you eat?

If you could change anything in the world - just for today,
what would you change?

So.................
???????????

FIND A PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL HAPPY

Along the Rio Grande
Paula ~ 2008

Find a place where you feel happy......
settle in.....
feel good

PAINTED BUILDINGS

Abuelita's Restaurant, Bernalillo New Mexico
Paula ~ 2008

Isn't this a charming touch?
There are, or I should say WERE
panel insets along the side of the building
with these wonderful paintings on them.

The restaurant did a remodel and these are
now gone.

What a pity.

It is Friday.
Here's hoping you have a restful and
happy weekend.

Catch you on Monday !!

NATURE'S ARTISTIC CREATIONS

GARDEN OF THE GODS ~ COLORADO
PAULA ~ 2008

Life is good......

And you????

GRANDMA TAKE A PICTURE OF ME !!!!!

IRIS HAVING LUNCH OUT WITH HER GRANDMA
Paula ~ 2008

Grandma take a picture of me with my hands on my head !

Grandma take a picture of me with my eyes closed !

Grandma take a picture of me sticking out my tongue !

And on, and on, and on it went,

hours of pure, electric, euphoric joy.

Such is being Iris' grandma.

THIS IS WHO ROCKS MY WORLD

THE GUY YOU LOVE TO HATE

A Dude With A Tude
Paper, Acrylic and Pen and Ink on 8 x 10 gallery wrap canvas
Paula ~ 2007

OMG, I nearly forgot.

You know how it is when there is someone who
is kind of abrasive, a real "know-it-all"
who likes to get in your face and take over
the whole show?

That kind of person you tend to try to put
out of your mind.
They aren't on your holiday card list, in your address
book or even on your radar screen.

AT ALL

Well, let me tell you, everyone at the
community coop feel that way
about this "Dude-With-a-Tude".
He's got major attitude.

BUT, I happen to think he is simply misunderstood.

I love him dearly.

I make him wanna be a better "Dude".

I'm off to Denver to see my sweet grand daughter
"Iris"
Oh yeah, and her parents too !

I'll be back Monday !

Love you, miss you already!

DON'T FORGET TO SCROLL BACK UP AND VOTE FOR
YOUR FAVORITE FOUL !!!

AND FINALLY.............

FRECKLES ~ ACRYLIC AND PEN ON 4X6 POSTCARD
PAULA ~ 2007

And finally,
the last but most certainly
not the least !!

This is Freckles,
her given name is
Francine but everyone in
the coop prefers "Freckles".
She's kind of shy,
she has a bit of a skin issue,
all those freckles have
brought her a lot of good hearted
teasing, alas she is a tender
and demure little chick and her
feelings get hurt easily.

I had a difficult time getting her
to agree to sit for the portrait,
and even then I had to keep getting
up from the easel to urge her back into
the room.........little sweetie that she is....

Anyone out there have advice for
boosting a chicks tender ego????

MEET JOHNSON

Johnson - Acrylic and pen on 4x6 postcard
Paula ~ 2007

This guy's name is Johnson.

He runs the yard.

Yeah, right.

No man ever runs the place !!!!

Tune in tomorrow for my
final installment
of
Chick-A Babes
On Parade !!!!

NESTOR ~ CHICKEN COOP MARTYR

Nestor ~ Acrylic on 4x6 postcard
Paula ~ 2007

I do have an entire coop of these little cuties !

Meet "Nestor".
Nestor is a homebody.
He likes to hang close to the nest and make sure
everyone has nice warm eggs.

While the chicks strut around the yard,
Nestor is the community martyr.....
"oh don't mind me, I don't mind missing out on all
the fun, I'll just stay home and keep the eggs warm"......"sigh"

Tune in tomorrow and meet yet another chicken coop celebrity !

And in the meantime, have a great day !

PUNKIE ~ ANOTHER ACRYLIC CHICK-A-BABE

PUNKIE
ACRYLIC ON 4X6 POSTCARD
PAULA ~ 2007

So have you figured out that I've got an entire
chicken coop of these little cuties ????????

Punkie likes to use a lot of that
spikey hair stuff......
I think she tends to get carried away
but hey, who am I to stand in the path
of great personal expression??

Happy Monday, all....

still asleep here, more later

DOTTIE THE ACRYLIC CHICK-A-BABE !!!

Dottie
Acrylic on 4x6 postcard
Paula ~ 2007

Meet Dottie, everyone!

She's a sweet Chick-A-Babe,
posted here today as my
tribute to Chewy

I don't know where Chewy
got that name
"Chick-A-Babe"
but I just adore it and her
art is something to admire as
well.

Today is Friday !
I hope to eat well,
drink in moderation,
have a kittie-nap,
and paint up a storm
this weekend !!!

P.S. I nearly forgot! I've
been joking about seeing the lizards
in my yard having sex. I really do have
better things to do, but I've been thinking a lot
about Kim's writing on the "slow life" so
I sit on my patio where life goes slooooow, which
means I see lizards having sex ~ I kid you not!
Well this morning there was a little baby lizard and
I'm betting there are more !!
I hope to get a photo.......isn't that too cool !

Have a great weekend. And hurry back !!

PICNIC SALAD A LA ACRYLIC ON POSTCARD

4X6 Acrylic and Ink on Postcard
Paula - 2007

This was the first recipe my son would make when he was around 5 years old.

I would measure it all and he would do the dumping and stirring......

his big delight was that salad spelled backwards is "dalas". His name is Dallas.

Make some salad and have a fun memory today.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Paula - 2007

Everyone must be consumed by summer activities !

Where are you ????

What's up?

AFTER THE MASTERS

For Pierre Delattre
Paula - 2007

I read somewhere that when the great masters trained their
students, that they would have the student copy one of
their paintings and it would be called "for Vermeer", or whomever
the master was......

There is an artist in Taos that I just love.

Pierre Delattre..........

His work is so full of joy and life.
I studied a very small corner of one of
his paintings and made this postcard painting from
what I saw. It was a fun process and I learned a lot
about my own style. Obviously I would NEVER copy
someone's work to sell .......

As I worked away on my little experiment, I thought about
Pierre and what he might have been thinking as he created
his paintings, where his inspiration came from, how he arrives
at his choices for color, is his life as joy-filled as his paintings,
does he only dream of such relationship
or is his life really like his work,
........good questions I will certainly ask
him the next time I'm in Taos !!!!

I encourage you to really look at those master's
works and attempt to learn from them.

Garden Art !!!!!!!!!!!!

Paula's Garden Gayfeathers
Paula ~ 2008

So I've determined that yes,
gardening is ART !!

Oh heck, you all know
me by now.....

To me EVERYTHING
is art !

These Gayfeathers were
planted last year and they looked
just horrible.....on death's door,
so to speak.

I'm sure glad I didn't dig them up
as my husband suggested because
this year they are just simply
beautiful ! And to think this is just
their first full season in my garden.
Imagine how they'll look when they are
established and BIGGER !!!!!!

!!! WOW !!!

FUNKY EGGPLANTS - ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

You might recall,
this is the first one.....

and here are the next two.............

I'd been working on both of these for some time now
and finally had an extended period of time
to finish up. I've used Golden
Matte Acrylic, and just love it.
This paint provides a beautiful Matte Finish.......
It reminds me a lot of gouache and egg tempera.
Lovely finish.

That yellow really photographed kind 0f harsh
it is really more of a soft Yellow Ocher

I had a great 4th of July holiday here in the
Great American Southwest

How about you??????

What have you been up the these past
few days????

TAKE A BREAK AND HAVE SOME FUN !!!

Audrey On Her Favorite Perch
Paula ~ 2008

Meet Audrey
incorrigible toddler kitty

Her favorite pass time is
playing on, in, under and
around her box

I'm going to take a few days
off from blogging and my
day job
to enjoy the 4th of July
holiday

I'll be painting up a storm and
hopefully I'll have
show and tell
when I return

Have fun and
MISS ME !!!!!

ART AND THE COLORS OF "HAPPY"

Window on Canyon Road, Santa Fe New Mexico
Paula - 2008

ACRYLIC GLAZE - ART IN THE SLOW LANE

Every now and then I come across someone who talks about slowing down.

Slower food,
slower fun,
slower life in general.

My recent fun with acrylic glazes really illuminated that
"slow"
concept for me.

When using such a thick glaze, getting impatient and
quickly stirring the mixture creates air bubbles.

Then the pouring is slow,
slowly spreading,
tilting,
waiting
for gravity to work it's magic.

Back to those air bubbles,
figuring out how to eliminate them
during
the pour
requires some patience
but I've found that if you use a pallet knife
you can scoop up a bit that has dripped off
and deposit it back on the surface
and
actually drag the air bubbles off the surface.
It takes patience.

Then there is the drying time.

So after all this,
I still have to sit back and look at what I've created,
not satisfied
and trying to decide
what should happen next
and whether I'll like the out come.

I'm not a time waster
so I want to be sure
before I go to all the trouble
to repeat the previous process !

And there is more about this
SLOOOOOOOWWWWWWW
concept ~

The other day I was laying in the grass looking up into the trees while I talked to my daughter-in-law on the phone.
Looking up,
looking up,
more looking up........
looking up for quite a while
when suddenly I realize what I'm seeing.
A pair of hummingbirds and their nest !!!!
Oh my god,
I was astounded !!!!

Hummingbird Mommy !

(bad photo but the best I could do on a windy day with my little camera)
Paula - 2008

What do we miss when
we are in an everyday sort of rush to get there,
get it done,
move on to the next thing
on our to-do list?

Just something to think about on these
warm,
lazy,
summer afternoons.

Is there a tree nearby?
Can you take some time to stretch out and just watch ????

I highly recommend it.

CRAZY FOR GLAZE ??????????

TO GLAZE OR NOT TO GLAZE (click for a larger image)
PAULA - 2008

Top photo - nearly no glaze at all

Bottom photo - super thick, poured on glaze
made from soft gloss gel, matte gel, water,
fine gold and interference blue (a la Nancy Reyner).

Aside from the fact that the bottom
one was a bear to photograph, I *think*
I like it.

I'm not so sure how a person
would take adequate photos
to represent and sell online, this seems
to be a more in-person
presentation.

I've been having lots of fun with glazes
and playing with some small 4 x 4
canvas covered boards. They do have
a faux encaustic look without having to
run out and stock a whole studio wtih
encaustic supplies, not to mention the
durability factor increases dramatically with
the acrylic glazes.

Kim uses a lot of glazes in her work and so
is the main inspiration for me trying out this process.

LIFE IS ART - LIVE IT LIKE A MASTERPIECE

Santa Fe
Paula - 2008

So I'm wandering around Santa Fe.
Just a couple of blocks off the plaza,
taking photos.
There is so much to see -
a visual paradise.

When I stop dead in my tracks

This just can't be.........

I see a sign posted over a shop door
that says
"No Photographs"

Too bad,
beautiful building.

Are they just being cranky?
Too many tourists?
Maybe it is time to get
out of the business.
I sure hope these folks
don't track me down for
taking this photo, I did it before I saw
the sign.......(I'm sorry)

Like I said,
too bad.

Life is art,
live it like a
masterpiece!


Keep It Simple
and
Be Nice

ACRYLIC GLAZES

Acrylic glaze on 4 x 6 postcard stock
Paula - 2008

OK folks, I've looked at Kim's work over at
Creating Space
a million times.
Read her posts about
layer upon layer
of glaze.

Why I didn't act sooner is a mystery to me.

Why do you want something,
have all the resources to make it happen
and still not act?

My husband once said
"well I can understand why you
might think you aren't good enough to have that"
(he really knows how to push the buttons).

I've always believed that we are our own worst enemy
so last night I decided to get the heck out of my own way
and ...............
crack open the bottle of glaze and have a go at it.

What fun !

I didn't get too wild, but as least I got started.
This is going to be a fun weekend.
I can just feel it !!!!!!!!!!!!

What about you?
Are you good enough?
Will you satisfy some
inner urge you've
been resisting for
some unknown reason?

Go for it !

AN ARTIST AT A STOP LIGHT.................

Bernalillo, New Mexico
Paula - 2008

Where are you going?

What are your plans?

Do you live life on the fly
or are you a planner?

I'm a little bit of both.

I took this photo as kind
of a study in perspective
but later it held many
thoughts for me,
~as an artist, what do I want~
~what do I want to convey in my work~
~how will I know what to do next~

The road for me isn't clear,
I don't think it is for anyone,
.................really....................

For today though,
I hope your road
leads to joy, love,
satisfaction
and
whatever is most
dear to you!

Studio Photos and Creative Thoughts

Santa Fe Eggplants - Violet
14 x 18 gallery wrap canvas
Paula ~ 2008
(click image to enlarge)

I like showing you my art with photos
from my studio - it just
seems more natural and creative
to display them on the easel

I'm on a bit of a roll here with these
acrylic on canvas abstracts

The blue one in the background
was my first installment
in this series

What do you think?

What feelings arise in you
when you view this art?

Am I out to lunch?

Have I tilted in the wind
just a bit too far?

For some reason these paintings
help me to relax and just let
my creativity flow.

And, on the topic of
creativity.......

Just yesterday Kim over at
Creating Space
were exchanging emails and
she really got me to thinking about
creativity - a lot of questions came up for me

Where does creativity originate?
What is creativity? Just art, or maybe also
cooking, science, music, mowing your lawn?
Who epitomizes creativity for you?
Jackson Pollack, Salvadore Dali,
Tiger Woods,
Bill Gates?

I can't begin to know the answers
but I'd sure love to know what
your thoughts are on the subject
of creativity !!!

Maybe it is the idea of so
few rules, maybe it is the
idea of "fun"...........

Comments?
I'd like to know
what you think!

GOURD BIRDHOUSES !!!!

So here are the birdhouses made
from gourds. I don't know how
well they'll hold up in the weather,
but they are cheerful and I like them.

A friend asked me if I thought birds
would really use them. Heck, I don't know,
I just like the way they look !!!

Now just need to get them positioned
in the yard.

I think if you click on the image
you can see it enlarged.

THE ARTISTS ADVENTURE

Gate On Rio Grande Paula - 2008

The artist ran away from her day job
and along the winding road
it came to be that she
encountered a wall with a gate

She wondered what could be
beyond that gate
it seemed formidable
so whatever was on the other
side must be of great value

Would it be
fortune?

Would it be fame?

Stardust from heaven
instead of rain?

And then she saw the lock
and all hopes
were dashed.

That night she dreamt
she could click her heels
and float over the wall,
but just when the other side
came into view
she awoke.

Fortunes don't live behind
a wall waiting to be discovered.

Fame isn't all it's cracked up
to be and in reality
who needs fame anyway, you
just end up on the front of
scandal magazines.

And as my friend Annie
reminded me,
we are all made of
stardust.

GOLDEN PAINT DEMO

Artisan's Art Supply Demo Room

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Paula ~ 2008

This past Saturday I attended a Golden Paint/Product
demo at my local Artisans Art Supply store.
Nancy Reyner is a local (Santa Fe) artist who also does these demos for Golden.
Nancy is an amazing artist
she oozes creativity
and at this demo she was a great inspiration for me.
I love painting with acrylics and in particular
their line of heavy body matte paints.
They give the look of tempera or gouache
which I am partial to.

I was particularly encouraged that
I actually
understood most of what
Nancy talked about !!!

Sometimes we don't give ourselves the credit we are due.
~doesn't matter what area of life ~
you are a smart and creative individual
and I encourage you to give yourself a
BIG pat on the back !!!!!!


Go ahead,
Live large,
Even if it is small (believe me, it's still large),
What little positive affirmation
will you bestow upon your soul
today?

4803 - New Mexico

Paula ~ 2008

I love the tiles surrounding this address.
Here in New Mexico many folks have an address set up like this.
It always presents such a mystery to me ~ what is behind those walls??????
A wonderful garden with large trees?
A big weed patch?
Plain old gravel?

What does your imagination tell you about what might be behind these walls?
Where does your creativity take you?
Do you have a vivid imagination?
How does that develop or do we have plenty of it
as kids
and then it fades as we get older,
or it is always there,
we just teach ourselves to ignore it?

Let's play a game !
What is behind this wall !!!!!!!!!!!!!
There will be no winner of course,
because even I don't know what is there,
but it would be fun to play.
What is your guess?
Where does your imagination take you?

THE ARTIST'S GARDEN

Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Paula - 2008

Here it is in summer.
Simply beautiful.
Surely a garden fit for an old master artist,
don't you think?
I don't know who's garden this is
but I do love it.

Some of you may remember this beautiful
Canyon Road, New Mexico
garden scene from a few months ago.

Below is the view from MY patio.
Not quite as shady, secluded, cool and inviting.
My yard is fairly new and a fair number of the plantings are
still babies so I'll post again later in the summer
so you can all see how it is coming.
I love my yard.

My Garden

Paula - 2008

WHO ARE YOU ????

North Valley Residence, New Mexico
Paula - 2008
click to enlarge

Out driving around on my lunch hour.
I love to just drive around and take photos
when something just catches my eye.

These folks have a wonderful plaque of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
next to their front door.
I'm impressed that they boldly proclaim their love for
"our lady".
These folks have their heart in the right place.

Other folks put little ceramic pigs in their front yards,
funky fountains,
whirllybird garden decorations,
flags, etc.

What does your home say about you
when someone passes by?

WHO ARE YOU????

A BUCKET FULL OF FORTUNATE

A Bucket Full of Fortunate
(click to enlarge)
Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Paula ~ 2008

How great to sit on your porch.
Rocking away next to your bucket of "Fortune".
The world passes you by.
Not noticing.
You have a bucket full of fortune.

I have a bucket full of fortune.

Do you?

NEW ART - SANTA FE EGGPLANTS

Santa Fe Eggplants

14 x 18 acrylic on canvas
click image to enlarge

So ................... this is waaaaaaaaaaaaay
off the beaten path for anything I've ever done.

I really enjoyed the process.

Looking for some feedback here, positive and constructive ~

RED HOT POKERS !!!!

A driveway along Rio Grande Blvd.
Albuquerque, NM
Paula's photo - 2007

Some folks here call these fire lilies. I've always known them as Red Hot Pokers. I planted a few last year and then promptly drowned them. This year I started over with three and so far they are looking mighty fine. We'll see.

I always make a point of going down this street to admire this driveway lined with such a fabulous display.

I've been vacationing this week. Well sort of. I took the week off from work and have been enjoying my garden, hanging out at home, puttering about.......my favorite pass time.

Made my first ever abstract painting. My husband isn't wild about it. He wouldn't say he didn't like it, but hey, I can tell. I happen to think it is pretty cool and I felt a lot of satisfaction while making it. Somehow I just felt settled and comfortable when working on it. I'll post it in a day or two for you all to comment on.

Oh and after what must be 2-3 years, I dug out the bag of gourds I've been hoarding. I hope you'll like what I did with them !!!! Stop by tomorrow !!! I'll show you !

acrylic and pen on bristol

4 x 6 postcard - 2007

Sometimes you've just got to fly.

I can't imagine a world without birds, can you? I live in a very arid part of the country however my immediate neighborhood is a bit of an oasis and the birds are abundant.

Once again this year we have a Barn Swallow couple getting things ready for their new family. Hummingbirds are checking out the yard and sipping at the feeder since there aren't an abundance of flowers just yet. The Rosy Finch guys sit on top of the hummingbird feeder, looking perplexed and asking one another how to get to that juicy red nectar.

Summer is upon us. 91 degrees here today.

Get out and get some fresh air and sunshine !!!

MY STUDIO IS IN FULL BLOOM !!

African Violets next to my studio worktable.
Paula ~ New Mexico ~ May 2008

They say it is good to have fresh flowers and/or plants near your workspace. At least I think I heard that some where once......hmmmmmmmm.

Well anyway, 31 years ago I had beautiful African Violets in my new little baby boy's bedroom. That was where the light was best and I was happiest.

I'd not had them again until just this past year.
Why did I wait so long? A very long story.

These are simply beautiful and bring me such joy when I'm at my work table. Just outside the window is what promises to be a bumper crop of Roma tomatoes........hopefully destined to be the best pizza sauce to ever occupy my happy little freezer. I make killer pizza and we love that sauce.

Guess I'm having a bit of a rambling sort of day. It is Friday and I'm thrilled the weekend is here.

We've had a couple of cool rainy days. Just before it rained I'd been out in the garden feeding all my little flower babies. With sunny days this weekend, I'm guessing my garden is going to kick into full speed ahead growing. Thrilling !!!!!!!!

I've more new art to post so check back next week for that.

In the meantime, drop me a comment. I'd love to hear about what's going on in your neck of the woods.

MORE ON "THE ROAD"

Paula's Photo
New Mexico - 2008

I'm 55 years old. More and more these days I find myself reflecting on "the road". What lies in store for me over the coming years. I don't feel older but I sure see it staring back at me in the bathroom mirror. I'm not prepared for retirement. Don't want to end up a "bag lady" out on the street collecting odds and ends, living moment to moment. In the end we all arrive at the same gateway. I guess it's not so much how we got there that matters, but I sure do think about it alot more than I did in previous years.

CROSSES ON THE ROAD OF LIFE

CROSSES ON THE ROAD OF LIFE
Mail art send to Randi Fuerhelm-Watts
4x6 - acrylic and ink on card stock

Imagine yourself floating above the ground.
On a cloudless clear blue-sky kind of day.

Below all you see are green fields,
they stretch on forever.

Breaking the green like a parting of the seas
is a long stretch of highway
and
all around stand crosses.
Like those little mileage dots on the road map.

The crosses are markers on your road of life.

Crosses you bear.
Crosses marking the spot of great personal discovery.
Crosses honoring special moments,
deep agony, joy, pain, sorrow and ecstasy.

Make today the day you acknowledge and honor your crosses.
They all played a part in what got
you to this moment.

Honor yourself today.

ELEMENTS OF LOVE - ll

ANOTHER WORK IN PROGRESS


PEEK # 1 ~ ~ ~
PEEK # 2 ~ TAKING SHAPE

PEEK # 3 ~ GETTING THERE

STILL NOT SURE THIS IS COMPLETE !
STAY TUNED FOR MORE.........