Fractured Lily

Since taking Julie Ford Oliver's Fracturing workshop in December, I've been practicing her unique technique.  It does take some practice and I've had a lot of "wipe-offs" but this one I think shows some progress.  The whole idea is to break the lines, abstract the shapes somewhat and give a more free feeling to the painting.  For anyone wishing to "loosen up", this is a great technique. And it's fun too!  Julie has a new Artbyte out that very well explains the technique.

Old Goldie

It's fun to paint these old cars.  They all have their own personality.

This one was on its way to a Concourse at Las Campanas in Santa Fe.

After Lunch

9" x 12"  Oil on Gessobord

 

Finally I'm able to upload pictures onto my blog.  I don't know if it was something I was doing or something that Blogger had changed.  I'm no whiz at computers; that's for sure!  

 

We've been having record breaking low temperatures here in Santa Fe so this painting was done from a photo, painted in my studio.  We practically live out here in the summer and always around this time of year, we are looking forward to spending time outside again.

 

A couple of weeks ago, I drove to Las Cruces with my painting friend Karen Halbert to take a workshop from Julie Ford Oliver.  She is a wonderful teacher and very generous with her information.  The ladies in the class were very good painters and so much fun.  We laughed a lot.  But we were there to learn Julie's technique of "fracturing".  She has invented a very cleaver tool which is like a small squeegee which enables you to make your paintings more painterly.  The painting above is one I did before the workshop and the one below is my attempt at the fracturing technique.  Of course, Julie's beautiful paintings make it look so easy but I feel that I need to practice more and can see various applications for this technique.

This was a excercise I did in the workshop, painted on Senso Canvas which is neutral colored canvas. It's beautiful if you allow the canvas to show through in spots - but the fracturing technique needs some practice!  You can see the results of the use of the tool in the background.  Google Julie for more information on her technique and she even gives directions to make the tool in one of her earlier blogs.

                                                       St. Francis at Rancho de Taos

                                                            8x10" Oil on Gessobord  

I've painted this church several times, especially the geometric shapes at the back of the church.  But the day I painted this view of the front of the church, dark clouds were rolling in behind it while the front of the church remained bathed in sunlight.  The contrast was stunning.

                                                Taos Adobe  Oil on GessoBoard  8x10"
I enjoy painting architectural forms and the morning sun was hitting this one "just right".

Georgia O'Keeffe's Pedernal. 

6x6"  Oil on gessoed masonite

 

She said if she painted the mountain enough times, God would give it to her!  The week we were at Ghost Ranch in October, the colors were glorious so there were groups of artists set up everywhere.  I wonder how many paintings of the Pedernal were done that one week.