SUSAN'S . . . PLAYING AGAIN!

A SLANTED DAY 18"h x 10"w glass, burnt pallet frame   A SLANTED DAY is one of the pastels including  within the Oasis Exhibit, on view till April 26th. The view is a slice of the Taos Pueblo. The paintings range from Southwest landscapes and  skies to sunflower still lifes.  Please click here for additional information and viewing times.

2 DOORS + WHITE CLOUDS  6"h x 9" w pastel museum glass, gold fillet + linen liner   11 1/2" h x 14 1/2"w gold frame $395 + $20 insured shipping  Sadly time flies where life caught up with me.  I've been missing for so long, but unfortunately my iMac  died some time ago, and has taken me some time replacing  software and computer. Isn't technology amazing?  So nearly up and running and thought I better resurface.  The above pastel is an older and favorite of mine. If you've ever visited New Mexico, would be familiar with Taos Pueblo.  The serenity and spirits of the place is overwhelming, with a wonderful setting of blue skies and white clouds.    Thank you for sticking by me and will be here more often.  New art coming your way! 

CLOUDS 10" x 14" pastel 17 1/2" x 21" gold frame with museum glass SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Honored to write that as a Distinguished & Signature Member  of the Pastel Society of New Mexico , I will be exhibiting CLOUDS at the Museum of Heritage and Arts! The opening reception is October 1st from 2 to 4pm  at Los Lunas Museum of Heritage & Arts 251 Main Street SE, Los Lunas, NM 87031 The show will remain up through the month of October. 

PINK DOOR 4" x 6" pastel * Courtesy of Patrician Design SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR With many thanks to Patrician Design , this sweet little pastel sketch  of the Taos Pueblo just went to a new home!

A GREEN DOOR 6" x 6" pastel glass + gold frame $275 + $10 insured priority shipping The day was sunny with clouds floating high  above . . .  a glorious day for an adventure! And what better place to travel to than the Taos Pueblo steeped in history, culture and art? At my destination, I wandered down a dusty path,  with an alley that led to a weathered, green door.  Not permitted to pass, I begun to wonder what  secrets did that door hold? How many lives entered . . . how many smiles glowed . . .  how many tears shed? Only the door knows.

FRIDAY FAVORITES . . . FUN! PINK DOOR * 4"h x 6"w pastel sketch Now hopping back to New Mexico for Fridays Favorites. This petite sketch is a small section of the Taos Pueblo,  known for it's multi-level adobe dwellings and  inhabited for over 1,000 years.  By clicking here   you can read more about the Pueblo. Have a wonderful weekend!

THE TURQUOISE DOOR 7"h x 9"w pastel 11"h x 14"w linen matte, museum glass + gold scrolled frame $425 - shipping + tax inclusive With a closer view at Taos Pueblo, one can get  a greater impression of the organic structure of adobes. Accents of turquoise are painted on many of the door  and window frame, which is an incredible contrast  against the earthen color adobes. The Pueblo  is a multi-storied structure which dates back  over 1,000 years. 150 Native American Indians  reside permanently within the structure. To view  Taos Pueblo's official website click here . Previously I posted three sketches  of the Pueblo.  Click here to view and read of one.

2 DOORS + WHITE CLOUDS 7"h x 9"w pastel 11"h x 14"w linen matte, museum glass + gold scrolled frame $425 - shipping + tax inclusive Bet you thought I would speak about the heat  and  begin to reminisce of the years that I lived in New Mexico.  Well it truly was a wonderful sight to behold, all the  blue, blue skies that seem to never end, with huge white  clouds  dotting the sky. And the earthen adobe structures  contrasting  sharply against those blue skies. But no . . . I posted this little painting of Taos Pueblo to  let you all know that I am exhibiting eight of my  Southwest  pastels at Ray Street Custom Framing and Gallery.  If you live in San Diego, trot over to view tomorrow evening  during  Ray At Night, a monthly ArtWalk in North Park from 6 to 9 pm. Or bop over there during the hours of 11am - 6pm, Tuesday through Saturdays.  Just a slice of Southwestern life!

SHADOWED DOOR 6"h x 4"w pastel $195 + $15 insured priority shipping The sun was hot. And the brightness cast a white line onto the beaten path. Obscured in the shadows is a door. Where does it lead?

2 TURQUOISE DOORS 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square archival white matte,, glass + gold leaf frame $150 + $15 insured priority shipping Back in March I posted a few petite pastels of Taos Pueblo. And that is where we're traveling once again today! The Pueblo's colors are always so vibrant in the bright sun, which casts long shadows to every nook and cranny. One of the most predominate color is turquoise. One can find it on door frames, window trim and of course precious stones in their jewelry. And you will find an immense blanket of turquoise if you look up to the sky.

WINDOW + A CLOUD 4 1/2" X 4 1/2" pastel 8" square white archival matte, glass and gold leaf frame $150 + $15 insured priority shipping The sky was so blue and the sun extremely bright today, as I spent much of the day outside. As time passed, I begun to reminisce of Taos Pueblo. Taos was one of my favorite locations to visit when I lived in Albuquerque. The contrast of the adobe buildings against the blue sky was always visually exhilarating. There's such a dark richness in the brown color of an adobe, yet so many other colors were apparent upon closer scrutiny. And the organic shape of the walls emanated an Earthy feel. But above all, I felt a comforting unification between the Earth and the blue sky as I stood in awe in front of the Pueblo.

HIDDEN BEAUTY 25"h x 17"w pastel- gold leaf frame Hidden Beauty is a pastel of Lucky (Elias Jackson) Baldwin's house, a prime example of a Queen Anne Victorian home and located at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Lucky who lived from 1828 to 1909, made his fortune from mining and well-known for founding the Santa Anita Park racetrack. Having been married four times, Lucky was quite the character. It is assumed this cottage was built as a honeymoon gift to his 4th wife, sixteen-year-old Lillie Bennett. Yet they separated in 1885 after one year of marriage, which then the house was converted into a memorial to his third wife, Jennie Dexter. So today I have been packing to ship the painting to Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico, for the Pastel Society of New Mexico's Signature Members Exhibition & Sale. The show will be on display from May 21st to June 27th, with the reception on Saturday, May 22 from 2 to 5 PM. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend...

3 STOVES 4"h x 6"w Well I'm still traveling in memories here with my 2 trusty fingers, happy as clams while typing out my thoughts. Once again I'm back in Taos at the Pueblo, which dates back to the 8 & 9 th centuries. Inhabitants live the ancient-way, that is with no electricity, running water, phones or indoor plumbing - all everyday conveniences taken for granted. The Native American Indians also cook in hornos , which are outdoor adobe stoves fueled with fire. The bread dough is placed in the hornos once the fire has been extinguished upon reaching the correct temperature. Typically the women are out baking and selling the bread when tourists are visiting the Pueblo. The smell is incredible and the taste is uncomparable ! There is something to be said for the simplistic way of life. I believe each day tends to become more focalized , with a greater importance placed on traditions, family and values. A taste of yesterday.

PINK DOOR 4"h x 6"w With the sun out and the sky bright in San Diego, I can not help but reminisce a bit of New Mexico. I had lived there prior to moving to San Diego and my two children still reside (okey, they aren't kids any longer, but I still think of them in those terms!). The skies are so blue and seems to travel upwards forever. Makes me feel so small, yet full of life. One of my favorite places to visit was the Taos Pueblo. I would wander around, stare at the colors and loose the time of day. The Pueblo is such an enrichment of colors, culture, landscape and food.