The next whirlwind of the summer begins! My show in Jackson is tomorrow and from there I will be doing the Maynard Dixon Land Plein Air Show in Mt. Carmel, UT. I will try and blog about that amazing show, unbelievably good artists and beautiful landscape. Check out their website to see the details of the show:

http://www.thunderbirdfoundation.com/maynard-dixon-country.cfm

The Binghams are really doing some cool things for art down there and preserving Maynard Dixons legacy!

Well, two down and three to go! I'm getting my last few paintings together to take to Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson WY for my two-person show with Andrjv Skorut. Most of the work has been up there for a month, but I probably will have five new pieces with me. It has been an adventurous summer! Travel, painting, travel, painting....Sun Valley was fantastic as usual! I just love the friendships that have been formed over the years among all the painters in the group. There were a few Oh-so-missed ones that couldn't make it for one reason or the other and a few new ones to the group. The gallery staff was wonderful as usual! And the mountains....well, what can one say about the mountains up there to do it justice? What an amazing place.

Southwest Art Feature Article

Thank you Southwest Art Magazine for the beautiful article! Here is a link if anyone is interested in seeing it! http://www.southwestart.com/

Southwest Art Magazine - Fine western art, artists, and galleries

www.southwestart.com

Thank You to all that have taken time out of your busy days to send me an email about the article in Southwest Art Magazine! It warms my heart and gives me purpose to know my work reaches out to others, friends and artist friends alike! It's why we all do what we do, isn't it? When we are in the middle of deadlines, rushing, painting, framing, planning - we tend to miss our true purpose. These beautiful letters have made sure I don't forget.

Whenever I am getting ready for a show, I have this little thing I do. I put all my work all around me and sit right smack in the middle of the room. I try and absorb what the body of work feels like. Instead of looking at individual pieces, I look at them as a whole. In my head, I compare the body to the last body and see if I feel progress. It's so hard to be objective about one's own work. Once in awhile, I can see it. And I enjoy it when I do! I know that in a day or two, I will be unsettled once again and be looking for the next leap. So for the moment, when all my new pieces are in the studio with me right now, I am happy! My children are home with me for the moment :)

Wow, been down in this studio for what seems forever! Need some fresh air :) The paintings are all coming together. The Western Art Collector article and the Southwest Art Magazine article are out! Three shows in the next four weeks and two more barely after that. This is called running on Adrenalin, but sometimes it is the best way to work. No more thinking, just working. If I listen carefully, the work tells me what to do. No, I'm not crazy - just paying attention! I LOVE PAINTING!!!!

UPCOMING SHOWS

Painting up a storm, getting ready for my summer shows! First show is in Beaver Creek July 31st through August 1st. Then immediately off to Ketchum for the Kneeland Gallery Plein Air Event. More news in the weeks to come!

I used to keep this little note posted in my studio, but during the move to my new (old) house, I lost it. Recently Lori McNee posted it again on her blog and it warmed my heart to see it again! I'm going to repost it for anyone that needs a little shot in the arm and a "y0u can do it". It is one of the truest statements I've ever heard.....

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

I remember my ah-ha moment about 16 years ago when I had the thought that if one person can do this, anyone can do this with enough work, enough diligence and faith in oneself. It was quite profound at the moment and still applies to this day!

GET TO WORK!!!

Hello all!

I am going to offer an advanced class next month that is directed toward taking your painting to the next level. If you or anyone you know or paint with is interested, please have them email me or call me at (801) 389-2369.

The class will explore and integrate spatial relationships, palettes, value patterns, edge quality and expressing emotion in your work. We will also explore the business aspect of art, putting together a great statement, resume and portfolio and how to approach galleries, museums, etc. We will cover self representation and social media for selling your art. Any and all information I have in this little head of mine, from experience and otherwise, will be taught :) I am a landscape painter, but I have my education in figure work, I have extensive art history and can work and critique any genre. You can check out my FB or my webpage to see my work and Southwest Art Magazine is doing a feature article in August, as well as Western Art Magazine in August as well. My objective as a teacher is to push you to the next level while maintaining your own voice, style and expression.

Please pass this on to anyone you know that might be interested! Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thanks for your time!

Fundamental Elements of Art Class

I'm going to start teaching a Fundamental Element of Art class here in my studio in Ogden. We will cover integrating value, line, edges, spacial relationships, organizing compositions, palettes, etc. This class is designed to push your paintings further! Be prepared to do alot of work!

Let me know if you are interested by email or phone!

Virginia River

This is the freshest piece off my easel! It's a 12x16 oil on canvas called Virginia River.

I completed my interview with Southwest Art Magazine writer Gussie Fauntleroy. She was so fabulous to work with and I am so pleased with the article. It will come out just before August.

I'm working on a series of small pieces as studies for the new work for my August shows.

This is a little 9x12 of Weber River Canyon on the way to Park City. Love the yellows in the land in late fall. A little more detailed than I usually do, but I love the palette.

Visiting Artist for the Day

Today I have my friend Sandra Cooney painting with me at my studio! Check out her

fantastic work at www.sandracooneyart.com. Sandra and I have been painting together for

16 years now, as well as raise our kids together, ski together, vacation together and definitely gallery hop together! Love it when I get company down here :)

Solace in Blue

Finally back to work again! So much work to do, so little time! Check out the frame on this piece. Tony from Rocky Mountain Frames and I put this together for my work and I love it. His website is rockymountainframes.com if you get the chance to check it out! He's wonderful to work with and affordable!

Feature Article August 2010

Received GREAT news today! Southwest Art Magazine will be doing a feature article

for the August Issue this year. I will post the images as they are completed. Stay tuned.... :)

Summer Shows!

Canvases toned, frames ordered, images and ideas brainstormed! Starting my process to get five summer shows together - wow! I want to keep the painting muses busy and deadlines checked.

A show in Beaver Creek, CO starts the show season off! It will be held the last week of July. The Kneeland Gallery Plein Air show is set for August 4, 5 and 6th. I will be doing a two-person show in Jackson, WY with Andrzej Skorut in August 21 along with the Jackson Museum's Western Vision miniature show held in September. There will be a few more events to add to the list, but still waiting for details on them! Will let you know as soon as I found out.

Next week I will be showing a plein air demo......stay tuned!

Shanna

Very happy to say I'm back with Meyer East Gallery in Santa Fe!

Images will be sent off for their website today.

Well, we finally settled in a bit today and got down to business completing our Small Painting Raffle Contest. We put all the raffle tickets in a box, one by one, specially filled out by Marco and drew five, then put them in another container and drew the winning entry. And the winner is.....

Michael Kaufman from New Jersey!!! We will notify him via email and let him know he will be receiving the following watercolor via Fed Ex shortly! Congratulations, and thank you for all that signed up!

Getting really excited to start doing a little plein air again! Here are a few pieces done from the fall last year. I really plan on doing alot more this year. I think it changed my work quite a bit!

After spending a few days in Tucson resting, relaxing and a bit of golfing, it was back on the road again!  Man, some parts of Texas are less beautiful than others.  Finally made it to an amazing little country town called Fredericksburg that was just fantastic!  Great little German town with German food, beer, art galleries, incredible landscapes....all around exceptional!  I could definitely live here for sure.  Now we're in Austin and I am very excited to meet my husband's boys, their mom and see this city, albeit the short time here!  This is definitely the best honeymoon ever!