Aspen Show

"The Myth of the West" finished piece
30x40" oil on canvas




"The Myth of the West" underpainting

Here are a couple images of the same painting: the first is the completed piece and the second is the underpainting. All my work begins with a technicolored underpainting; I let some of that layer and each consecutive layer show through to add interest to the piece. The underpainting is necessary to establish the composition, begin the values, and set the overall tone for the piece--I find if I don't have a firm underpainting it isn't much worth pursuing the rest! Sometimes the underpainting is the most interesting thing about the piece and I wish I could leave it there, but so far I have more to say than that. What can I say, I'm a chatty person.

So Aspen is right around the corner--we're going up there on Halloween to hang the show and it opens on November 1st. This is one of the new pieces for the show--I have a few others I'll try and post soon; one of them is not finished yet so it may not make the show. Now I have a bunch of framing and varnishing and all the work that goes into getting ready for a show: so, of course, all I want to do is paint! Oh well, I should have time for that soon.

Come up to Aspen in November if you have a chance--should be a great show!

Dawn

Update-a-rama

Red Brick Art Center
Aspen, Colorado




Woo-Hoo! "It's Always a Matter of Time" took 2nd place at Glenwood in the professional pastel division. I also sold a piece today in the "Grand Tribute Show," ("Cold Shivers") which opens today (Friday, Oct 5th.) The Western Colorado Congress, a not-for-profit group dedicated to water conservation over here asked if they could use the image from the sold piece for some posters as a fund-raiser. I'm offering them a limited license to use the image for that purpose; it's a good group and I'm a.) happy to help them out and b.) glad they chose my piece out of all the images in this show as the one they'd like to use to promote their cause. Now it's all about Aspen: the Mile High show has opened at the Red Brick and I need to get focused with what's going up next month for our big show. No worries--only teaching 3 classes 4 nights a week plus working at our business The Coffee Studio 6 days a week.... not stressed out or anything!


I will let you know what's going to Aspen as well as other fun things from the studio. Cheers!

Dawn