"When dawn spreads its paintbrush on the plain, spilling purple... ," Sons of the Pioneers theme for TV show "Wagon Train." Dawn on the mythic Santa Fe Trail, New Mexico, looking toward Raton from Cimarron. -- Clarkphoto. A curmudgeon artist's musings melding metaphors and journalism, for readers in more than 150 countries.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Story of a painting--Failures, or lessons, in watercolor and life

"After the Storm," Ranchos at Sunset, 14" by 21" 300 lb. d'Arches cold press paper
Every painting is a journey, an education for me. Inspired today when friend M.J. VanDeventer Shelton spoke about Jerome Tiger at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, I came home and vowed to complete this this lesson. It was not as effortlessly or talented as Tiger's work, but at least I finished.
Everybody paints the church of St. Francis at Ranchos de Taos--from Georgia O'Keeffe. My Dad drew it twice at least in the depths of the Depression, and I have those framed.
I've tried before, and one of the them I'd framed several years ago.
Previous painting, but I'll use the frame and mat
Now, getting ready for an art show in April, I realized it's drab, and architecturally inaccurate. I'm not trying to make a photography, but my journalism demands accuracy on basic details before artistic license kicks in. This will be exhibited in April  among with about 30 or more of my worth watercolors, starting April 6 at Paseo Arts District First Friday art walk, and the gallery I'm in, In Your Eye Gallery and Studio. 

I tried earlier this month to replace the old painting, using the same mat and frame, and failed on the last step--the sky. 
So this time, I started with the sky, and then forgot the basic of watercolor, start with light. I did the sky first, this time, but forgot about the snow until later. But I'm sorta happy with this version, or you wouldn't be seeing it.
Here's the story of that painting, from the beginning.
With the previous failure/lessons





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