high desert painters: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

Abiquiu 15 miles

15 miles to Abiquiu, New Mexico - Why does the sky seem bigger in New Mexico? Even driving along the road it's possible to snap memorable photographs like this one driving north from Santa Fe to Abiquiu. I can still feel the anticipation as the High Desert Painters converged on Ghost Ranch from north, south, east and west.

Jana Van Wyk

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." -Henry Ward Beecher. This is my journey of dipping my brush into my own soul and painting what I find. I have a passion for our American West and those landscapes are my primary focus. But, averaging 6-8 weeks of travel a year, I will paint whereever I am. I usually paint on location, i.e. plein air, but also revel in taking a plein air study and my photographs and using them to create a large, more thoughtful, studio work. In addition to bold brushwork and vibrant color, the power of the composition is becoming more important to my work. The work of Vincent Van Gogh, Maynard Dixon, Edgar Payne, Birger Sandzen, and Walt Gonske has been a huge inspiration to me.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Taos May 2009

High Desert Painters will be painting on location in Taos, New Mexico during the week of May 3 - 9, 2009. We will wander the back roads, like the photo of our drive down into the Rio Grande Gorge above, and paint the splendor of Spring colors in the High Desert.

Jana Van Wyk