Friday, May 27, 2011

Plein Air in Truchas

Yesterday we drove up to Truchas, a small art community on the High Road to Taos. The community is located on a spur road which runs along a ridge at the foot of Truchas Peak. Creeks were burbling along and the spring flowers were edging the roadway as we made our way to the far end of the little traveled road. There are artist studios interspersed along the road with their signs out inviting you to come in and see the metalwork, weaving, paintings, hand made bells, and pottery that they produce way up there in Truchas. Its probably all they can do in the winter as it is more than likely snowed in for the season. We chose a scene that looks out over the Truchas Mountains and tried our hand at plein air painting. There was a bit of a wind and I noticed Allan running down the road after his painting which had taken off in a gust, but I was tucked down behind the back of the truck and was sheltered from the wind for the most part. The objective was to spend no more than 1/2 hour getting down the colors and forms of the distant view....making sure that the atmosphere had volume. Above is the actual view that I was looking towards and to the right is the study that came from that view. I think that I got the atmosphere coming down into the mountains but still need more practice at this plein air experience before we arrive in Campobello Island for Michael Chesley Johnson's workshop in July.

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