Ruth Soller » Blog

This exhibition showcases the Landscape and the LIfestyles of the people living in the West, today and in the past. From mountains to the plains, there is a wide diversity of land and lifestyles to be shown and how they may interact with one another. I'm pleasesd to present five paintings in this juried Broomfield, CO gallery show. This show is open Friday, Oct 20, Saturday, Oct 21, and Sunday, Oct 22 at Life in the West Art Gallery, 555 Alter St, Unit 3, Broomfield, CO.

"Twilight in Rocky Mountain National Park" just won an international Special Recognition Award in the current Healing Power of Elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire Exhibition sponsored by Healing Power of Art and Artists in Manhattan, NY. "Boreas Pass Aspens", "Red Fox at Laurey's Farm", "Clouds at Anne Brand Park", and "Autumn at North Teller Lake" are included in this show. Read More

We recently shared a family vacation in Rocky Mountain National Park. I was eager to photograph this scene of the headwaters of the Colorado River at sunset. A magical glow from the setting sun cast yellow rays between mountain ridges and created orange edges around distant pines.Gentle curves of the flowing river below filled the air with calming, gurgling sounds. This peaceful composition illustrates how nature has begun to heal the land after devastating forest fires.

I'm honored that my painting "Twilight in Rocky Mountain National Park" is included in Healing Power of Elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire" by Manhattan Arts International along with 75 selected artists worldwide. Renée Phillips, Founder, Director & Curator of Manhattan Arts International describes the show,

"The Healing Power of Elements" exhibition will present art that is positive and uplifting inspired by one or more elements - Earth, Water, Air and Fire. The exhibition will convey a broad range of interpretations of the elements by more than 75 artists. It will convey that Art created in this manner provides a significant power in our healing process." Read More

We recently shared a family vacation in Rocky Mountain National Park. I was eager to photograph this scene of the headwaters of the Colorado River at sunset. A magical glow from the setting sun cast yellow rays between mountain ridges and created orange edges around distant pines.Gentle curves of the flowing river below filled the air with calming, gurgling sounds. This peaceful composition illustrates how nature has begun to heal the land after devastating forest fires.

 

 

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National Parks and Western Landscape paintings featured in BLINK Art Resource 2022.  

 

Blink Art Resource is distributed to interior architects, interior designers, interior decorators, and art industry professionals. My original oil paintings are designed for healthcare art, hospitality art, and corporate art installations. Currently my art is showcased at  Governor Polis's office in Colorado State Capitol, Framed Image in Denver, and ADC Fine Art in Cincinnati, OH. Other paintings are available for purchase directly from my website www.RuthSoller.com. Collections include National Parks, Studio Landscapes, Figurative,  Animal, and Floral.

 

If you are looking for custom designed art for your home or office, please email me [email protected] to discuss your project. 

 

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Summer is winding down as back-to-school kicks in, while my art is traveling to new venues. Monday August 1 is Colorado Day at Colorado State Capitol, celebrating 146 years as a state. My painting Maroon Bells and Lake graces the Governor's or the Lieutenant Governor's office through November 2022.   ADC Fine Art in Cincinnati, OH will be showcasing a dozen of my National Parks and Cloudscapes in my solo show with opening reception August 26th, 5-7 pm. If you are near Cincinnati, I would love to meet you at the reception. Bluebird Sky Walden Pond will debut and you may preview my paintings in the videos below:

Studio Tour Video

National Parks Paintings

Would you enjoy a personal visit to my studio? Please email me to schedule a visit.  [email protected]

National Parks Series

Ruth Soller

I am a Colorado artist known for radiant oil paintings of dramatic Western vistas, rendered in vibrant color.   Website: https://ruthsoller.com/ Blog: https://www.RuthSoller.com/blog Email: [email protected] Phone:303-469-2072

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Maroon Bells and Lake, oil on canvas, 24x30, on loan currently

 

I hope that you are well and enjoying family get togethers and spending time in the beauty of nature. You may have favorite locations you dream of visiting or that you return to over the years. I've dreamed of exhibiting at the State Capitol since moving to Colorado in 2004. Two of my National Parks series were displayed at Denver International Airport and scheduled to travel next to the Colorado State Capitol. To my deep disappointment, there wasn't enough wall space for all the paintings at the Capitol and mine were culled.

 

Today I'm honored that Maroon Bells and Lake is accepted in the 2022 Colorado Day (August 1st) Exhibition at the Colorado State Capitol, celebrating Colorado's 146 years as a state. Colorado artists were chosen for their creative interpretations of Colorado land, cities, or towns. Selected works will be on display at the Colorado State Capitol Complex, including the Governor's Office, the Lieutenant Governor's Office, and the basement rotunda from August 1, 2022 through October or November 2022. For more information contact Ruth Wilson, Public Art Program Manager at [email protected]. 

 

Maroon Bells and Lake is one of the most photographed scenes as it is awe inspiring to contemplate. The Maroon Bells are located in the White River National Forest and may be accessed by hiking or bus, as parking is very limited. Wildflowers and lush foliage covered the valley floor while an overcast morning gave way to clear sky by noon, perfect for a picnic lunch on the shore. This studio landscape painted entirely with palette knife is based on my plein air study.

 

         

Shown in a gallery                                                  Colorado State Capitol

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Raber Cabin Grand Mesa National Forest ©Ruth Soller , SOLD

 

Are you as excited for spring to arrive as I am? Steve planted new bulbs last fall in our flower bed and we look for new color each day. A few days ago yellow crocus opened their sunny petals and today rich purple crocus bloomed. Art sales are blossoming, too. Raber Cabin on Grand Mesa National Forest traveled to a new collector in Maine, remarkably finding a new home with a granddaughter of Bill and Winifred Raber!

 

Bill Raber and his new bride Winifred bought the Lucas Ranch on Kannah Creek in 1938. On the original cabin door was penned this inscription," May 25 1938 Four feet of snow and spring still coming, Bill Raber, Crafts Black." The cow camp built in 1931 or 1932 included grazing rights to 160 acres. It may have been early July before the snow melted, so they could bring the cows up from Kannah Creek. Winifred claimed that during roundups as many as 20 people would stay in the two cabins, hanging blankets to provide privacy for the women.

 

I'd like to remind you that I accept commissions (custom orders) for a painting of your favorite landscape, home or pet. Begin the process by emailing your ideas to [email protected] today.

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Minerva Terrace Yellowstone, oil on linen, 24x30

I'm thrilled to present the newest painting in my National Parks series entitled "Minerva Terrace Yellowstone". My inspiration came from visiting Yellowstone three times (early 1970's, 1990, and 2005) and noticing changes in shapes and colors of formations. My intention was to emphasize the contrast of dark purples against sunlit white terraced pools. I added the cascading viridian mineral water flowing down the tiers to guide the eye through the painting. I love the complementary colors of the red-orange rock steps against the turquoise of the water and sky.

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I'm honored to receive the Landscape Artist of the Year Award at ADC Gallery West's gorgeous 13,000 square foot new showplace in Cincinnati, OH. More than 3000 artworks were entered from across the US and Internationally, with 300 pieces selected for the Art Comes Alive! Awards Presentation and Reception on January 23, 2021. My oil painting Grandview Sunset Grand Canyon is in the exhibition through March 19, 2021.

 

The new gallery is designed and furnished with stunning sitting areas and lit by two brilliant chandeliers. Private and corporate collectors were on hand to present purchase awards to artists. Gallery contracts and magazine articles were awarded. We enjoyed a meet and greet at ADC Gallery East with Gallery Director Cassandra giving us a tour of the featured show of four women artists.

 

Steve and I toured The Taft Historic House/ Taft Museum of Art and learned about the history of Cincinnati and the support for emerging artists by patrons and sponsors from the 1830's to the present. Sunday, Cincinnati Art Museum featured native artist Frank Duveneck's (1848-1919) career and contributions to the city. I learned about an artist I had admired but had not studied previously.

 

http://ruthsoller.com/workszoom/3735299#/

 

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Legend of the White Buffalo

I learned of this legend passed down by the Lakota Sioux of South Dakota after visiting the Badlands and viewing herds of buffalo. The white buffalo is extremely rare, said to occur only once in 6 million births. White buffalo are considered sacred to the Lakota Sioux and may have spiritual significance similar to weeping statues, bleeding icons or crosses of light in some Christian traditions. White buffalo symbolize abundance and sacred life as evidenced in this legend.

One summer long ago seven council fires of Lakota Sioux met together to discuss their lack of game as the people were starving. Two young braves were sent out to hunt in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

A beautiful young woman with long dark hair and dressed in buckskin and carrying a bundle wrapped in a buffalo hide appeared before the young hunters. She told them that she knew their thoughts and that one had good thought and one had bad thoughts. A cloud of dust rose around the man with lustful thoughts and only a skeleton was left. The second hunter was very frightened but listened to the holy woman’s message.

The woman said that change was coming and soon there would be an abundance of buffalo, but there would also be trials as the climate of the earth was changing. Her message was that all people of every color must work together if they hoped to thrive in the future. She gave the bundle containing a sacred pipe to the young brave to share with the tribes. The sacred pipe has been honored and passed down for nineteen generations.

As the woman departed she tumbled four times and changed in color from black to red to yellow and finally to a white buffalo calf. Soon after the visit of the holy woman herds of buffalo became abundant. It is believed that the changing colors of the woman represent all races of humans, who must work together in unity to save our earth for future generations. The Native Americans see the white buffalo calf as a sign of life’s sacred circle.

Source: http://www.lightningmedicinecloud.com/legend.html Read More

Our cowboy guide Brain led us on the two hour sunset ride up into the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area and along breathtaking views of the changing skies and lengthening shadows of the wild sage. As we neared the rim of Devil’s Canyon I saw ahead that we were planning to traverse a one yard wide ledge jutting out from the red rock cliffs with a sheer drop-off of at least 200 feet into the canyon. As my horse Midnight neared the narrowest point I was sitting straight and very, very still while clutching the saddle-horn with white knuckled hands as my heart stopped. I kept my gaze on Brian up ahead, fearfull to look over the edge of the cliff. My heartbeat resumed as we soon reached more solid ground and Brain stopped to “give Midnight a chance to catch her breath”.

We had spectacular view on the deepening blues, violets, and mauves of the shadows and the brightening reds, corals, and golds of the last rays of the sun hitting the canyon rims. Below us lay the town of Fruita and the Colorado River meandering through the lush green vineyards and fruit orchards carpeting the valley. Beyond the valley were the Little Bookcliffs fading into the distant haze. What a joyful experience!

Next time you are in the Grand Junction, Fruita, or Palisades area, consider spending a few hours on horseback exploring the canyons in an exciting and memorable ride. Read More

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park is a wonderful frame for the red rock canyons and formations beyond. I'm continuing to commemorate the 104th Anniversary of the National Parks System by creating a series of paintings. Here is a link to the National Parks Series: https://ruthsoller.com/collections/84971

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We rose at 4:00 am, layered-on warm clothing, and made coffee. By 5:00 am, I had set up my plein air gear near the rim of the Grand Canyon at the Duck-on-a-Rock formation. President Dwight Eisenhower named this formation during his tour of the Grand Canyon. Still dark and with temperatures near 30 degrees, I mixed paints as the sky began to glow with the rising sun. My plein air sketch turned out pale and pastel, likely due to mixing paints in the semi-darkness. This newly completed version was painted as a demo for a children's art show, using my plein air sketch and my photograph as resources.

Have you watched a sunset or sunrise at the Grand Canyon? How did you feel during the experience? Read More

I'm pleased to present this landscape in my National Parks Series, Moran Point Grand Canyon. This piece is all about reflected light of the setting sun at dusk casting an other-worldly glow into canyon crevasses. I'm using a complementary color harmony of blue violets and red violets contrasting with the yellow orange glow of sunlight and the warm greens of the foliage. The vast structures of eroded rock are simplified and organized into geometric patterns creating a visually stimulating and pleasing design. Read More

Recently our family gathered for a long weekend at Rocky Mountain National Park where we rented a lovely home with a deck overlooking Columbine Lake. I painted this plein air oil landscape view from the deck. The early morning was quiet and refreshing as the sun rose over the mountains.

 

What feelings does this piece evoke in you?

 

      

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We visited Tucson for my neice's wedding and discovered lovely Tucson Botanical Gardens. This studio oil painting is a view of the Cactus and Succulent Garden giving you a feeling of the plant variety in the desert surrounding Tucson. These gardens provide a tranquil and relaxing oasis in the center of the city.

Have you visited or lived in a desert? What did you discover about the plant or animal life there? Read More

This original oil painting was commissioned by one of my new collectors of the Pawnee Buttes National Grasslands. We arrived early to photograph the sunrise in the park and I took shots of the wildflowers in bloom. Although this is a remote location acessed by a dirt road, several campers were on a bluff overlooking the buttes. Raptor nesting areas were blocked off from hikers. At sunrise all was peaceful and quiet.

Do you have a favorite location that you would love to have an original painting of? Please email me [email protected] to discuss your idea. Read More

I painted this original studio oil landscape of Cottonwood Creek near Jenny Lake with a background view of the iconic Grand Tetons in Grand Teton National Park. Notice how I emphasized the difference in shape and color of each of the trees along the creek. To portray distance the mountains in the background are lighter, cooler, and grayer than the trees. In the foreground water the shallower water near the bank reveals the stones and mud under the water in warmer hues, while the far shore reflects the cool blue of the sky.

What feelings or emotions does this painting inspire for you? Read More

 

I painted this plein air oil landscape of Lily Lake on the eastern border of Rocky Mountain National Park on a crisp and windy summer morning as ripples danced across the water. Steve enjoyed a scenic hike around the lake with wild flowers in bloom followed by a picnic lunch. This painting is part of my ongoing National Parks Series.

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I'm thrilled to share with you my oil painting in my National Parks series. Nymph Lake  in Rocky Mountain National Park is the second lake you will reach hiking up from the Bear Lake parking lot. I was attracted to the unusual yellow water lily flowers in Nymph Lake and had not seen these before. I learned that Nymph Lake was named after the flowers which reminded someone of water fairies or nymphs. This painting is about the lyrical pattern created by the shapes of the lotus leaves floating on the water and interspersed with the yellow flowers and the stems beneath the water. Adding to the design are reflections of the pines along the shores along with light from the blue sky bouncing off the water's surface. I'm pleased with this analogous color harmony as well.

How many shades or tints of green can you find in this painting? How do you think each of these greens was mixed? Read More

Steve and I hiked to Dream Lake on our 20th Anniversary, soon after moving to Colorado. It was a glorious summer day with a cobalt blue sky and crisp breeze. Stellar jays and magpies chattered while chipmunks skittered across lichen dotted granite boulders. Colors were pure and intense in my special memory. I'd enjoy hearing about your memory of Rocky Mountain National Park.

You may wonder how I painted Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. I drew a colored pencil sketch on paper and I tested my composition and color choices in an oil study. I selected one tree for the foreground and extended reflections in the lake further into the foreground.

On the large canvas I painted the sky first and liked the look of it. I painted mountains and distant trees before the water and foreground. I decided the reflections looked like a mirror rather than water, so I added more blues in the water and blurred edges in the reflections. Now I felt the water was competing with the mountains to be my focal point. I created ripple action and a curving path to lead your eye from foreground to mountains. I hope you enjoyed learning about the evolution of Dream Lake RMNP.

This painting is available framed at my studio and you may purchase from the link below using PayPal. You may view this in a room by clicking "Room" or view detail by clicking "Zoom". Please email or call me if you have questions or need more information.
http://ruthsoller.com/workszoom/588619#/ Read More

On our honeymoon we visited Yosemite National Park during the warm sunny days of July. This refreshing scene is along the Merced River which runs through Yosemite Valley. I chose to emphasize the calm cooler hues of the crystal clear water and the pines against the stark mountain background. My challenge was to capture the reflections of the trees and rocks in the flowing river as well as the rocky river bottom visible through the shallow water, thus expressing the peacefulness which engulfed me.

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We visited Yosemite National Park on our honeymoon in 1984,and I referred to our photos for inspiration for this original oil painting. This view of Yosemite Falls features the full cascade of spring snow melt along with the variety of greens and golds in the foreground grasses. An afternoon thunder storm may be rolling in with blue grey clouds over the cliffs.

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Each morning on Zapata Ranch the wranglers bring the horses into the corral for assignments; remaining horses are driven out to pasture for the day. 

My purpose is to emphasize the importance of conservation of nature and preservation of the rich and vivid history of the West. The Nature Conservancy’s vision is to preserve threatened lands by securing water for nature and by restoring forests to health to benefit wildlife. Medano-Zapata Ranch covers 100,000 acres adjoining The Great Sand Dunes National Park. Zapata is a working guest ranch with a herd of trained quarter-horses, a bison herd and cattle herds along with numerous wildlife species. My time at Ranchlands was spent observing, sketching, sculpting, photographing and painting horses.

 

 

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Zapata Ranch Roans Red and Blue, oil on panel, 12x16, $600

 

I participated in Jill Soukup's Painting Horses Workshop at Zapata Ranch near Great Sand Dunes National Park in Southern Colorado. Our class of twelve students from around the United States and Canada included professional artists, horse breeders and trainers, a greeting card designer and a toy brand manager. We experienced sketching, painting, and sculpting horses from life along with studio work and demonstrations and presentations. Zapata Ranch is a working ranch and is part of The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. Wranglers include recent college graduates in fields of animal science, land management and water conservation who work for a season. A professional chef prepares fresh meals daily from local meats and vegetables and herbs grown on the ranch. Herds of cattle and bison are herded by quarterhorses working on the ranch. 

 

This piece is one of a series I am creating from my sketches and photographs from the workshop. I observed these red and blue roans in the corral and chose a background of the nearby sand dunes. This painting is available from my home studio. 

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Mission San Xavier del Bac was one of my dream destinations to paint plein air. When my niece planned her wedding in Tucson in 2016, we scheduled our travels around the event. San Xavier Mission was founded near Tucson by Jesuit missionary Kino in 1700 and rebuilt by Franciscan missionaries between 1783 and 1797. 

 

Also called White Dove of the Desert, San Xavier features an elegant white stucco Moorish exterior with an ornate entrance of massive, carved mesquite wood doors. The oldest intact European structure in Arizona, the church interior is filled with marvelous original statues and mural paintings. 

 

 San Xavier is still actively run by Franciscans, and continues to serve the Native community by which it was built. The San Xavier Festival is held the evening of the Friday after Easter and features a torch-light parade of Tohono O'odham and Yaqui tribal members. San Xavier Mission was designated in 1966 on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

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One of my dreams has been to plein air paint the Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake near Aspen, Colorado, and it was a joyous experience. The Maroon Bells are located in the White River National Forest and may be accessed by hiking or bus, as parking is very limited. Wildflowers and lush foliage covered the valley floor while an overcast morning gave way to clear sky by noon, perfect for a picnic lunch on the shore. This studio landscape painted entirely with palette knife is based on my plein air study. 

 

Have you visited the Maroon Bells yet? What is your favorite season to visit there?

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Ruth Soller paints magical landscapes which reveal passion through brilliant hues, transform detail into symbolic motifs, and command power by dramatic contrasts. Her current series expresses awe of the beauty of nature experienced while plein air painting and hiking in our National Parks. The awe of nature has power to strengthen our health and to increase our happiness. Soller’s purpose is to share emotions and meditations which bring healing and joy to our lives.

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I'm writing this on Valentine's Day, a day devoted to love, about our love of the West. Although a transplant from the South, I've now spent twenty-three years living in the West; Oklahoma, Montana, California, and Colorado. The culture is one of openness, welcoming newcomers, energy, and outdoor adventures. People are strong and self-reliant and range from the ranchers living off the land and the cattle to the young urban technology wizards speculating in bitcoin. The land is expansive and gorgeous from crystal blue skies above 14,000 foot snow capped Rocky Mountains to red rock arches and canyons carved over millions of years. 

 

These are the lands that I love to portray in my National Parks and Western Lands series, as I am overwhelmed by their grandeur. If you also feel this love of the land and nature; consider attending the Western Spirit Art Show & Sale, on Saturday, March 3, 6-8 pm, at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne, WY. My oil painting Cottonwood Creek Grand Tetons, 24x30, is for sale along with two of my western miniature paintings. You will experience paintings and sculpture by outstanding regional and national artists along with heavy hors d'oeuvres and live entertainment. Reserve tickets for the Opening Reception by phone 303.778.7290.

 

I'd love to see you there!

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I painted this large panoramic view of Grand Prismatic Springs in Yellowstone National Park with a palette knife. Experimenting with looser strokes and greater texture, I focused on emotions of awe and joy in creating shapes and selecting hues. My intention is for you to feel the bubbling movement of the boiling cauldron and imagine the odor of sulfur infused steam. I have discovered healing energy in the awe of nature and hope that you will experience peace and joy as you view my artwork.

 

Please share with me in the comments your thoughts or feelings.

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