Ruth Soller » Blog

Louisville Art Association presents Art Exhibit of Music, Rhythm & Dance at Louisville Library July 5-31, 2017. Drop in and bring your children to check out great summer reading books. Cool off while perusing local artists' creations around the theme of Music, Rhythm and Dance. My Carnegie Hall Debut is included. This portrait painting is my husband Steve when he performed with Colorado Repertory Singers and combined choirs to present Requiem by Gabriel Faure at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

 

View my portraits portfolio here:
https://ruthsoller.com/collections/23359

 

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Special Wedding Painting

My latest oil painting is a wedding gift for my son and his lovely bride from China. They visited her family and toured sites in Shanghai and Beijing. Summer Palace in Beijing was their favorite location; and I created this painting to include several interesting features of the Summer Palace. In the foreground the Seventeen Arch Bridge leads into Kunming Lake and to Nanhu Island where you see Dragon King Temple. The dragon boats carry visitors across the lakes to locations on the Longevity Hill and beyond.

Yunhui Yuyu Archway marks the southern entrance to Longevity Hill. Walking up the hill from the archway, you pass through the Gate of Scattering Clouds. Ahead you see the Hall of Dispelling Clouds and the Hall of Virtuous Brilliance. To the right are the Hall of Jade Billows and the Hall of Fragrant Brilliance. To the left are the Hall of Embroidered Clouds and the Hall of Purple Sky. The Baoyan Bronze Pavillion is further up the hill on the left.

Tower of Buddhist Incense is the tallest structure in the center of the front hill of Longevity Mountain. Empress Dowager Cixi visited the tower to offer incense and pray. Sea of Wisdom is the Tibetan style temple on the peak of Longevity Hill. It is built from colored glass and houses more than 1000 statues of Buddhist figures.

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I was amazed to view this nostalgic scene one block from my home and felt I had traveled back in time one hundred years. A bearded farmer had hitched his handsome Belgian Draft team to a horse-drawn hay mower. In this work I am experimenting with creating texture using a paint scraper. My intention is to focus on adding more texture to my oil paintings in order to add interest and drama. Please leave comments about what you like about my new textural effects.

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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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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

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A white buffalo or white bison is considered sacred or spiritually significant in several Native American religions; therefore such buffalo are often visited for prayer and other religious rituals. The coats of buffalo are almost always brown and their skin a dark brown or black, while white buffalo are extremely rare. The National Bison Association has estimated that they only occur in approximately one out of every 10 million births.

Native Americans see the birth of a white buffalo calf as a prophetic sign, similar to the weeping statues, bleeding icons, and crosses of light that are meaningful to some Christians. As Christians may view these signs as a renewal of God's ongoing relationship with humanity, so Native Americans view the white buffalo calf as the sign of life's sacred circle.

An early story about a white buffalo was documented by historian Josiah Gregg and travelers on the Santa Fe trail. In 1833 during the Leonid Meteor Shower (The Night the Stars Fell), a white bison was killed by the Cheyenne who scribed a peace and trade treaty on its skin.

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It was a glorious fall morning when we stopped along the way to photograph these golden aspens, blue spruce, and Queen Anne's Lace on Guanella Pass. I love the back light filtering through the translucent aspens leaves and the pattern of the delicate wildflowers leading our eyes into the scene. I'm so grateful to call Colorado home.

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On a gorgeous autumn day we drove Guanella Pass, stopping frequently to photograph brilliant yellow and golden aspen foliage. I was excited by the sun glowing through the translucent leaves of the quaking aspens and the patterns formed by the pale aspens against the deeper greens of cedars and pines. I hope that you will feel the warmth of the sunny day and remember the spicy fragrance of the new fallen leaves on the forest floor.

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Kat is a lovely young woman who posed for our portrait painting group. She has a serene and classic bearing and wore a long gown in black and burgundy while posing on a rose colored chaise lounge. I found the contrast between Kat's porcelain skin, the black satin dress and the black and grey drapes quite interesting. I've painted a previous study of Kat mostly from life; and this is my most recent studio portrait painting done from photographs.

What do you like best about this painting? What story or memory does it bring to mind?

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Longs Peak from McGregor Ranch, oil, 22x28

You're cordially invited to the cool and refreshing Cure for the Summertime Blues at Framed Image, 5066 Hampden Ave., Denver, CO 80222. 

Outstanding regional and national artists exhibit works in summer blues and greens, which will be displayed July 1 through August 30, 2014. 

Gallery hours are Tues-Fri 10 am-5:30 pm and Sat 10 am-5 pm. My paintings available for sale in the show are Longs Peak from McGregor Ranch, oil, 22x28 and Westlake Park View, oil, 9x12.

www.framedimage.net

 

Westlake Park View, oil, 9x12

 

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Twilight Trail Ride (c) Ruth Soller, oil on linen, 16x20, $1200 Cowboy Josh, oil, 14x11, $600

Step back in time and take a trail ride along Rimrock Canyon. Savor the changing colors as the sun sets over Colorado National Monument. Smell the wild sage as the trail meanders into the canyons. Build up an appetite for some chuckwagon steak, baked potato, cowboy beans and steaming hot coffee. Experience these sensations as you browse the Old West themed paintings of the region's best artists at Framed Image in Happy Canyon shopping center on Hampden off I-25 in Denver, CO.

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I'm thrilled that Night the Stars Fell on Bents Fort will be for sale in March 20-22, 2014 The Russell: Sale to benefit C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. In addition I'm honored to be accepted to exhibit in the prestigious Western Masters Art Show at the Best Western Heritage Inn, Great Falls, Montana during Western Art Week, March 19-22, 2014. You're invited to visit Room 185, where I am featuring oil paintings around the theme of Old West Relics & Memories. Join my free newsletter list to receive previews of new works, private invitations to events, and special offers. 

William Bent (1809-1869) was a fur trader and rancher in the early 1830’s who built the Old Bents Fort along with his brothers near present day La Junta, Colorado. The fort was on the Santa Fe Trail and just north of the Arkansas River which divided the American West from Mexico. During fall and winter as many as 20,000 Cheyenne would camp outside the fort while trading with Mexican and American settlers. Beaver pelts, buffalo pelts, and horses were traded for food, liquor, and household goods.

On the night of November 13, 1833 a magnificent celestial event called “The Night the Stars Fell” would be reported across much of North America. In Bloomington, Illinois the heavens lit up like a Fourth of July sparkler as tens of thousands of meteors streaked through the darkened sky. In Baltimore, Maryland the event was said to be one of the most grand and alarming spectacles which ever beamed upon the eye of man.

Historian Anne Hyde wrote that Cheyenne chief White Thunder suddenly realized a common interest with William Bent and interpreted the meteor shower as a sign of a new beginning. White Thunder arranged a truce with the Pawnee during a solo, unarmed visit to the Pawnee village. White Thunder also arranged a formal marital alliance between Bent and his daughter Owl Woman. He believed that their children would represent another element of the new beginning, of peace for the Cheyenne and the region. By this time Bent had learned the language of the Cheyenne, and he was known as Little White Man by the native tribes.

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Barn in Snowy Wood by Ruth Soller, oil/linen, 16x20 La Fonda Las Posadas by Ruth Soller, oil/linen, 11x14

You're cordially invited to celebrate the holiday season at Framed Image in Denver, CO, with their brilliant new exhibition "All That Glitters" which is displayed November 4, 2013 through January 4, 2014. Warm up with a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks nextdoor and hunt for treasured gifts at the Happy Canyon shopping center.

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This plein air oil painting depicts the 1896 farmhouse owned by the Frank Grasso family during the height of the coal mining industry in Superior, CO. This home is preserved behind the Superior Town Hall building in Heritage Park along with other buildings of the small family farm including a barn, root cellar, privy, woodshed and a bungalow. Early farm machinery is included on the site. This painting is a companion piece to my previous plein air work Grasso Barn, Superior, CO.

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Ruth Soller Solo Exhibition – Broomfield Auditorium Gallery –

Reception Sunday, Aug. 25, 2-4 pm

“Old West Relics and Memories”

While collecting my most recent and favorite works for this exhibition, I realized that most of my paintings illustrate themes from the Old West. The subtitle “Relics and Memories” implies that each viewer of these paintings adds their own personal memory and images from the past or even from dreams about the Old West. This show celebrates my tenth anniversary of living and working in Colorado and immersing myself in a culture and lifestyle I dreamed about as a child. It has been such a blessing to experience the beautiful and dramatic landscapes of Colorado and to paint scenes from Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Mesa, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Steamboat Springs and more. I’ve taken a giant step outside of my studio to practice plein air painting with the guidance and encouragement of excellent landscape painters, John Taft and Jake Gaedtke. I’m drawn to the historic architecture of the West, from the barns and cabins of the earliest settlers to the grain elevators that served each community’s need for farm animal feed to flour and cornmeal for cooking.  I’ve practiced horsemanship skills and learned more about anatomy of horses which aids my drawing and painting of these noble and powerful creatures.  Recently, I’ve indulged my passion for portraiture in workshops with outstanding portrait and figurative artists, Johanna Harmon and Dan Beck. During our travels in the West, I’ve observed Native American dancers and enjoyed composing scenes of these dancers in authentic costumes and settings. I’m thrilled to share my collection “Old West: Relics & Memories” with you.

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Kat is a timeless beauty who posed for Dan Beck's workshop on Controlling Edges and Shapes in oil portrait and figure painting. I started the painting from life and completed it from my photographs. 

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Josh dons his cowboy hat and leads us to ponder whether he is fixin' to round up some dogies or to stomp a Texas Two-Step with the cowgirls. Share your story in the comments box below.

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Josh was an intense young man who modeled for Dan Beck's workshop on Controlling Edges and Shapes in oil portraits. Josh, who has a career as a film maker, was able to take on varying personas and remain focused for long poses. I began this piece at the end of a three day workshop; then completely reworked it later in my studio. I like the intense expression on Josh's face and the way I have begun to use a variety of edges from soft to sharp along with a variety of major shapes in the composition. I am working on transitions from warm to cool color temperatures as well as gradations of values from light to dark.

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After receiving exciting responses to my oil painting Lone Star Quilt & Western Saddle, especially from the Lone Star State, I was inspired to create a companion piece with a complementary theme. Recalling my childhood when my Grandmother gave me a guided tour of the flora in her yard, I focused on the Yellow Rose of Texas as my theme. My research involved finding a quilt pattern for a Yellow Rose of Texas quilt and a western saddle hand carved from a warm yellow ochre leather. With the aid of Photoshop, I combined these images to create a sort of western themed still life. At first I was troubled by the appearance of the saddle floating before the quilt; until I recalled Georgia O'Keeffe's cow skull paintings. Often, the cow skull appeared to float above a minimalist landscape or in front of a red, white, and blue vertically striped background. I enjoyed the vibrancy of the lilac tones in the quilt and cinch against the yellows of the roses and the saddle.

What are your thoughts about the results?

What memories does this painting bring to your mind?

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Fairbanks Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain (c) Ruth Soller

I'm pleased that the owner of The Vermont Country Store acquired my oil painting "Fairbanks Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain" for display in his Antique Scale Museum in his Weston, Vermont store. Learn more about this painting in my earlier post "Fairbanks Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain."

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This antique Fairbanks Scale at the 1891 Loveland Feed & Grain Mill caught my attention as it reminded me of the ornate old equipment and implements I had seen at my grandfather's general store in Cornerville, Arkansas as a child. Notice how elegantly designed and engineered is this utilitarian scale used for weighing sacks of grains and animal feeds. Features include fluted Doric columns with base, a shiny brass beam arm with poise and the large gold lettering across the mantle. Numerous examples of a variety of scales collected dust on the main floor of the retired grainery.

For the full story of Granddaddy's Store please sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter here http://ruthsoller.fineartstudioonline.com/email-newsletter .

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Suffolk Punch Day is Done, oil on linen, 16x20       Loveland Depot, oil on linen, 11x14

 

I'm happy that these two original oil paintings sold this month to collectors in Texas. Suffolk Punch Day is Done sold at the Panhandle Plains Invitational Western Show and Sale. Loveland Depot sold to a collector who grew up in Loveland, Colorado.

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This enormous yet gentle draft horse lives and works at Four Mile House Farm in Denver. This is the oldest remaining homestead in Denver and served as a way station and tavern four miles south of the Colorado State Capitol building. One of the jobs of the draft horses is to pull covered wagons in which visitors may ride on weekends. Note the powerful muscles of the neck, shoulders, and hips. My concept was to show him emerging from a chilly autumn morning fog as the sun just begins to break through to warm the fall foliage.
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