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

This is the second painting in my new series of Abstracted Cloudscapes. This painting was inspired by a sunrise photograph I took in January 2020. I found the cloud formation foreboding, as if an unknown threat was rapidly descending upon us. How true this feeling turned out to be. Examining my collection of cloudscape photos taken during 2020 and before, I selected a group which portrayed a variety of emotions to me. Now I am working on translating the images to paintings and I hope the series will be meaningful to you.

Please take a moment to reply in a comment the feeling or emotion this piece creates for you. Read More

This acid green Burlington Northern caboose has seen better days before it was uncoupled and left to the graffiti artists on a side track below Hunter Douglas headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado. I love the abstract shapes and bold colors of this design. In the background you see the Boulder Flatirons, so named because of their resemblance to the early pioneer irons for clothing which had to be heated on the wood stove top or the hearth before ironing. Read More

This Lone Star Quilt in red, white and blue was pieced by my great-grandmother Laura Cline Chance for my father Lloyd Stephens. My grandmother Lela Mae Chance Stephens had it quilted by a group of ladies in her hometown Cornerville, Arkansas. This treasured heirloom was passed on to me by my father. The beautifully hand-carved leather western saddle belonged to my riding instructor Corinne Schindler who manages Acres of Opportunity Ranch for rescued horses in Lafayette, Colorado.

I love the idea of combining these symbols of American patriotism with the legendary cowboy of the American West. This is one of my most realistic paintings to date as I spent a lot of time and care in modeling the diamond pieces of the quilt and the carved and stitched leather of the saddle. I'm very pleased with the result and hope that you enjoy the painting. Read More

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

We enjoyed visiting Mesa Verde and toured several of the cliff dwellings including Cliff Palace and Long House and Spruce Tree House. One balmy evening we visited the Cortez Cultural Center where we experienced Ute tribe storyteller Reggie Lopez and his three lovely daughters who performed dances in dresses of the Ute tribe. Storm clouds threatened a downpour as a glorious double rainbow graced the eastern sky. I imagined traveling back 700 to 900 years in time when the cliff dwellings were occupied by hundreds of Native Americans.

Nina is painted at Newspaper Rock in southeastern Utah. Newspaper Rock is a petroglyph panel etched in sandstone that records approximately 2,000 years of early man's activities. Prehistoric peoples, probably Archaic, Basketmaker, Fremont and Pueblo cultures, etched on the rock from B.C. time to A.D. 1300. In historic times, Utah and Navajo tribesmen, as well as Anglos, left their contributions. In Navajo, the rock is called “Tse' Hane'” (rock that tells a story). Read More

I painted these cheerful pumpkins on location at Munson Farm in Boulder, CO, one warm October morning. This original oil painting is framed in a simple black wood frame. Shipping is included in the continental US.

How would this piece look in your fall decor to brighten your living or dining area for Halloween and Thanksgiving?
Read More

 

I'm thrilled my oil painting "Bell Dance Taos Pueblo" is chosen for an Award of Excellence in the Manhattan Arts International " Spirit of Resilience " online exhibition featuring eighty outstanding artists worldwide. My painting is available for purchase here: https://www.ruthsoller.com/workszoom/3779663#/

 

"The Puebloan tribes continue to live and work at Taos Pueblo showing the spirit of resilience since 1350 A.D. I painted Bell Dance Taos Pueblo of the pueblo at dusk lit by campfire. Energy and movement are shown by beads and bells on the costumes. The fire crackles and pops as the wafting smoke symbolizes the mystery of the traditional dance."

 

You may view the show here: healing-power-of-art.org/the-spirit-of-resilience-exhibition

 

Inspiration and Process - At Leanin' Tree Museum of Western Art in Boulder, CO (now closed), I discovered Kenneth Riley's inspiring 1991 oil painting “Dance Progressions” and began planning my own adventure into painting Native American dancers. My visit to Taos Pueblo and experience of Native American dancers at the motel fire pit gave me ample resources. Painting began with the evening sky, the mountains, and the Taos Pueblo as seen at dusk with a foreground campfire. I painted the darker elements of the elaborate Bell Dance costumes in analogous cool colors and then painted the hair and firelight glow of the skin tones. Several layers of progressively lighter tones built up the swirling skirts. 

 

 

Read More

On a crisp spring morning at Zapata Ranch, a wrangler releases quarter-horses out into green pastures. A chestnut, bay , sorrel, and palomino lead the herd while a white stallion plans his move to win the lead.

This original oil on linen is painted around the edges and is ready to hang unframed. Check out the View in Room feature below to see this painting in a variety of settings. You may purchase directly using PayPal and please contact me if you have questions. 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

Read More

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

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

Read More

 

 

 

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.

Read More

 

Walking near Coal Creek trail on a winter morning we spied a stand of cattails backlit before a snowy bank. Here is a scene just east of the trail head of cattails in the snow. Attracted to the pattern of light filtered through the dark cattails, I painted this scene in my studio. Notice the southwestern flavor of the color harmony among the oranges, blues and violets.

Read More

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. 

Read More

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.

Read More

   

 

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

Read More

        Read More

 

I'm thrilled to present my newest major oil painting in my National Parks series, Grandview Sunset Grand Canyon National Park. This dramatic artwork is based on photographs we took while watching the sunset from Grandview Point our last evening at Grand Canyon National Park. Views as the colors and shadow patterns shifted across the formations were breathtaking. A monumental silence enveloped the group of people watching the glory of the heavens and the earth. Peace radiated out of the depths of the canyons lifting mere observers into meditation. Surely, if you have not experienced this adventure, you must be drawn to partake.

Read More

 

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

 

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.

Read More

Read More

The Russell is a fine art exhibition and four-day fundraising event. The Russell events include an educational component for the public through supporting activities and materials. This exhibition and sale offers the opportunity for thousands of individuals (including students) to view quality art created by a large and varied group of nationally known artists. It enables the Russell Museum to become a more financially stable institution better able to carry out its mission. Western Art Week has been taking place in Great Falls, Montana, since 1969.  This is the fifth year that the C.M. Russell Museum will host an event to solely benefit the Museum.

Night the Stars Fell on Bents Fort (c) Ruth Soller, oil, 24x30

The Russell: Sale to benefit C.M. Russell Museum

March 21, 2014: First Strike Friday Night Auction
Civic Center Convention Center

Great Falls, Montana
4:00- 6:00 p.m.
The First Strike Friday Night Auction will give art buyers an opportunity to get acquainted with up and coming artists’ work and build their collection of fine art. Hosted refreshments and light appetizers will be served.

Link to The Russell catalog:  

https://www.cmrussell.org/catalogue-of-art-the-russell-auction

Read More

Twilight Trail Ride (c) Ruth Soller, oil on linen, 16x20, $1200, Room 185

Read More

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.

Read More

     

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

Behind the Scenes

If you have been invited to present a solo exhibition of your artwork, you may relate to my feeling of overwhelm at the number of tasks neccessary to produce a first-rate show. I'd like to share with you how I corralled my runaway thoughts into a manageable order. Mind mapping is a form of brainstorming which I studied in the book How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb. The benefit of this process is that you allow both sides of your brain to function together while thinking creatively. 

Using a large sheet of paper, begin in the center with your main concept which you wish to explore or your key problem which you wish to solve. Allow your mind to suggest main ideas or steps which naturally flow from your main concept or problem. Place these categories as channels or bubbles flowing outward from the central idea. In order to achieve each of these categories, you will likely require smaller steps or sub-categories. Continue to draw arrows out from each category to its subcategories. Proceed with this until you think that you have covered all elements which will be needed to complete your project or solve your problem.

Make your map as simple or as elaborate as you desire by using drawings, colors, or varying scripts.  Remember, the purpose of the mind map is not to create an aesthetic illustration but to organize all of your rambling thoughts and concerns about your project on one diagram. You will feel your confusion and anxiety drift away as you realize that you now can begin productive work, knowing that nothing will slip through the cracks. If you think of additional points later, simply add them in the appropriate section of your mind map.

Above is my example which I created in order to manage the production on my solo exhibition. I chose to highlight tasks as I tackled them; so that I could see at a glance what needed to be done next. In general, I began at the top center of the mind map by deciding on the theme and title of my show. I was able to start here because I had already completed a large number of paintings and needed to narrow them down for a cohesive theme. I engaged my husband and son in selecting a title for the show with the prerequisite that I prefer descriptive titles which I think aids visability in search engines.

Once the theme, title, and paintings had been selected I worked mostly clockwise around my map, keeping in mind any deadlines which I scheduled on my calendar. Next, I focused on the most physically demanding chore of framing my works. Since my venue is local I was able to take photos of the walls in the gallery and to use my limited Photoshop skills to virtually place my paintings in the gallery. I wrote press releases and submitted them to newspapers, newsletters, and online newsletters. I designed and ordered large postcards from VistaPrint.com with a printed invitation to my artist reception and mailed them to collectors, galleries, media contacts, friends, family and acquantances. I posted my show invitation on my social media and wrote an article for my monthly artist e-newsletter.

You can see that there are still many steps to complete as I am now less than a week from hanging the show and less than a month from hosting the reception. 

Share in the comments how you plan for a solo exhibition? How have you found mind mapping helpful?

Read More

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.

Read More

Filemon modeled for us in Johanna Harmon's figure and portrait class at the Art Students League Denver. After starting the painting in class, I completed it later in my studio using photographs. 

Read More

Taos Museum in the Nicolai Fechin home introduced us to the multiply talented artist born in 1881 in Kagan, Russia. Fechin excelled as a draftsman, painter, architect, and wood carver who built his adobe home and studio by hand from 1927 to 1933, while carving the beautiful and unique tables, chairs, beds, doors, columns, stair railings, built in cabinets and cedar lined closets which filled his home. Fechin carved and molded the adobe buildings into a marriage of Russian, Native American, and Spanish symbology. Fechin's portrait paintings brought to mind John Singer Sargent's assured bravado brushstrokes combined with Gustav Klimpt's German Expressionist style. Taos Museum owns a permanent collection of 300 works by fifty artists of the original Taos Society of Artists and modern Taos painters. Strolling through fragrant gardens of cherry and apple trees, lilies, roses, bachelor buttons and lavender we visited Fechin's studio which contains a gift shop of art books, hand-made jewelry, pottery, and woven scarves.

www.taosartmuseum.com

Read More

 

 

Steve and I had an eventful trip to Amarillo and Canyon, TX, for the Panhandle Plains Invitational Western Show and Sale. If you should find yourself in Amarillo on the first Friday of the month, First Friday Art Walk at Sunset Art Center is the place to be. Sunset Art Gallery offers a free buffet, bar, and live music while exhibiting some of the best artwork of today. Sunset Center is home to individual artist’s studios and galleries and the Amarillo Institute of Art, which provides ongoing art classes taught by leading artists such as Jack Sorenson. On First Friday you may meet and talk with artists and observe live painting demonstrations.

Saturday morning we set out for the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum and were fortunate to see a retrospective exhibition of Orren Mixer’s oil paintings of famous quarter horses and their owners sponsored by the Dogwood Foundation.  The Museum contains a wealth of history and artifacts about quarter horse racing, rodeos, and ranch work, displayed in the expansive natural stone and wood architecture. The floor of the main hall is sculpted with a diagram of the all-important bloodlines tracing modern quarter horse champions back to the Godolphin Arabian.

I’m pleased to be represented by Ann Crouch’s Sunset Art Gallery of Amarillo and am proud to display my western landscapes alongside renowned Ramon Kelley, Guido Frick, Cecy Turner, Wes Hyde, and Anita Louise West. Sunset Art Gallery is spacious and elegantly appointed with white columns and wainscoting, black walls, and salt and pepper grey carpeting. Meandering up to the entrance is a lovely sculpture garden with lily ponds.

Saturday night artists, patrons and sponsors polished up their best cowboy boots and sported ten gallon hats and bolo ties for the Panhandle Plains Invitational Opening Reception. This is the only show in the Texas Panhandle to offer museum quality artwork that you can own. I was honored to meet Albert Handel and learn how he painted his striking Rushing Water piece. Panhandle Plains Historical Museum is worth a special trip and is filled with historical artifacts including a full sized oil derrick, a complete frontier town of businesses, and even dinosaur skeletons. Their permanent collection of southwestern art includes many of the Taos Society of Artists and Georgia O’Keeffe.

Sunday, we took a new route home in order to visit Bent’s Old Fort near La Junta, Colorado. We learned that the old fort burned down and has been rebuilt according to the original blueprints. The fort was the first white settlement in Colorado built in 1833 and functioned for only sixteen years before being burned. A video describes the history and early visitors to the fort, while a self-guided tour takes you through all the rooms. Re-enactors in period costumes play the roles of early settlers on specified days of the year.

Read More

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?

Read More

Broomfield, CO artist Ruth Soller is honored that her oil painting “Black Canyon of Gunnison” is selected by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to represent the state of Colorado in his office in Washington DC. This is the second year that Senator Michael Bennet's office has chosen artwork by Colorado artists to be displayed on loan in the Senator's Washington DC Office.  The Senator selected approximately 15 pieces of 2D artwork and sculptural pieces. Large scale artworks are preferred to enhance the 25 foot ceilings of the Senator's office and conference rooms. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a stylized landscape painting incorporating intensified hues, symbolic motifs, and dramatic contrasts of light and dark in the composition. This view from the north rim features strong morning sunlight casting sharp surreal shadows across the steep jagged walls.

Ruth’s oil paintings of the western landscape have been exhibited in prestigious venues including The Salmagundi Club New York, The Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio, The Russell: Sale to Benefit the C. M. Russell Museum in Montana, Creative Capital Exhibition at Denver International Airport, and Florence Biennial International Contemporary Art Exhibition in Italy. Indigo Publishing of Macon, Georgia published “Portrait of Rosa Parks” in the hard-cover book Montgomery River Region Sketchbook. The general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) acquired Soller’s oil portrait of a New York City firefighter entitled “In Remembrance” for his office in Washington DC. Caddell Construction Co., Inc. purchased five of Ruth’s works for their Montgomery, Alabama corporate art collection.

Soller’s professional memberships include Oil Painters of America (OPA), American Plains Artists (APA), Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, and Louisville Art Association (LAA). Soller is represented by XanaduGallery.com in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Read More