I’ve been working on some new paintings for the Taos Gallery, horses and chamisa from photos I’ve taken of the area in the last few months. Here are two I’ve just finished.
Orchard Ranch
This is from some photos I took going to Taos from the side of the road. I saw the group of ponies and stopped to take pictures. The hillsides in that area were so interesting with the rock and brushy trees. The orchards and chamisa were near the river and I combined several shots. It was August and the rain clouds were amazing! The sky just fills up with beautiful clouds racing across the sky.
Orchard Ranch ©Cathy Carey 2013 oil painting
At the same time as I painted Orchard Ranch I was working on a new version of “Horses in Chamisa”. This one is larger and the mountain is styled after Taos mountain. I like the way the clouds explode up and over the mountain while all is calm and peaceful in the foreground as the wild horses munch chamisa.
Chamisa Fields
Chamisa fields ©Cathy Carey 2013 oil painting
Currently in progress are paintings of a pine forest outside Taos on the Enchanted Circle. Somewhere near Questa we took a walk with Yogi and Kira around a beautiful pond where people were trout fishing. It was quite large for a pond, but not what I’d call a lake. The water was a beautiful milky turquoise green color and the burnt sienna of the pine floor was beautiful next to it.
Stages of “One Horse Pines”
Pencil drawing on gold painted canvas
Next I draw in Golden brand Micaceous Red Iron Oxide mixed with Carbon Black
Golden products for line drawing
micaceous line drawing by cathy carey
Next stage is to start the under painting – this time I’m using a variety of oil paints: Sennelier, Daler Rowney and Maimeri.
Under color painting 2 in oil by Cathy Carey
Under color painting 2 in oil by Cathy Carey
Oil vs Acrylic under painting
I usually do my underpainting in Gamblin Fast Matte oils – they dry over night and are compatible with my next layers of oils. I can vary the viscosity of the paint by adding Gamblin Galkyd Light
The painting on the left for demo purposes I used Sennelier Acrylic paint, the painting on the right I used a variety of oils.
acrylic vs oil underpainting by Cathy Carey
Other paintings in progress in this series:
Ponies in the Pines
Ponies in the Pines by Cathy Carey ©2013
Chamisa and Pine
This is the first one of this series, I loved the patterns of the pine tree branches and how they made little cells of the sky and hills behind. The branch pattern also echoed the shapes in the chamisa plant.
Chamisa and Pine by Cathy Carey ©2013