Original artwork description:

This is the first in the series of Hot in New Mexico paintings for wounded warriors.
It is oil on canvas(20x16 inches) and will have to be framed. Sorry. I was not thinking. It was a super moon and I was just too enthralled.So I used a regular canvas. If you want a basic frame, I will see what I have, just e-mail me. I am now making stretcher bars that form a box that sticks out from the wall, so no frame necessary, but this one will need a frame.
I do my work on site.It was so bright I did not need any other light to block in the painting.
When I paint outside I do not do traditional au plein (only painted outside and usually in one day and the technique is very Impressionistic.) I like to go several times to the site to get the energy of the land and animals I see as I sketch and take photos. When I work in oils and am in the zone, the animals come and the plants present themselves as they want to be seen. I know this sounds odd but that is how it is for me when I work outside. The stars in the painting are traditional Early Aboriginal symbols taken from petroglyphs. Oops, an elk just hit the cabin (we have a metal roof and they are ruining it scratching their itchy backs I don't know what to do). Anyway, the Lakota Souix still use this star symbol and can be seen on the old Ghost Shirts from the Last Uprising. T
The trail goes straight up the mountain to some caves( not very interesting-- my dad took us up when we were kids in the 60's but the view is great). You have to get permission from the ranch to go up now and my tip for the day: do it in winter as the rattlers like to stay cool in those caves during the heat of the day.

Materials used:

archival Grumbacher oils

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