Bag and Room Hunt Sketches

Room was one of the items on Scavenger Hunt 508
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1432647

I sketched in the big book with the Micron 01, using one of the twin beds in the room for a table.  Very quickly.

Number 2, room - it is not quite that big.  Smiling.

Number 3, bag - a grocery size bag from Bolivia. (with another bag inside)  It is some sort of woven nylon and is 20 plus years old.  Gene has replaced the handles but that is one tough bag.  I had two of them that didn't burn, but I left the other with some Bolivia tablecloths at some art happening and never got them back.  Sigh....

Three of our traveling kids come this evening.  Looking forward to that.  Will I blog?  Probably.  Check back to find out.

By the way it is cloudy in the west and looking like rain......

Mountain Sketching

I disappeared again.  Now you know that is normal for me.  If I don't sketch or paint, not much to talk about.  The new Scavenger Hunt 508 had 'mountain' on the list so that gave me an opportunity to sketch in the big book from the porch/deck.

Scavenger Hunt 508  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1432647

Number 1, mountain - I took the photo so that you can see it is about half a page in the big book.  How to show the ski slope was interesting, maybe I could use dots.  It would take forever, though, and I'm not into forever on a sketch.

I missed the sunrise this morning, but still got a nice photo.  A bit different angle than my sketch.

It was 49 when we got up and is supposed to get to 75 today.  Family arriving tomorrow evening.  Today is a catch up day to get ready.  As usual we have clutter!  Amazing that the two of us can clutter a place in a few minutes!

Acrylic Mini Painting

Joan Bohls is an artist friend from Bastrop.  Once in a while, we end up in Angel Fire at the same time.  We try to get together and paint.  (We did that today!)

A couple of days ago we were invited to a get together for Joan's birthday.   I have some mini canvases with me and thought it would be fun to paint an Angel Fire scene on one for a small gift.  I painted with acrylics while sitting on the porch/deck.  Nice.

Angel Fire aspens, 2 x 2 inches in acrylics.

The painting, larger than in real life:

Here is a post from 2010 when Joan and I painted here in Angel Fire:

https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/three-plein-air-landscape-paintings.html

Pastel, Tablet and Other Sketches, Photos

My days are running together.  (It's the altitude .. see previous post)  I have to think to remember when and why.

Scavenger Hunt 507.  One of the items on Scavenger Hunt 507 was a waterscape.  There are a few lakes around here, the closest is Monte Verde lake which I have painted before.  I got out the pastels to do a sketch because water is easier to show in color.  It was pretty breezy and the lake was not very pretty, but today was the last day of the Hunt so I stuck with it.  This was sketched yesterday, August 15.

For Scavenger Hunt 508
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1432647

Number 10, waterscape - Monte Verde Lake boathouse.  Choppy water.  It is a sketch done in about an hour on blackish Canson pastel card.

And the photo of the scene.... bit of a different angle.  Gene met me there and we drove back home.

Number 11, related to car - part of the dashboard with some toys, sketched while waiting for Gene on his trike.  He rode to Eagle Nest and then we had lunch and drove back.
Number 12, something that relaxes you - being in the mountains.

I went to exercise this morning.  That was fun.  The Essentrics class was held outside where they have the Farmer's market.  Beautiful morning and stretches mostly.  Anyone going by might have thought we were doing Tai-chi.   Class was free, another bonus.   When we finished, Gene came by and said he was riding to Eagle Nest so we made the deal for lunch.

I forgot to bring my travel sketchbook as previously mentioned so I stopped at the Dollar Store hoping to find some sort of tablet or spiral with blank sheets.  I didn't hold out hope for a sketchbook.  I actually found one!  It is a Little Fingers Sketch Pad with 50 sheets of paper, 9 x 12 inches.  They also had some fine line Sharpie pens so I got that to sketch with while waiting for Gene.  Nifty!  It is not very sturdy but I can take something to make the back firm .. Gene's clipboard or a puzzle book!

I haven't been doing many puzzles.  No time.

Sketch New Stuff and Visitors Guide

It is always interesting to sketch "new to me" stuff.  There are many "new" things here to pick from.  I'm not very comfortable sketching here for some reason.  In La Paz, Bolivia, everything was blamed on the altitude.  I will do the same now.  If it is good, it is the altitude and if it is bad, it is the altitude.

I sketched in the big coffee table book with a Prismacolor 01 and a Micron 01 pen.  The Micron is has a finer nib.  They both last a long time if you are not hard on the nibs.  I sketch freehand and as quickly as possible.

For Scavenger Hunt 507
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1432181

Number 6, a view inside a closet or cabinet - corner cabinet for coffee cups
Number 7, something related to cooking - stove
Number 8, something sharp - knives on the counter
Number 9, something from your bathroom - a ceramic soap dish

**   ***   **   ***  ***  **   ***   **

I took this sunset photo night before last.

Yesterday I was looking through the information books and pamphlets and opened this one from last year.

Inside there was a quote from me!  I comment on facebook on the page for the Angel Fire Resort and that must be where it came from.  Weird....

Quote is "Sunsets are the Best Here" -- Jo Castillo  in the upper right corner.  I'm published!

I'll be posting more sunsets .. they are special in the high mountain air!

Here are a couple more Angel Fire (AXX) Photos from past years....

Finally at AXX for Sketching

We have arrived in Angel Fire (airport code AXX), well, two nights ago.  Two nights on the road.  Visited family in Yeso, New Mexico.  That was good.  We hadn't been together with my two nieces at once in years.  Whee!

The drive from Yeso to Angel Fire included a ferocious rain storm between Clines Corners and Santa Fe.  Wind, lightening and hard rain.  We made it fine, though.

The house is beautiful.  The driveway is steep and Gene had a devil of a time getting the trailer parked.  We did not have the correct combination to get in, but a phone call took care of that.

The first morning it was 43 degrees F.  Brrr.  We expected it though and were better prepared than in Colorado last trip.  It got up to about 74 degrees yesterday.  Very pleasant.

I sketched in the big coffee table book.  I brought it in a computer case so I can put some different things in it.  I sketch our "stuff" over and over.   New to us stuff in this house.

For Scavenger Hunt 507
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1432181

If you haven't ever looked at the Hunts you should.  It is fun to see the different takes on the same items from around the world and different techniques.  You may be inspired to sketch from life.

Number 2, basket - this is pretty big, sits under the coffee table for magazines
Number 3, hanging - this wooden plaque of Texas
Number 4, flower - an artificial sunflower in a pot in the corner of the living room

Our home away from home, inside and out.  Pretty darn nice!

I left my point and shoot camera at home -- plugged in and charging.  I took these with my iPad.  Will have to use that and my phone.