The Blue Gate

In Taos New Mexico blue gates are a tradition that goes all the way back to the early settlers and the Pueblo Indians. This color which is now known as Taos Blue has been used for many years to ward off eval spirits on doorways, window frames and gates. This painting was a demonstration from my Taos workshop and it was a magnificent year for the lilacs which were blooming everywhere and filling the air with their intoxicating fragrance. I chose to dominate the painting with warm colors and use the blue gate as a cool accent. Surrounded by warm colors and dark values the blue gate gains an air of mystery and adds to the story of the painting. Colors are not only warm or cool in regards to their location on the color wheel but also in relation to the other colors placed around them. Color temperature is one of the keys that can change a painting into a more interesting work of art. Happy Painting! Dennis Pendleton