Taos Workshop

My annual Watercolor Workshop in Taos New Mexico which usually happens in late May has been postponed to August 23rd - 28th and there are still a couple openings. The headquarters will still be the historic Mabel Dodge Luhan House which is itself a wonderful painting site. I am excited because of this later date the hollyhocks and sunflowers will be in full bloom and some of our favorite painting sites will have a different look. If you are interested in the workshop or have any questions, send me an email to pendletonstudio@gmail.com.

When I am painting on location, I like to zoom in on intimate scenes like this that I can capture in a smaller size. The sunlight is always changing and working quickly is essential. I remember that I was excited when I found this subject because it contained so many things that are characteristic of Taos with the coyote fence, sunflowers, Taos blue window, and adobe wall. Taos is famous for its high desert sunlight that has attracted artists for years and my goal was to capture that sunlight in this plein air painting. The adobe wall is a mixture of cobalt violet, mineral violet and yellow ochre. The window is cerulean blue and the sunflowers are cadmium yellow with burnt sienna centers. The coyote fence was an exercise in hard and soft edges and different values. I wanted each log to be different but I did not want the fence as a whole to overwhelm the sunflowers which are the center of interest. As I look at this painting I get excited about the workshop and all the subjects that Taos presents in abundance. Send me an email if you are interested in the workshop. Happy Painting! Dennis Pendleton