Donna Clair

Southwest Contemporary Artist

Author: Donna Clair

HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?

18 July 2011 — HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?  ONE BITE AT A TIME!  My new exciting blank canvases for a 24″x96″ painting of Pedernal.  Stay tuned!  ENJOY!

“ON THE ROAD” – NEW 18″x18 Original Oil on Canvas

“ON THE ROAD” (SERVILLETA, N.M.) 18″x18″ Orig. Oil on Canvas Framed in gold with linen liner. For price and availability call  (575)758-7454 This image is now available as a 17″x22″ (sheet size)  Studio Edition Print – on Ultra-Premium Presentation Paper (Matte) – enclosed in polyvinyl envelope and mailed flat.  $100, plus $10 S&H.        “Forward […]

“ON THE ROAD” 18″X18″ WORK IN PROGRESS (THE GLAZES)

20 June 2011-Glazes (transparent and semi-transparent oil color mixed with painting medium) add richness and vibrancy to the final painting…..the colors come ALIVE!  Planning to complete this canvas by the end of this week.  Stay tuned!  DC

ON THE ROAD – 18″x18″ New Work in Progress (Underpainting)

13 June 2011 — “ON THE ROAD” – New Work in Progress 18″x18″ Original Oil on Canvas, framed in Gold with Linen Liner.  The road leading away from the small village of Servilleta, New Mexico.  This canvas is the beginning of a series of 30 new paintings from my 2010/2011 field trips.  Stay tuned!

DON GREGORIO’S WINTER FIELDS (TRUCHAS, N.M.) – WORK IN PROGRESS (UNDERPAINTING)

5/20/11- “DON GREGORIO’S WINTER FIELDS (TRUCHAS, NEW MEXICO) – 12″x24” Original Oil on Belgian Linen, to be framed in silver with Linen Liner.  Work in progress: The underpainting. All colors mixed with Grumbacher’s MG Fast Drying White and Winsor-Newton’s English Distilled Turpentine.  Trees:  Chrome Oxide Green Opaque and some Prussian Blue.  Sky and snow shadows:  […]

ANNOUNCING “ON THE ROAD” (IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO) – A MOVEABLE FEAST!

  5/18/11 —  Have been traveling back roads here in northern New Mexico seeing places I’ve not seen (even after 44 years in a place one can be surprised!) – all new material for my paintings — a wonderful new beginning.  With the completion of “ABIQUIU DREAMING” (featured below) I have decided to begin a […]

THE OPEN ROAD! Field work for new paintings

14 April 2011 — Finished the Rio Chama painting late last month – varnished, framed it and sent it off to it’s new home in Cambria, California on Monday.  Spent the rest of Monday and most of Tuesday feeling “post-ARTum” blues.  Took off in search of orchards with apple blossoms — about a week too […]

LAS FLORES! HAPPY SPRINGTIME! – NEW ARCHIVAL GICLEE

3/20/11 – Good Morning Taos Sunshine! Last year members of the American Bar Association held a conference here in Taos.  Art Friend Karla Matthews from Virginia arranged a studio visit for the spouses of the participants holding the meeting.  We all laughed and had a fine old time – one huge coffee klatch!  The next […]

ON THE ROAD TO COMPLETION – 36″X48″ RIO CHAMA COMMISSION

18 March 2011 – Rio Chama, 36×48″ (sold) — On this early Friday afternoon am finally seeing how this painting can be completed.  Here are the glazes; some parts of the painting are already finished – the sky and parts of the foreground.  Made a pot of spaghetti sauce this morning, listening to Annie Proulx’s […]

“RIO CHAMA AT ABIQUIU” -18″x24″ Original Oil Study (Available)

STUDIO #511 – “RIO CHAMA AT ABIQUIU” – NEW 18″x24″ Original Oil on Belgian Linen, Framed in Gold.  $1800.00, +$100 Shipping and Handling.   Just completed this afternoon, this work is a study for a 36″x48″ commissioned canvas.  The colors are rich and vibrant and the brushstrokes fat and juicy!  If you have any questions or […]

RIO CHAMA AT ABIQUIU – 18″x24″ Work in Progress – the Glazes

2/14/11 – “RIO CHAMA AT ABIQUIU” – 18″x24″ Study – Work in Progress (Glazes) — This is a study for a larger commission piece (36″x48″)  The sky is completed and the mountains in the distance.  Sky:  Thalo Blue, Permalba White, Indanthrone Blue and a touch of Yellow Ochre.  Far mountains:  More intense sky color.  Same […]

RIO CHAMA AT ABIQUIU – 18″x24″ Work in Progress – Underpainting

  21 January 2011 – “RIO CHAMA AT ABIQUIU” – 18″X24″ New Work in Progress – The Underpainting.  Oil colors mixed with MG Fast Drying Underpainting White to Pastel Hues.  Sky:  Thalo Blue, Indanthrone Blue, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow.  Mountains:  Deeper Blue Hues than sky.  Adding Chrome Oxide Green to deeper blue mixture.  Dioxazine Purple […]

HOT OFF THE EASEL! “PEDERNAL” NEW 8″X28″ Original Oil SOLD

1/18/11 — “PEDERNAL” – 8″X28″ Original Oil, to be framed in gold with linen liner.  $1600.00.   SOLD Just put my brushes down about half an hour ago.  This canvas practically painted itself!…..the beginnings of the material I got this fall on  my trip to Abiquiu and Chama.  STUDIO NEWZ:  Waiting for the upgrade on […]

WINTER RIVER – 11″x14″ Work in Progress – Underpainting

STUDIO #411 – “WINTER RIVER” – 11″X14″ Original Oil on Canvas Work in Progress – the Underpainting.  All colors mixed with Fast Drying MG White.  Blues: Thalo, Indanthrone.  Greens:  Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna, Chrome Oxide Green Opaque.  Brush: Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Mars Orange, Burnt Sienna.

AN INVITATION TO VISIT MY “NEW” WEBSITE

  1/14/11 — For the past six months or so, my friend and fellow tech collaborator, Dan Kuehn and I have been working to simplify and upgrade my website at www.donnaclairart.com  — The new site is now available online.  On the Collector’s Guide page you can find a gallery of new paintings available through my […]

24″x24″ HONDO VALLEY DREAMING – Work in Progress – The Glazes

1/5/11 – From My Taos Studio –   HONDO VALLEY DREAMING – 24″x24″ Work in Progress, the sky is completed and the Glazes on the lower 2/3rds of the painting:  Sky: A combination of Permalba White, Indanthrone Blue, Thalo Blue and Thalo Green and Payne’s Grey.  The Grasses: Darkest Greens:  Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna.  […]

CORDOVA AFTERNOON – SOLD

 “CORDOVA AFTERNOON” – Sold 24″x30″ Orig. Oil on Belgian Linen Framed in Gold with Linen Liner

48″x48″ POPPY LOVE GRANDE! NEW Original Oil Painting

11/19/10 –  “POPPY LOVE GRANDE!” NEW 48″x48″ Original Oil on Belgian Linen –Just completed today, this painting will be featured as a full page ad in the 2011 Wingspread Collector’s Guide.   The glazed version of this painting is featured below — the background will give you a fair idea of the size of this piece.  […]

GRACIAS A LA VIDA!

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”  Thornton Wilder Happy Thanksgiving to all!  DC

24″x24″ “HONDO VALLEY” – Work in Progress, Orig. Oil Painting

11/15/2010 – 24″x24″ – “HONDO VALLEY” – Original Oil Painting on Belgian Linen, Work in Progress.  All colors mixed with MG White.  Sky: Dioxazine Purple, some Rose Red.  Mountains: Thalo Blue, Indanthrone Blue.  Middle Ground:  Chrome Oxide Green and Cadmium Yellow.  Foreground:  Same combination, leaning more to Chrome Oxide Green and adding some Prussian Blue. 

SUNDAY MORNING SURPRISE!!

  10/31/10 – 10AM – TAOS MOUNTAIN BALLOON RALLY!  Surprise drop in visitors in my neighbors yard — UP UP AND AWAAAY!  I LOVE SURPRISES!

30″x60″ PLACITA IN WINTER – STEP 2 – UNDERPAINTING

30″x60″ PLACITA IN WINTER (Work in Progress – Underpainting) — Color notes:  Most of the color mixtures are done using MG Fast Drying White.  Sky:  Payne’s Grey, Prussian Blue.  Mountains: Combinations of Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna as darkest colors; lighter shades with Chrome Oxide Green Opaque and Yellow Ochre.  Snow:  Lightest areas MG mixed […]

24 SEPTEMBER 2010 – STUDIO NEWZ

STUDIO NEWZ:   For the past four years the major share of my painting sales large and small have been made via the internet – through my website at www.DonnaClairArt.com     As the result of this online success, I am no longer affiliated with McLarry Gallery in Santa Fe.  All New Mexico sales will go […]

PLACITA IN WINTER (STUDY) – 18″X36″ UNDERPAINTING

  9/15/10 –The second phase of this painting is what I call the “underpainting” – most of the colors have been mixed with MG Fast Drying White.  Although it might look finished now as it is, I will work the top layers of oil colors into it as soon as these paints dry….five or six […]

“PLACITA IN WINTER” (STUDY) 18″x36 Sketch

Hello from Taos!  Here are the beginnings of what I expect will be two paintings — the first is an 18″x36″ Study for Placita in Winter.  I love this composition and the colors and am planning to order a 30″x60″ stretched canvas tomorrow to make a larger version of this painting.  First of all, here […]

LAS NUBES DE TAOS – SOLD

“LAS NUBES DE TAOS” – SOLD (THE CLOUDS OF TAOS) 9″x9″ Original Oil, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner

HERE I GO AGAIN! Another New Beginning

8 September 2010 – It’s that time of the year again when I begin to block in new paintings to work on through the winter.  Have had several field trips so far with a lot of new material.  In the right hand corner of this photo is the new 48″x48″ canvas called “POPPY LOVE GRANDE” […]

BACK TO THE EASEL!

23 June 2001 — Every so often I realize I don’t know who I am without a paintbrush in my hand!  That’s when I have to take a break – time to observe the world without a camera or sketchbook. This hiatus took a little more time than I had planned, but it was well […]

“TAOS AFTERNOON SHADOWS” – NEW 48″X36″ OIL PAINTING

“TAOS AFTERNOON SHADOWS” New! 48″x36″ Orig. Oil on Linen Framed in Silver with Linen Liner Began this canvas in January, although the source photo was made the year before….16 January 2010 – I didn’t want to miss this beautiful light I saw from my kitchen window last winter.  Grabbed my trusty digital camera and shot […]

#1310 – CAPILLA DE ESTACA –SOLD

“CAPILLA DE ESTACA”  – Sold 12″X6″ NEW Original Oil on Linen, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner — Completed 4/22/10 – Now available for sale through my Taos Studio.  Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express thru my studio for your convenience.  E.Mail or call (575)758-7454 for price and availability.

SPRING FLING! STUDIO EDITION ARCHIVAL PRINTS – 3 for the price of 2

SPRING FLING!!  THREE PRINTS FOR THE PRICE OF TWO ($210.00) – Now available from my High Road Catalogue – http://www.donnaclairart.com/prints.html     Offer good until April 30th.   “LILAS DE TAOS” – Spectacular spring show of lilacs in front of the old Taos News Building! – Available in two sizes – Small: $60, Large: $110.  Prices include shipping.  […]

30″x60″ Original Oil – NEW! “CANCION DEL SOL” – SOLD

SOLD STUDIO #1010 – “CANCION DEL SOL” – 30″X60″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen – Framed in Gold with Linen Liner.  Completed 3/21/10.  This painting has been a long time in the “dreamtime” — which is where I usually spend most of my days.  It is a view from Middle Road here in Taos […]

“CANCION DEL SOL” – WORK IN PROGRESS – PHASE II-THE GLAZES

“CANCION DEL SOL” (SONG OF THE SUN) – 30″x60″WORK IN PROGRESS — Phase II – The Glazes.  Have had the canvas and frame for this painting at least two years and I have painted this in my head at least a thousand times over the past five or six years.  This week I have been […]

30X60 CANCION – WORK IN PROGRESS – GLAZING THE FOREGROUND

   “CANCION DEL SOL” (SONG OF THE SUN) – 30″X60″ WORK IN PROGRESS.  From the bottom up today — Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna in the foreground.  Middle ground a combination of Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna and Italian Pink.  I want the feeling of sunset — early evening — will work the opaque paints into […]

“CALYPSO” – WORK IN PROGRESS – The Glazes

  2/18/10- Here is the phase of the painting where I could absolutely go out for a cup of coffee and not return!  The glazes….the middle stage of the painting.  Transparent and semi-transparent colors over the underpainting — Thalo Blue and Green, Cadmium Yellow, Prussian Blue, Rose Red — background: Permalba White, Ochre and Payne’s […]

30″x60″ Orig. Oil Painting -“CANCION DEL SOL” Work in Progress

  “CANCION DEL SOL” – 30″x60″ Underpainting – New Work in Progress – Original Oil on Belgian Linen.  Have had this large painting in mind and heart for about five years now, and I am very excited to have gotten it down on canvas this week.  Now I have two large format pieces in the […]

FEBRUARY MORNING, LLANO SAN JUAN, NEW MEXICO

  “FEBRUARY MORNING” – LLANO SAN JUAN, NEW MEXICO Now available as a Studio Edition Print 19″x13″ sheet size – $60.00 includes shipping Call (575) 758-7454 to order

TAOS WINTER SUNRISE 1/23/10 – (Photo)

1/23/10 – Up really early this morning and photographed the beginning of the sunrise through my kitchen window.  It was just a special moment – everything felt as though it was at the beginning again – that from this sunrise there will be a renewal – another spring.  “If winter comes, can spring be far […]

“CALYPSO” – Work in Progress – Underpainting

A perfect day today — kind of cloudy, waiting for snow.  Here is the underpainting – am working mostly with pure colors – ochres, cadmium reds, cobalt blue, chrome oxide green opaque, cadmium yellow.  Background is a combination of Payne’s Grey, a little ochre and MG Fast Drying Underpainting white.  Will let this canvas dry […]

“CALYPSO” – Work in Progress

14 January 2010 —  Here is the “cartoon” for my new 24″x24″ oil painting “Calypso”.  I have done the drawing in Prussian Blue — working loosely.   I love this color  for sketching in paintings because I believe the strength of the blue comes through the eventual layers of colors.   This is an important […]

“VETERAN’S DAY/SANTA FE PLAZA” – SOLD

                          “VETERAN’S DAY/SANTA FE PLAZA”- SOLD    In one of my recent “clear outs” I found the slide for this painting which I took sometime in 1969 or thereabouts.  I worked on this painting today and all the while debated whether I would disclose the  surprise it held for me as I worked on it.  Normally […]

AFTER — Getting Organized

6 January  2010 – Today is the Feast of the Three Kings at Taos Pueblo — dances, celebration.  Cleaned up the studio finally — all prepared for my New Beginning……

#820 – THE NEST (NEW BEGINNINGS) – NEW ORIGINAL OIL

4 January 2010 – “THE NEST” (NEW BEGINNINGS) – NEW 10″X10″ Original Oil on Linen, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner.  Call (575) 758-7454 for price and availability. “Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end” Seneca, Roman Philospher, mid-1st Century AD.  Found two quotes from Seneca recently.  Another is “Begin at once to […]

810 – THE NEST (NEW BEGINNINGS) – WORK IN PROGRESS

#810 – “THE NEST” (New Beginnings) – 10″x10″ New Oil Painting – A solid start today — here are three phases of this new oil painting.  The photo of the nest – the oil sketch – outlined mostly in Prussian Blue – and the glazes.  Will let this set up overnight and am hoping to […]

WINTER GIFTS……..

There  is nothing I can give you which you have not;But there is much, very much that while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our heartsfind rest in today.  TAKE HEAVEN.No peace lies in the future which is not hiddenin this present moment.  TAKE PEACE. The gloom of the world […]

BEFORE — AN OVERWHELMING URGE TO GET ORGANIZED!

21 December 2009 — The New Year is almost here!  Yes, it’s time for me to roll up my sleeves and get organized!  HAH!  Perhaps some Christmas elves will show up this week while I am dreaming of Sugar Plums dancing!